quick question: the mitsumi rails, is that available in the kit form or do i have to purchase these from Mitsumi. if i have to purchase the extrusions from mitsumi, is there like a cheatsheet that lists the mitsumi part numbers and the lengths?
rkovvur wrote:quick question: the mitsumi rails, is that available in the kit form or do i have to purchase these from Mitsumi. if i have to purchase the extrusions from mitsumi, is there like a cheatsheet that lists the mitsumi part numbers and the lengths?
Last night I decided to go ahead and work on the frame. Overall, it went well (means I completed it). Actually, I still need to add the bottom skin, which should be arriving today.
It took about 3.5 hours. However, at least 1 hour of that was spent documenting some very important issues - 1. Order of assembly, and 2. Number of EXTRA t-nuts that need to be installed in each piece as you go. The assembly docs online have been updated. Please note that some of the numbers are bound to be incorrect. Primarily because I have not completed the build of the entire laser yet, so there will likely be items that have to be mounted to the frame that I did not think of. That being said, I know having the table and instructions that are now available will save you a lot of time AND frustration. I had to backtrack a lot - you should have to do so less.
[Photo - Completed frame with table frame and door/lid frame.]
Since I already have the Gantry, y axis v-rails, and z-lift sub assemblies completed, I believe the rest of this will start coming together quite quickly. IF I can get to it tonight, I'll install the bottom skin and z-table and lifts. Then it will be on to the y axis v-rails and the remaining frame piece that ties them together. After that it will be the gantry itself. I hope to have all of that completed on Sat or Sun morning (between grandkids birthdays, etc.).
If I can meet that schedule, on Monday, when the official build week (week off from work) begins, I will be able to concentrate on electronics, optics, etc. Still wanting to complete everything in less than 5-days of work. I am at 2.5 now and believe (hope) I am over 50%.
tim -- "The answer is usually easy and obvious once you know what it is." tw
Only had a couple of hours tonight. And I admit it was not the best night.
Started out OK. Bart's skins package arrived today, so I decided to install the window and teh bottom skin. The window went well, perfect fit. Only took about 15 minutes and the lid is now ready to install when the time comes.
Then I pulled out the skins from the package. Bart did a great job of packaging - took me forever to get through the layers, unwrap the plastic, etc. Unfortunately, UPS was able to defeat even his best effort. Found two corners slightly crumpled. Obviously, UPS dropped the package right on its corner. And even though Bart had extra cardboard on each corner, it still happened.
[Photo - Front right corner of the bottom skin]
[Photo - lower right corner of front skin]
I went ahead and installed the bottom and plan to use the front as well. Luckily, neither is so bad as to be unusable. In fact, the bottom won't show at all and the front won't be seen by anyone not looking for it.
After that, I installed the two v-rails. Before that gets locked down, though, I have to install the z-table lifters and table. I'll be gone tomorrow, but that is what is on tap for Saturday morning.
tim -- "The answer is usually easy and obvious once you know what it is." tw
That sucks it was wrapped in about 20 layers of plastic too.
The last set I sent out used a full wooden frame around the edge to distribute any bangs across the whole edge. That package is going much further. I will see how that arrives. Both methods take over 30 minutes to package.
Bart "If you didn't build it, you will never own it."
Had a couple of hours this morning to finish off my Day 3 work. I installed the z-lifts, and z-table frame. I'll update photos later today.
Note - The doc call for one screw, washer, and t-nut per lift plate for attachment to the z-table frame. Certainly, the 1 screw and t-nut is sufficient. Two, as the lift plate's two holes might suggest, are not needed. You MAY, however, need additional washers. I had to use 4 on each screw. Not that much, really - they are pretty thin. Just be aware when you are doing it that the screws are about 1mm too long and a few extra washers will be fine.
BTW - I went ahead and installed the motor mount for the z-lift and longer threaded rod in the back left corner of the table. Easier than replacing the standard bearing mount and rod later. I will undoubtedly be installing the motor soon, anyway.
[Photo - completed z-lifts and frame] Notice the motor mount at upper right and the manual knob I added at lower left.
[Photo - closeup of z motor mount - ready for motor and toothed pulley.]
Tomorrow (day 4) should be a big day - time to install the gantry - tedious, I am sure, but a huge step toward completion.
tim -- "The answer is usually easy and obvious once you know what it is." tw
I suspected that Day 4 (install gantry and electronics) would likely be the most challenging. Guess what! I was right.
Day 4 was divided between yesterday morning and this morning. Yesterday it was the Gantry. Overall, not a hard process - but time consuming and requiring a lot of care to ensure I didn't break anything in the process.
When I first set the gantry in, I was curious to see the amount of usable travel (work area) I was going to end up with. I did some quick calculations and came up with 11" x 21.875". That was a little disappointing for me - I had anticipated closer to 12x22. Obviously the X axis is OK, but had concerns about the Y. Once I got the front idler brackets in for the Y axis, I saw that the usable Y axis would be even less - about 10.5". So I spent a lot of time thinking, tinkering, and deciding what could be done to tweak a little more out of it. I did find a way - which required a small modification to one of the Y idler bearing mount. I'll get some pics and post a separate article on that.
This morning it was wiring the electronics module and running first tests on the X axis under Mach3. Wiring took me a while. I have laying things out a little differently than the docs. Mostly, I am having to incorporate a means of wiring up a second controller. I want to have the Mach3 available, but I am also adding my DSP, which will be the primary use controller. I finally decided on a plan and got the Mach3 part installed and mostly ready to go. Again, I will post separately when I get the DSP installed as well.
I did do the testing with Mach3 on the X axis. Took some extra work as my drives are not wired like the docs, but once that was handled, and the motors tuned, it seems to work very smoothly.
There is one issue I don't understand, however. See the linked movie for a complete explanation and demonstrations, but essentially, the motor automatically reverses itself at each end of the x axis, but there is no wiring or control features that should be telling it to do so. I don't think it is a function of the drives, either. So, watch the movie and let me know what you think.
tim -- "The answer is usually easy and obvious once you know what it is." tw
Is it mechanically hitting the ends of the axis? Normally you never want that to happen. If so can you use your hand to do the same thing? What are you doing in Mach3 to move it? Is this simply the arrow keys? Have you setup the home limit switches yet? Do both axes do this? What motor drivers are you using? What do the Mach3 DROs say is going on?
Bart "If you didn't build it, you will never own it."