Changes

Hi all,

After long period of silence finally I found time to create new post. As title says: changes. That is main thing that was happening during end of this year 2013 and will be in new 2014 year.
First of all I moved to a new place. Finally it is my own one. So I have to move all my things from home and my workshop. Renovating of the house was on the first place on the list to do. I need place to live and sleep.
Workshop is bigger problem. I have a garage where will be my permanent workshop. But roof of it has no isolation, winters in Poland are cold. So I can not move in there right now.
I made agreement with my fiancee and one of rooms will be my temporary workshop till Spring time.
(Sorry for poor quality of photos. I made those afternoon and light in my room/workshop is poor)

FIGHTECH is still alive

Hi all,

Figtech is alive. I did not forget about blog, but currently I have moved to new place and workshop is not set up. I hope that before Christmas I will show some new pictures.

Br,
Lucas

BIGCNC - small update

Hi all,

I made some small progress in building Z axis for new CNC. Sprocket on ball nut installed, holder for step motor installed.

Sprockets

Hi all,

I have to get almost 11 sprockets to my BIGCNC. Two of them will be big (48 and 36 tooth). I decide to try to cut them myself. I found a script on Thingiverse (link) and create with it one HTD 3M and HTD 5M sprockets. With Cambam I convert STL to DXF and prepare files to cut. Each sprocket is made from two identical parts and put together with 4 screws.
This is what I receive. Assembled HTD 3M 20 tooth:

Big CNC - first look

Hi,

Yesterday I made first try to try on big CNC in to one piece. It look awesome:

Only step motor is missing in Z axis.

Now it is time for X and Y axis.

Lucas

Big CNC - update

Hi,

I made some progress in building newest machine. Z axis is ready in 85% now.

New status

Hi there,

As I was better almost all previous week I was working in my workshop. I decide to do as much as I could in this time. So there is a lot of progress.

This is frame of new machine, it will be total 1850 x 983 big, and 700 mm high. It should be build like that, because I need someday to take it out of this room. And only 790 mm wide doors are available.

Ball nut and screw for Z axis

Hi there,

I am ill still and can not do anything in workshop. But I received one more thing to new CNC. Ball nut and screw for Z axis. This is 1605 screw, 200 mm thread long. Already prepared to install. But first I have to project and cut out parts for Z axis.

Only Z axis will have a screw. Rest of axis will be belt driven. I think I will use HTD 5 belt as a direct transmission for X and Y axis. I like to have a fast machine.

Lucas 

Frame of new CNC

Hi all,

So I start to work. I like aluminum profiles and where there was a possibility I try to buy used ones.

I take almost half year to collect all those profiles, but price for them was less than half of new ones.
Some time ago I bought miter saw and blade for aluminum profiles.

What now?

Hi all,

Last days I was ill and I spend some time in bed. I had a lot of time to thinking what to do next. I had a several ideas. But I could not decide what to chose.I could build several things that will be helpful for me, but decision was hard to make.
I thing the bigger CNC would be the best one. I have already all profiles and linear bearings and rails for all axis. I will start this build immediately.

Lucas

CNC - done

Hi,

I think I have ended building my latest CNC. There is some unfinished things like connecting end stops. But I can work without them. And I like to start to do new things as fast as possible. But some photos before:

LASER

Hi,

One of things that I never show before here. LASER. I was using it when I was trying to build SLS 3D printer. Project was stopped as there was no time and money to continue to develop it. But laser stay and now I like to show it.
It is 808 nm 20W diode. When it was new, but when I bought it, it have 14W on output. There are 2 fibers taking beam outside of diode. Here is some datasheet of it <link> .
To power it up I have adjustable power supply from 1,7V to 2,3V with 40A.
To cool it down there is a 40W Peltier whir heatsink and 2 fans but it looks that it is not enough. IT goes up very fast after 2 min of continuous usage on max power. But I set it for about 40% of max power and it works fine for me. PID driver is measuring temperature of  diode and control power supply of  Peltier.
There is additional multimeter that is showing up voltage on diode, but it power supply is not stabilized and it does not work well.

CNC - almost done

Hi,

I was not writing but I was working. Some new things were done:
T-table addon to table was made. I can install it on current table and remove it if it is not needed.

CNC - close to the end.

Hi,

More progress is done in creation of this CNC.

CNC - ongoing

Hi there,

I like to share with you news: second CNC is working. Now it prepare mounting place for table.

Two machines working simultaneously cutting aluminum. You can not imagine what noise they create.

CNC - ongoing

Hi,

Last time I had less time to work in My workshop, but I made some new steps in my CNC building.

CNC - ongoing

Hi,

next steps were done in assembling.

CNC - electronic

Hi all,

recently I am waiting for new aluminum sheets. So I decided to build electronic driver to my CNC. I have bought almost 2 months ago almost all parts, but I did not have enclosure. So I have to build one. As for my table to this machine is made of small rack, it was an idea to use it some how. In the end this is what I made:

CNC - ongoing

Hi there,

I still fight to create this CNC, but it take me very long time. I have some smaller will to work. But:
 - I have installed Y motor:

CNC - table

Hi,

As work with machine are blocked I decide to build table for it. Most of parts that was used are free, that I found or get form someone.
BOM:
- small rack used to transport servers
- two big logs ow wood, and some other wood parts
- 4 legs with M12 screw and  long nuts for it.
- 4 castors
- Plywood for top.
- nut and screws

CNC - rebuilding

Hi all,

As far as you can see I did not have any drawings to this project. And now it take revenged. I made two real big mistakes, and now I have to disassembly almost everything. Only Y axis left, from previous state.
I have to take longer profiles for Z axis, and change holder for spindle.

CNC - ongoing

Hi,

Yesterday I made a progress in building my next CNC. I install Z axis support and spindle holder.

Plastic Z (for sale)

Hi,

I realized that I have a lot pieces of plastic, and some leftover parts from CNC. So I decided to build some small Z axis, that will be sold.
Technical parameters:
- supported rails 12 mm with 4 linear bearings
- Tr 10x2 screw with brass nut
- 0,4 Nm motor with direct connection to screw
- spindle holder 43 mm ( for example: KRESS)
- about 95 mm of movement range
It is still not finished as I do not have two ball bearings, that will be used to place screw, and I have to clean it up. But it will be done soon.
Some pictures:

Workshop reorganization

Hi all,

It is February already and I realized that I did not post anything. But there was a lot of work and changes from last time.
First of all I reorganize my workshop.

I made a "dirt" half, were ale machines are placed. In the corner on right you can see a place where will be new bigger CNC.