So, if you look closely at my crown test pic above you’ll see it is very sloppy.
I’m a programmer by trade. As my engineering friends are fond of saying…
“Beware of programmers carrying screw drivers.”
Today I noticed how much slop there was in the tool when the steppers were on so I started looking for the cause.
Long story short, I didn’t have the correct allen wrench for the set screws on the motor shafts and I never got back around to tightening them. They are tight now.
It is making me wonder how many gave up on the machine or thought is sucked and it was just a loose pulley or two!?! I might need to factor in lock tight into the cost of each kit like lube.
Shoot we almost did not have a lowrider because of it. After two days of trouble shooting and making new parts I figured it just didn’t work. Started taking it apart and the pulley fell off!!! It is by far, not even remotely close to anything else the biggest issue.
As the owner of my favorite hole in the wall gyro/sandwich shop says…
No, no no! Thank you!
It seems like your invention is bringing a a lot of non-machinists into the the CNC world.
I think it would be a good idea to create a CNC Newbie subforum. The “About this forum” thread can have FAQ tips like…
Check the pulley gear set screws.
If your crown test is sloppy, see video for a known good example, then something is wrong.
If you can wiggle the tool while the steppers are on something is wrong.
Speaking of the crown test…
Some of the design looks wrong, i.e. the flourishes around the clubs, even when it is right. It might be a good idea to have a simpler print test, e.g. a circle nested in a square with known dimensions.
If it isn’t a copy right issue I suggest a deathly hallows with 25.4 cm wand length.
This does come up once and a while. The reason I have grown to love it is the fact that is not perfect. As soon as you put in “perfect” shapes people will start measuring them and chasing decimal points of perfection. The simple case for nearly every single new build is “don;t worry about it, just use it for a little bit, get it dirty”.
For me it is a huge bummer to try and help someone for weeks try to dial in the machine to ultra precision, then have them ask what router they should buy or how to mill wood. Make some drawings, do a few simple cutouts, do some carves…then worry if you need to even bother with more precision than how it is built.