Instead of adjusting the X roller height - which would have been a real pain to do, I decided to add a 1/8" thick sheet of HDPE to the table of my PhlatPrinter. I used the table top as a router guide (I'd made mine removable by screw-mounting it) and the top of the X-roller is now only about 1/16" higher than the table. That still seems to give the roller enough bite to pull/push the material with impunity, and the HDPE has a very low friction surface anyway (that's why they use it for cutting boards) so it hasn't seemed to increase the drag at all. My HDPE is translucent white, so the alignment marks on the tabletop are still visible, and now the foam lies FLAT on the table where the cutter tip meets the foam. If the loss of an additional 1/8" of Z-depth becomes an issue, I can always just remove the HDPE sheet.
I used a 3/32" piece of plexiglass and painted it white. I think it was one of the must do mods for me. I might try my 1/8" plexiglass again though, except this time I'll paint it to make it smooth. The foam didn't slide well before on it.
On my Phlatprinter and all the prototypes I have put together I have had the roller come out to where it was designed at 1/16" I am working on lowering it for future designs (among other tweaks ) But I am wondering if this is caused by clamping the parts? I have not clamped any of the builds I have assembled so far and I guess the difference is being made up over the entire build? Mark
Mark - I don't think clamping the parts made any difference, because the slots for the main roller are in the side panel and the hole for the bushing is in the wall of the box that contains the stepper - and the box is the only thing that could have been clamped. Besides, I used Gorilla Super Glue on nearly everything anyway. But - - - the roller sits very level in relation to the top plate, just 1/8" too high (plus 1/16" for the friction drive). Maybe the 3" PVC has that much variation in diameter? BTW, the cutter of my Dremel is not centered in the slot of the top plate, by about 0.100", which causes the black plastic collar of the Dremel to run into the underside of the top plate, limiting my "Z" travel to about 1 1/2". I already removed the screwed-on finger stop ring from the end of the Dremel. I'm planning to loosen the u-bolts and add a shim behind the Dremel to push it "back" enough to center it in the slot. Has anybody else noticed this, or is it just me?
It's not just you Dorsal. My Dremel isn't centered in the slot either, but I thought that was because i'm using a 300 series rather than the 200. I'm leaving mine as it is because there isn't much clearence for the Dremel to be shimmed. I don't think i'll ever cut foam much thicker than 1/2" anyway, but you never know.
Hmm, that is weird because I have done the brass shim mod on mine and it is still centered enough to where you do not really see a difference. In the design it is centered, but as you know from the design to the real world are two different things :| Good idea on unscrewing the finger stop, that is somae I have to try. I am looking into a mod that will make changing the bit a little less time consuming. Any ideas?
I've wondered about using the Dremel keyless chuck. I think it would hold tight enough for cutting foam but not sure about when using the smaller bits to cut wood.
I was looking in to that as well but I think your right about the wood problem. I have been think more along the lines of a larger hole at the home position for the bit so that you could just job the Z up high enough so that it is above and out of the top. Then you would have no problems working with it? Mark
That's what I was going to do to mine next time I had the top off. Seemed like a quick and easy solution.
I've added 1/8" plexiglass to my table top and love the added performance! The plastic has less resistance as it is so much smoother. It just seems like the material moves so much more easily now and the cuts are even more accurate, especially the depth of the cuts now no longer leave the skin in some places. I used a table saw with a thin blade made for cutting laminates to make 2 cuts in the plexiglass for the router bit. Right now I just have it taped in place, but I will be putting some screws in it later this week so that it can be removed to change the bit. Attached files
Nice job Flashsolutions I am going to give that 3rd front roller a try as well. I think it would help with the plung moves to keep the foam from poping up.
@ mnt - Maybe you should edit the pp bones design to add a 3rd set of slots in the sides of the lid for an "optional" 3rd roller, for future kits. And maybe some "hand holes" on the sides for lifting the pp when it's done. Right about where I mounted my handles would probably work well.
I added some 3mm HDPE sheet to the top of my PP yesterday. Thanks Dorsal, great idea! I also added a 'lid stay' today. This lets me open and close the lid with one hand so that I can hold the foam in position with my other one. Si. Attached files
