What do you really get for a $350 desk top engraver ?

bits and pieces of odds and ends mostly from past projects but the start of something here making parts on this thing as it is now is like trying to dig a ditch with a spoon at least i will have a base line to gauge from to see how much better it gets the old linear rails i had laying around were actually lower profile so fitting a screw under took some sorting out.

 

I still have a few small things to finish on my Z axis but i made some progress on it and you can start to see how it all comes together now. Where i had to set the motor so the spindle clears on retraction created some fit issues on the screw section. I have to modify the brass nut flanges but am running double nuts to deal with backlash. 8mm screw with 8mm lead but they are under 6 inches in total length so it should work fine here. I also had to cut out around the coupler to make room as well and had to do a recessed bearing block just to get a bearing on the right center line for the whole assembly. Needless to so things are pretty tight around the screw assembly I think the one picture shows it well. from the top of the bearing blocks to the base plate is only 24mm and the flange on the brass nuts are 22mm in diameter so a tight fit to say the least

 

 

If you want to drive yourself nuts try making something extra tiny on a $350 machine

i figured i would try to make some custom belt clamps and this is how i spent the weekend

 
 

I got some more work done on this project and am slowly getting there I had some design issues to button up but i think it's all sorted out for the most part. but here is the motor mount section of the gantry carriage with the bet drive parts mounted.

 

it turns out bearing fits and keeping things concentric are too much to ask of a $350 machine. so i went to plan B and just stacked two bearings together with some washers as spacers where needed and things work really well now. i added some extra wiggle room for adjustment if needed and i am glad i did so i have one side working on the Y axis but have enough to share some more pictures.

 

   

Ok managed to keep all the belt tensioning to the outside of the travel area and will have 16 inches on the X axis and around 20.5 inches on the Y axis before limits are added so around 15.5 inches x 20 inches after the fact give or take. Everything seems to work really well and feels pretty good too so i decided to go all in and upgrade to a better spindle with some proper bearings and ER20 collets with some better numbers for light cuts and fast travel rates. after looking it seems to fit easy on what i have but i will be adding a second set of bearing trucks to the Z just to be safe.

more pictures to share so enjoy