about my 48" X 48" X 5" Techno/ISEL woodworking router build

Been a while since an update...
i have been waiting for parts to arrive. i bought some DC circuit-breakers for my power supply cabinet, so no more directly powered circuits. i also ordered some wire to go between the power cabinet to my control cabinet. i thought the wire was somewhat local stock, but it turned out to be coming from China. it just arrived yesterday.

i removed the HAL connections from the coolant control (powers my dust collection vacuum), and instead i am using the pins from the spindle CW and CCW signals to turn on the vacuum, so it will start as soon as the spindle starts up. more of a convenience factor, really.

i have started to bundle the cables on the machine, just to make it look a little better. still looks like a bundle of spaghetti hanging off the machine, though.

even though i will have breakers in the power cabinet for each power buss, i may pickup some fuse blocks for each buss (5v, 12v, 24v, 36v). for example, the 24v buss has a 20A breaker, as that is what the PSU will supply. but i don't want the risk of a 20A short on, for instance, the light gauge wire for the homing switches. at the moment, i don't dare leave the machine powered, until i fuse the circuits. perhaps just paranoia...

~Travis

If you have a normal 20A PSU a 20A breaker will probably not trip. Depending from time and current your beaker has "tripping-curve". Normal PSU go fast into current limits and do not supply enough amps. For what you want you need good industrial grade PSU ore better electronic fuses.
But your solution looks probably cool

Mike

Hmm, had not considered that the PSU would have current limiting... well, i guess i have some fancy looking cut-off switches,

hopefully the smaller per-circuit fuses will keep things in order, when i buy them. bills took financial priority, so it may be just a bit before i can order them. (hate when bills get in the way )

~Travis

New configs at: github.com/travis-farmer/linuxcnc
with changes displayed at: github.com/travis-farmer/linuxcnc/commit...c366f06e50812100e64c
(for better clarity)

so, what i wanted was for the dust vacuum to come on ONLY if i am not using the coolant signals, but when the spindle comes on. what i came up with works, providing the coolant signals come on throughout the time the spindle is on, though that depends on the CAM post-processor config. i tried a few test G-Code files, and it seems to work quite well.

my intention here is that my woodworking CNC router is capable of milling plastics and soft metals. it is my plan to construct some sort of coolant containment system so that when i mill plastics and soft metals, the coolant doesn't make a complete mess. and when i want to mill wood, i can either remove the containment system (likely a PITA), or clean and dry the containment system after each use of coolant, and allow the containment system to aid in the containment of wood dust, while the vacuum picks up most of it.

now, i would obviously need to make provisions to plug the coolant sump from wood dust, and be able to physically turn off the coolant to prevent drips on the wood when not in use. i could also blow them clear with compressed air... perhaps.

so, what are all your thoughts here? i can't afford two machines, so i want to make it as versatile as i can.

~Travis

strongly thinking of a minor change in direction here... due to cost, and available funds.
yes, the spindle works great, but as i planned on using a laser for about 80% of the machine work, i am thinking of pulling the spindle off, and out of the way, and mount the laser in it's place. i need to be able to make money with this machine, ASAP. with the spindle, it still needs work, in that i have to figure out how to mount a dust shoe, with no room to mount it...
with the laser, i think i have everything ready so i can just mount it (to be determined how), make the wiring connections, and test it.

i could use two different configs, one for laser, one for spindle, but i don't want to have to maintain settings between two configs, and with the spindle mounted, i have no room to mount the laser. i am not getting rid of the spindle completely, just for now, so i can have a production ready machine.

the purpose of the laser is to simply cut or just burn a design into wood, like a sign, or a pattern on a cabinet door, or even just a branding logo on the back of a built cabinet door. i could even establish a database of each cabinet door, and burn a serial number that correlates with the database, so if the door breaks, warps, splits, or whatever, it can be remade by simply referencing the serial number on the back, though that is all pointless if the customer paints the door back...

it is my hope in the future that i can just make some changeable mounts for the spindle and laser head, so i can change out each, but that is after i make more money with the machine

~Travis

so, been a while... i tried to sell my machine as i needed the money, but it was my good fortune that it didn't sell, because i have the desire to continue again.
i had put the spindle back on to demo the machine, but the person never showed.

good idea, Andy, i will look into mounting the laser onto the back of the gantry somehow. if not, i can either abandon the laser idea, or likely build a machine specific to it. right now, i need money, so i have a little work to complete on the machine first before it can make money.
currently, the Z axis limit/home switch locates on the down-most stroke. very less than ideal, but it works for now. so i need to change that to signal the top of the travel. given the way Techno/ISEL designed the machine, it is very hard to mount the limit external. so i think the best option is to dismount the Z axis and open up the box that encloses the movement to first see what is wrong with the factory limits, and to repair or replace those, with something.
really, over-all, the machine needs to mildly taken apart to make sure all points are able to be lubed. Y i can do under the table, but X and Z need to be taken apart to lube. i plan on installing some well placed Zerk fittings at some point. or remove the covers that hide the movement entirely, and just keep them clean somehow.
in any case, this machine needs some work before it is production. i can run little test cuts now and then, but it is less than ideal.

so anyway, i am back! (i am sure that sends shivers down the spines of many  )

~Travis

seems like every time i work on a project, it turns to heck...
started pulling the Z axis off, and come to find out the curse of and old machine with steel bolts in aluminum... if i can't fix this machine, i may as well sell it for scrap...
i mean, the only way to lube it is to take it apart, and now i can't do that! i wish the original builder had thought to use some sort of protectant on the threads. now i am helically-wound on an incline-plane... my last hope is a corroded mess. and what's worse, the T-handle hex wrench poped out and flipped into the nearby window, just to add insult to injury.

i am so wound up right now, i don't even know what to do anymore...
~Travis

sorry for the vent...
my plan of attack is to use some EZ-Outs to remove the offending fasteners, and either replace them, or cut a slot in them for a plain screwdriver for re-use. but this time, with antisieze, and likely some lock-washers to prevent vibration back-out. a pain in the butt, but necessary for continued use. more importantly, it will allow future maintenance.While the Z axis is apart, my intention is to replace the home switch that does not work (reason for the external switch), with hopefully an optical switch. Probably a break-beam style. I think it will have the best accuracy, and being inside the box, should stay clean. It will be backed up with a mechanical limit, should it fail. My other option is to make Hall-Effect limits. Probably using a vane-interrupt system. Should be easier to keep clean. I already have the Hall sensors, I just need tiny magnets, and vane material (steel) to shunt the magnetic flux...
~Travis

i got the machine loosely back together, so i don't lose parts. at least while i find replacement fasteners, some antisieze, my EZ-Outs, and money to continue. been out of work for a while due to an at-work back injury. apparently there is no compensation for at-work injuries, so i am quite poor right now.

~Travis