thanks eric...i am just starting to learn how stepping torque and learn what the different stepping modes mean. when i take that y-axis outta 1/8 step, that will come alive as well....i am understanding now how it changes the accuracy resolution...ya really dont loose very much at all.randy.

 

ok fellas, after testing my z axis, it got me thinkin....with the rapids it can acheve it needs a thrust bearing or at least a bronze end cap i installed on it like i had before....the particles i "bunsoned burned" out of the gantry top, lols. i wish the printer had more clearances built into it, so the screw thread end can be captured on both sides of the top. i believe at well over 200ipm z-axis feeds, its just to much pressure for just the stepper absorb....at least i can capture it in one direction...any ideas and input would be very welcomed....whatever i figure out, i will report back. randy.

 

thanks kwok....on my phlatty i made a firm decision to stick with the acme lead screws. i really like the mechanical aspect of them. now on the new version printer, the belt drives are very interesting. to be honest, i will probally get my greasy monkey paws on the new version, and start to explore the world of belt driven linear motion. randy.

 

Good idea Kwok.
This would eliminate the need to add material to the top, and its riding on bearings...nice.

 

rayclark, when i came up with the pressure roller spring mod, i was also thinking of doin both rollers...but then decited not to, as the top in that area is how should i say...very whimpy, and flexible. i figured the most that roller would need would be remade with bigger dia pipe, and dorsal's "dennis" sand or bb-shot mod. also the addition of a third roller would block the tool path view from me, and i wanted to keep a eve on it, lols. the spring mod in itself is working so good, i have not seen the need to do anything else to it. randy.

 

kwok, i had limited knowledge about acme screw threads until i started to mess with this printer...all i knew was a acme thread was just a different type of a regular fastener thread....i never really had any experence with them. all i knew was this screw type was used in alot of manual machine tools......now with the different thread starts, it was kinda hard for me to understand at first, but when i did it was like man what a clever concept. also i cant believe how cheap the screw was...very high quality also..... as far as your x-axis adjustable mod, thats a great idea kwok!! then you could even install roller easier also. if you look at the first page, you can see how i had to hack the top of mine to get it go in. also you could make the end play tighter because you can just slide the rolled straight down. early on that was a concern of mine that the roller could shift around with any side pressure. making the plex top for the phlatty is a real pain....nice work kwok....randy.

 

ok fellas....this mod is soooo......ghetto, i am ashamed to post it.....but stuff like this got me the nickname "the ghetto monkey".. the gantry dont have the needed clearance i have to have to install duel thrust bearings to capture the shaft end....the top is to close to the top of gandry. i just got some bronze bushings and made a "cup" for the shaft end. i understand this will only capture the thrust in one direction, and the stepper will have to take the opposite screw force. i hope the stepper motor can take it, im not sure what kind of end bearing set-up they got in them if any at all, but this is all i can do. bronze bushings cannot be flattened...ther to brittle and just crack apart. took a bigger bushing, and ghetto style smashed it with a hammer, to get the nessary piece to silver solder for the cap end. oh yea out came the bunson burner agian, lols. also down here in the ghetto, jb-weld is very popular, lols. peace, randy.
old hammer smash to get stock for end of cap

cap end silver soldered in sleeve


screw end ready for bronze cap...man whats that burn from?, lmao

cap ready for the ghetto jb-weld..

beautyfull ehh??, lols....

 

the z-axis mod is complete.....jb-welded a 1/8 birch ply cover over the top of shaft end bushing. now i can reassemble the printer. the new nut for the y-axis should be here today. i will report back after i tweak the y-axis. after what i have learned about the motor settings, i think i will get 500ipm both x and y with 300ipm z feeds....be back with the facts fellas. randy.
bushing reinforcement glued on, z-axis mod completed

 

fellas, after redoing my z axis, i installed a new stepper....its alot longer and i had to make a new table top for my stand....it hangs out a 1/2 in and i used 3/4 wood. randy.

 

ok this post is for the fellas that have no knowledge of practical shop experence....whenever i disassemble my phlatprinter to work on it, the y-axis allways has to be lined up and aligned. you dont need fancy equipement, i use a glass table to get axis aligned. the dial indicator you can get cheap also and can be used for alot of your other modeling needs. first thing i do is get a clean table, and lay down some paper towling. then i lay the phlatty on its front, carefully not to bunch the towel. then i move the gantry to the center of the travel, then start to snug the adjusting screws. then i go to each corner and indicate and zero. after that the rods are lined up with no twist. the up and down are not touched agian after doing this. now you have to make them parallel.......i slide the gantry to one end, and tweak the other screws as to make the gantry slide smoothly. then i slide it to the other side and do agian. this method works great.....the gantry also has to be built right to start with....the rod holes have to be perfectly parallel as to not to bind.....after that the screw is installed and aligned to the axis. i hope this makes sence, and hopefully helps someone. with the speeds of high pitch acme screws, or mark's new belt drive, it is essential the axis is properly aligned. randy.
aligning y-axis slide rods..

 

lmao, yup.....got a surface plate in the workshop, but its not big enough. randy.

 

ok fellas, i finally got my new stepper to replace the one i stole from the y-axis to set-up the z. had some set back setting things up. just about all of the phlatbroz know i am a electrical idiot.....you can review this post.....http://www.phlatforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=78&t=635

everything is all good now, and have all the axis running at a 300ipm rapid feeds. i had up to 400ipm on all axis testing, and decited to back it down to 300. the video i made is cutting @200ipm feeds, thats the way i made program. it took 3:20 to cut the test cut i made.....anyone wanting to cut faster will have to get mark's belt drives. i think this is pretty good performance for being a acme screw thread, and gettin done on the cheap. for the fellas that want to stay with the conventional screw like i did, i think this is a good option. also the pressure roller spring mod is working out fantastic....for now i am forgeting about installing a fence support. now i am looking foreward to a new version phlatcode peace, randy.

 

Randy that is incredible that you achieved this! Just want to say really nice job on all your mods and hard work that video was great thank you for sharing and for cutting out the Phlatboyz.com
Not sure if you know this, but I uploaded the 3D pack in the free plans 3D models section. You may want to check out some of those as well since you have that nice thick foam.
Super job Randy
Mark

 

thanks mark, my phaltprinter is very solid, accruate, and somewhat fast. i have learned alot about the electrical side of cnc machines since i built mine. now i finally think i am done, its been a long road, lols, i am looking foreward to my future projects. this is such a great tool for the hobby person, and anyone that likes to do crafts, its great. thanks mark, i think i will try a 3-d cut on it. randy.

 

with the new v-tab phlatcode, my machine is 5 seconds faster in 18 tabs!! i want to thank mark, and pete for this. on a big cut file this will be huge.....thanks, randy.
regular tabs in front row, v-tabs to back...

 

eagle files

Attached files eagle1.cnc (23.7 KB)Â eagle2.cnc (16.8 KB)Â eagle3.cnc (21.7 KB)Â

 

dennis, ya talking about the file that i traced it from??