Tuesday, January 17, 2017

It Moves!

I took a slight detour in my continuing CNC conversion project today.  I decided that since I had the Z-axis apart and on the bench, I'd put in the new motion control hardware: ballnut, mount, ballscrew, and motor mount.  All the stuff I've been working on for a long time.


You'll notice there's a handwheel on the motor.  That's a spare I keep around from the Sherline and use on occasion with it.  I used it here to help line up the motors and mounts while getting everything running.  It's already off the machine.  Everything is a temporary setup, including LinuxCNC, which is using my Sherline configuration file. 

I could have left this for later, after the X/Y table is done, but it's nice to see real progress like this.  Because motion!


6 comments:

  1. That is going to be one sweet machine when you are done.

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    1. I've been telling myself that for a long time. Thing is, once it's up and running under CNC control, I still have work to do: the flood coolant, and the enclosure for starters. It will be able to make useful parts before I finish everything, though.

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  2. And a murmured, "It's alive," is certainly called for.

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  3. John beat me too it, but I would have been screaming "It's ALIIIIIVE!!!" in my best Mad Scientist voice.....

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    1. Well, to be honest, it was more like a high five and hug than Gene Wilder in Young Frankenstein.

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  4. You are doing an outstanding job on this project! I helped my son do this conversion to his g07074 a year or so ago, and I have to say that I'm a little jealous over that chip tray! :) Milling aluminum ends up with shiny oil coated glitter tracked all over our floor.

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