My MPCNC is doing well enough for me, but I have some small issues that I’m not happy with and in order to fix those issues I think I would need to switch to stainless rails (requiring a full re print and rebuild) and add dual endstops ($130 for the RAMBO)
So I’m sitting here wondering… if I’m going to spend all that money, why not just go ahead and switch to a lowrider? I can reuse my table I think, and only lose like 1/2" in the width department. So the real costs would be buying stainless rail (which I’d be doing anyway), buying a rambo (Which I’d be doing anyway) and buying the DWP611…
But I think it seems like the lowrider is more rigid than the MPCNC anyway?
The LR is built for larger work, it is not better or worse (same parts) other than at MPCNC-able sizes it is easier to use as you do not have a flat router plate always getting in the way.
I have a 13"x12" usable mpcnc and a 2x4’ usable LR. Just my opinion. Can’t wait to see if anyone thinks otherwise.
I didn’t see any speed increases or anything like that, but for me, the biggest advantage is that we take the lowrider off the table and we can use it as an assembly table. Space is at a premium at our shop, so it’s helpful.
My MPCNC is 42" x 42". I’m still learning about it and will for a long time to come. I think the best solution is to change the collet to accept 1/4" shanks on bits and use them. Someone built an LR (I believe) to be tucked under their workbench. I am fortunate to have a bigger area and still chose the MPCNC. I think you can buy SS tubing the same size as the EMT and use it instead of the EMT. Maybe someone on here knows for sure about the stainless. Upgrade your board and your set.
If you don’t mind me asking, what is it that you don’t like about the MPCNC that you are going to the LR?
There’s nothing wrong with the MPCNC, I was just thinking if I’m going to spend (relatively) a bunch of money upgrading it to stainless tubes + dual endstops I should explore the other option (Lowrider) a bit too. And FYI my DW660 came with both 1/4" and 1/8" collets so that’s not a problem to me.
Hard stops aren’t a great solution IMO so that’s why I want dual end stops.
The specific issue I’m having is jittery movement on combined x/y moves, I believe it may be caused by my printer printing a bit out of spec and therefore the bearings being too snug on the rails. That’s not a machine specific issue, that’s a me issue. But since I’m going to reprint to fix that problem anyway, I figure I might as well change to stainless tubes for additional smoothness and rigidity while I’m there.
Depending on what firmware you have you might need to double the junction deviation values. It is a new setting and I think I pushed it too far for the little CPU’s.
I had the same issues with snug bearings. I had to go back and loosen a couple. Then I guess I loosened on too much and the nut came off. Locktite did the trick. I used the non-permanent Locktite so I could take off the nuts at a later date. That solved everything except my tabletop being level. That was repeated measuring, adjusting and testing until it was right. What a pain that was.
Maybe Ryan will be able to correct the jittery issue with Tim’s comment. That would be a great improvement. Then I’d have to figure out how to reflash the board. But that’s a different forum question on its own.