So I like the idea of playing with CNC and would like to know from current owners - if you were going to buy one today what parts would you recommend to a new builder. I am considering the USB-CNC driver as use with laptop would be most convienent and nod to the future.

For Example:

1) best stepper if considering a belt drive upgrade? are the vexta's still the hot setup?
2) stepper driver board & power supply would you buy with $200 if you now were to build a machine?
3) spindle - can the HF flex shaft motor be used for the MK1 spindle?

I have never seen a phlatprinter operate in person so I don't know what to expect. Is the MK1 a good starting point while shopping for bargain belt drive or bushing parts for mechanical upgrades? I assume that stock is using threaded rod and plumbing supplies for drive and sliders?

what is the best bank for the buck upgrade?

looking for you thoughts.

 

Bushings on the Z axis, belt drive on the Y axis with stock steppers work well, can get up to 150ish ipm with just those easy upgrades.
Where are you located? I might be a good idea to find a PP owner near you and send them a pm to go see theirs

 

Thanks Jeff. That is a significant improvement and seems worth while. I have seen some threads about belt upgrade for the Y axis - but have yet to find out details about where guys have sourced the belt parts from. I understand a member had made kits some time ago.

If you have done it - can you point me to a source for these parts? I am trying to get a BOM lined up for an order.

I am in Rochester NY - I'll see if I can locate someone.

 

I have the bonez kit.. before I start the build I am trying to find the good Mods to do from the start. I have found the postings to get precision drill rod from Mcmaster Carr and bronze bushings for the gantry slides.

Before I place my order I am trying to find the Belt mod parts also anyone?

 

Did you ask Mark and Trish if they have material for the belt mod?

 

I have one question about the Driver Board, has anyone ever tried the Hobby CNC board? http://www.hobbycnc.com/products/hobbyc ... oard-kits/ I live fairly close to the guy that owns Fancy Foam, and he said he had been pleased with how easy it was to use, and how cost effective it was.

Also... has anyone tried to install EMC2 on Linux 11? Saw it worked on 9, but would like to update to 11 just to be current ;-)

Thanks for the input!

~ Nathan

 

Yes I asked them about the belt mod parts and they told me it started as a forum member kit originally and that I could find the info on the forum... Since they did not offer that they were still selling upgrade kits any longer... I have been digging through the build threads for details.

I am considering ways to make the frame bolted for easy modification later if needed. Thanks for the tip. I did see your mod thread with the flex shaft adaptor - nice work. I am using your info for consideration with my build. Would you recommend the roto zip or HF flex shaft set up? Now that I have the MDF kit in the basement It see that packaging the parts inside my be tricky and shaft flex angle likely is the biggest factor in this decision.

 

I built the hobbycnc board. You need to be very good at soldering, which isn't hard to do. I was already good at soldering, but soldering a pcb was intimidating. I watched a bunch of pcb soldering videos on utube, then practiced on some old electronics. The components are pretty standard, and you don't have to solder any surface mount parts. The hardest part was desoldering, and resoldering my mistakes(and the mistakes can be very hard to spot without a lighted magnifying glass). Come to think of it, I did all of the soldering under my lit magnifying glass.

The board works fine after 2 yrs in my PPMKII. You use 6 wires on the steppers, instead of 4, like the easycnc board(unipolar vs bipolar, I have forgotten the difference).

This project was very satisfying(for me), but I gladly went with the easycnc, usbcnc package, on my PPIII, and would whole heartedly recommend that route. The money saved just doesn't justify the extra work, and the easycnc board (unipolar vs bipolar) gives more torque (I think :? )

Getting the whole package from Mark and Trish is the way to go IMHO. The customer service is leaps and bounds above anything most of us have ever experienced, and most of the users here have experience with their package, so help is always available.