Sold to a new home!! #46 - Netherlands

[KenC]

Found the link for "Gear Speed Step Frequency Calculator.xls"
screen shot,

[Gerald D]

Originally Posted by riesvantwisk

I currently simply uses the width of the wood, something I can refer to if people ask.. Edimca (The mayor wood working company here) can't be wrong, right??

You are in for some BIG surprises!
If you get the forum members talking on how the sizes of their sheets can change day by day because of suppliers (and moisture) then you are going to need a new thread!

PS. 48 inches is 1219.2mm . . . that is nearly 1mm less than 1220mm. We normally see at least 5mm extra on the "theoretical" dimension so that nobody can say they want to send it back because the edges are slightly damaged.

[riesvantwisk]

Gerard,

when measure with a tape the size was 1220 (or very close to...) the thing to remember is that this is Ecuador, there is no such thing as a extra because customers can complain margin, and they don't like to give away for free If you complain people here simply walk away or turn there heads to a other customer. With any formal complain what so ever you have a very slight change to get your right...

Anyways, I will do some additional checking this Saturday and get a couple of tape measure to give me a good average. The XLS image Ken pasted is very helpfull and going to check that out, can't believe iI missed it...

Now I need to please some clients with bug fixing

Ries

[riesvantwisk]

Had a good day today, no pictures but promise some pictures next week.

My lovly wife went out to buy and cut sticker for the machine, but came back with a very large role of white sticker with the message 'You cut them yourself honey!' Apparently in EC they are a big fan of large format printers, and nobody seems to have a little roland anymore to cut stickers for me...Ooo well.. tomorrow I will cut some stickers

Today I noticed that my computer was highly likely shutting down again due to thermal issues, so I am afraid I have to build a ventilator and a air filter in my box to get some colder air in, it doesn't happen when my box stays open... I also tried after starting up doing some work when the control box was still closed and that worked fine.

Next, using a artcam file I noticed that the MM started to vibrate as low speeds, and when looking at the EMC screen it started to push lot's of lines, so it looks like that artcam doesn't optimize the paths very well, something I believe is still possible within artcam, need to look that up... However, even due to the vibrations, the cut was quite nice.

Question to Kobus if he reads it, I know you use the motionking stepper 9801, and also gecko steppers. To what amperage did you setup the drivers? I currently using 4Amp, and my cooling plate get's very hot, to give a impression... after 10 seconds of touching the plate you want to remove your fingers. I still think I am within range of the drivers, but what I read here on the forum is that the plate shouldn't get that hot. Correct? My motors get fairly warm, but still very much touchable, next week I will measure it with a temperature meter...

What did I learn today? a lot.... specially the software like EMC and understand what bot cut's in some way. Next week I will also go out to buy better router bits....

My last letters I routed looked VERY nice, no need for sanding (even though the vibrations) and looked smoooth, I am very happy.

RIes

[Claudiu]

Sounds vrey good, congrats for your achievements.

Claudiu

[Kobus_Joubert]

Hi Ries,

I went to check...I have 100k resistors in my Gecko 202. (Brown , black , Yellow)
On the Gecko it is printed 62k for 4 Amp and 120k for 5 Amp.
I had the 100k available and used them...this should give me around 4.6 A I would guess.

My Geckos does not get that hot...I can touch my Alu. Heatsink and keep my hand on it as long as I want....BUT
My motors really get hot when I do carving where the motors has to work.
When cutting big pieces the motors stay luke warm.

Hope this helps.

Must add that my heatsink is a piece or Alu.Heatsink about 400mm long with nice fins.

[KenC]

Congrats!
No idea what you guys are talking about, but I'll get there... soon I hope...

[riesvantwisk]

Kobus,

I am currently at 62K ($A) and I was reading here on the forum that 3.5A was advised see the post of Mike here

I think the mayor difference is that you use a cooling plate with nice fins, I couldn't get that here unless I open my wallet a bit wider, a small piece here was already 20USD, and I couldn't even find a big one. So for now I am using a 4mm alu plate of 35x80xcm (top of my head) with the fan underneath using Geralds design.
However, I have also mounted my old laptop for EMC in the same box, and may be both of them generate more heath then the box can dissipate, with EMC I have to turn the fans on fast and disable SMI so I can get good pulses (I wonder how Mach3 disables SMI....)
So my computer can also run pretty hot and both of them.......

I think my solution will be to ventilate my box with 'fresh' here, Jairo suggested a small air filter used in cars engines and buy a small ventilator. Air filter at the top left, ventilator at the bottom right so I can draw a cool air across the box, given that it sometimes get 25-30 degrees outside here it might not be a bad idea.

@Ken: We are talking about that my gecko drivers get pretty hot in my case and my computer goes into terminal shut down when my box get's to warm. Some people don't need active cooling teh box, apparently I do and this is possibly also because I mounted my old laptop in my box.

Ries

[Kobus_Joubert]

Must have missed that post. Maybe I will go a bit smaller to bring motor temps down....but after a year of PLAYING the Chinese are still singing.

[riesvantwisk]

@Kobus, that's good to hear!

Any EMC users/pythons programmers reading this?

To educate myself into python coding and Gcode I decode to make a python script that can create G-Code to create classic dovetail joins on a Mechmate.

