Here is my order list - questions

Here is my planned order list to build a 24” x 24” x 5” working area MPCNC. I realize I still need to buy the tubing, router and spoil board. I am planning to use 1” stainless still, .049 thickness. The router will be a Dewalt 611. I would like to have a starting point so I could possibly add laser / 3d print to it in the future.

Please let me know if I’ve left anything out or have the wrong item.

Questions:

  • I upgraded to the Mini-Rambo. Is this a good choice? Which would you use?

  • I upgraded to the 30A power supply. Is this a good choice? Which would you use?

  • What dust boot should I buy / print?

  • What about homing switches? Yes/No/Which ones?

  • What about touch plate? Yes/No/Which one?

Mostly Printed CNC Parts Bundle x 1
30A / Mini-Rambo

MPCNC Printed Parts - 25.4mm -1" x 1
Mount_Option: Dewalt DW660 Mount

Full Graphic Smart Controller, Big x 1
Drag Knife / Vinyl Cutter1 x 1
1/8" Ball End x 2
1/16" 2 Flute EndMill x 2
1/8" 2 Flute DownCut EndMill x 2
1/8" 45 Degree V-Bit x 2

Thanks,

Donnie

What do you want to start out milling? Plywood?

The mini Rambo is a good choice. Very robust.

The 30A is only needed if you are going to connect a heated bed for 3D printing.

Start without a dust boot, endstops, or touch plate. You’re going to be doing some setup, troubleshooting, and cam learning, and those will just add to the complications. You can easily make almost any project without those things. There isn’t an official dust boot, and I think the one Krysztof is building has a lot of promise.

I would get a single flute upcut bit. That’s probably going to be your workhorse. It does splinter cheap ply though.

Be prepared to learn the CAM. Read through the guides on vicious1 and cut through some he foam first. Doing the EstlCAM tutorials would also be helpful. It’s all a lot of fun. Enjoy.

Thanks Jeff. I currently have a Carvewright CNC that I’ve been using for over 10 years. I’ve been making signs, 2.5 reliefs and recently started slicing .stl files for some small 3d items. I use mostly pine, poplar and oak.

What are the pros vs. cons for the ramps or mini-Rambo?

Any harm in going with the 30 amp power supply since it is only a few more bucks or would you just stick with the 6 amps?

I use pink and blue foam all the time for prototyping new designs. I’ve done a lot of reading on various packages for controlling the MPCNC and have used several free CAD packages at a beginners level.

 

Donnie

Sounds like you’re ahead of the game. Nothing wrong with a 30A PS.

The mini-Rambo is tougher. It really is. The RAMPS usually fails in one of three places:

  1. You short something and the 5V regulator on the mega burns up.
  2. You have to use a voltmeter and a screwdriver to adjust the driver voltage. People will either skip this step and fry something, or skip this step and get a ton of missed stepper motor steps. A few other people will short something while trying to adjust these, and toast the 5V regulator or worse.
  3. The mosfets will touch. I don’t have any idea why they haven’t fixed this. But you can easily bend the position of the mostfets, and short two of them together.

I don’t know exactly what the laundry list of features are on the mR that makes it so tough, but the stepper current isn’t adjusted by a potentiometer. The main voltage sources have replaceable fuses. There are no easy to make shorts. I think it even protects you against reverse polarity on the input power supply.

I’ve been isolated from the supply side problems, but Ryan checks the RAMPS and adjusts the drivers before he ships them and he says that a lot more of them don’t pass right out of the box.

I have two RAMPS’s and they are both working fine. But I have two other arduino megas that I’ve burnt up. They are cheap, but the mR is tougher.

I still wish we got a video of one of the Rostock Mini’s being powered by back feeding power from the steppers getting moved. That was crazy! Rambo boards are freaking awesome.

Go with the mini, it will hold up better. Once you fry a ramps and buy another you would have exceded the cost of a mini. Well worth the extra price.