The code I created is stable enough to not crash, it generates the gcode for the metric people out there (something is wrong when I set it to Inch, properly something simple). The following items are on my todo for this:

- Cleanup code
- Make preview image look better, centered in various dimensions
- Allow to store several presets for several jobs
- optimize gcode under some conditions, currently it sometimes can cut in air...

Next Wednesday I am going to test it myself, and see if I made any calculation errors

Anybody want to checkout the code, if so.. send me a PM and I will send you want I have.

Ries

PS: Next dovetail project will be one that can be created by just a endmail and a simpler setup, however the classic dovetails look so cute...

[riesvantwisk]

Today I attached my stickers! They are hand cut stickers because I couldn't find a place where they had one of these cheapo Roland vinyl cutters.. But it still looks nice I think, the machine looks finished.
When I am back in holland I will cut some better stickers at a friend of mine and place them instead of these...

I also made better progress understand v-caving and they way how artcam generates a tool path (dead ugly so far). At some point my machine started to vibrate/resonate a lot and when looking at the screen I did see 3000 lines passing by just to carve 'Jairo' . From my G-Code lessons with my dovetail program I learned that there where G64 G61 codes and looking at the artcam file there where no instructions at all about how the machine should act at such lines. Next thing I did is rushed upstairs because I knew I had free internet there (open WIFI connection ), and looked up the G code reference see G61, G61.1, G64 Set Path Control Mode, so next thing I entered 'G64 P0.1' into EMC2, and the MM started to carve the letters beautifully, just a very light sanding with 180 was enough. We did little tests in all kinds of wood, all looked great (with family around it called in ).

Attached some pictures in random order. Clearly is seen in one of the pics that the cut is not great, while in the other (after entering G64 P0.1) it looks very smooth. This was cut with a standard 90 degrees bit, you know.. the one you buy for 5USD.. I also did buy some end-mills, but all carbite for alu/steal cutting. We couldn't find any pro wood router bits, but for now I really don't need them straight away, need to check that for online ordering one of these days.

Cheers,

[swatkins]

Both the stickers and the cutting Looks Great Ries

[Gerald D]

Your machine looks finished now! #46 it is!

We can talk about the lumps and bumps in the letters after enjoying the "birthday" party.

[MACHINEMAN]

Brilliant job well done Ries

[Claudiu]

Congratulations for your beautyful machine and your #46.

[aniljangra]

Ries, The cuts will get smoother as MM learns, Yes machines do learn
Enjoy the feelings of achievement for now..

[Lex]

Good luck and well done Ries.

[hennie]

Ries is going to build a body for that chassy next to the MM .Well done!

[Kobus_Joubert]

gefeliciteerd

[sailfl]

Ries,

Congratulations and welcome to the club.

[Sergio-k]

Congratulations Ries

Very nice cuts !!!!!

[KenC]

Well done! #46.

[riesvantwisk]

Thanks guys!

I really enjoy getting the support from everybody, reading the forum, and give that back with my little knowledge to the community

For my feeling the cut quality is really good, specially on the third picture that was just sanded a tiny little bit, once you understand the control software and things to take care of. The best part of this whole project is it's reliable, not like some other DIY projects where 'things' go wrong, this baby does it right each time, it WORKS.

I am in for my first real project now

I am happy with my number, FYI.. it's a 4x8 table (1220x2440) build from 1 Jan 2009 to 3 Feb 2010. Router is a old Bosch that is like 10 or 15 years old

Ries

[Gerald D]

When somebody gets their number, I enjoy looking back at where that person started. Ries is a Dutchman living in a Spanish country and at first you could tell he was nervous and a bit insecure about building the mechanics of his own CNC. (The look back reminded me that his wife Karina is a race car driver, following in the footsteps of her father Jairo).

Today we see Ries as a very confident guy, freely giving good advice wherever he can, and very comfortable to use English.

Unfortunately, once a lot of guys get their machines going, they disappear from this forum. Let's hope that Ries stays on a while - we need you!

[riesvantwisk]

Gerald,

thanks you for the kind words... One correction though, I don't think that the Ecuadorian people would like to hear that this is a spanish country The main spoken language is Spanish, and a bit of kitchua ( 'mischi awa', is the only thing I know..), the kitchua is the kinda of language you would here on the startek series where Mr Wolf speaks Klingon , I am not sure if they would liked to see that comparison though

my current plan is here to stay as much active as I can.. Learning g-code to the best I can and a bit of python so I can make nice quick routines to do simple tasks.

Ries

[jhiggins7]

Ries,

Contratulations on a great looking (and cutting) machine and Serial #46.

The Updated Builder's Log is here.

Please review your entry and provide and changes you would like.

[smreish]

Ries - excellent! Feels good doesn't it?
Welcome to the "done" with more work to follow club.

Sean

[domino11]

Congrats Ries! Excellent looking machine.

[javeria]

Reis - some how I get a better finish with the CV on and not the exact stop

[riesvantwisk]

@All,

again, thank you all guys, I couldn't have done it without you!

@Irfan, I think specially areas where curves are needed, the CV method (G64 codes) will give you a much smoother finish, you can also clearly hear these from the motors, Ken would say 'they sing smoother with CV'.
I do wonder if it's possible to create a combination of G64 and G61, I wonder if I can instruct EMC or mach to run in G64 but go to exact stop G61 or G61.1 when a corner is sharper then XX degrees. This will give you the speed and smoothness from G64, with the accuracy of exact stop, going to ask the EMC channel about this

Ries