i use this machine almost daily, mostly for things that don’t require any precision, but i have an issue i finally want to sort out now that i have some downtime.
one of the XY axis parts isn’t fitting snugly around the conduit, even though i’ve cranked down the bolt so hard it’s cracked. I’ve been using it this way for i think over a year. Maybe it’s my printer printing too large, or too small conduit or bearings? I have a feeling the conduit may be a little small, but I got it right off the shelf at a home depot or lowes (i can’t remember which)
here is a video of the issue:
I’ve reprinted the piece (2 of them), so i’m going to give that a shot, but i’d hate to take the whole center assembly apart if someone can see an issue i’m not seeing. also attached are some pictures of measurements take with calipers. Let me know if there is a measurement that would be better.
Your numbers all look good. See if you squeezed it so tight you made an oval of the conduit.
The second time you build it it should go together better, start with all the long bolts loose. I just rebuilt one and all of the long bolts never even got snugged down. Nice and square and really good tension. All the parts are interference fit, so you actually should not to to tighten them. if you do it will be very little. If you findyourslef crancking down on one something else is wrong.
I think what happens is most see this as ultra precise machine and feel that every bolt should be ridiculously tight and in doing that you pull and stretch on the assembly in very complex ways. start loose use all 6 pieces of conduit, follow the directions, check for square constantly. When it is good put it on the rollers. If you can get it, take it apart and maybe try swapping the two largest pieces and reassemble. Sometimes it goes together perfect other times not so much. but if you are careful you can adjust away most problems.
So, i put the machine back together with the 2 big printed XY parts replaced with extras i printed awhile ago… and… I STILL HAD THE SLOP (i could have swear i tested both axis before i put it all back together. ANYWAYS… the slop is only in one axis, and since the middle section is symmetrical… i flipped the piece just to test it, and the slop moved to the other axis, which told me it wasn’t my conduit, it was that one printed XY piece.
So i printed another big XY piece and tested it throughly before installing… and it fits wonderfully! it was just a part that for some reason didn’t print exactly the right size… i think it MAYBE had to do with printing too fast, or the fact that i printed 2 large XY pieces at the same time in different orientations that had to do with only one being off size.
I can’t believe i was able to even use it with how sloppy the middle section was before.
anyways, its working fine, i just need to make a new flat torsion box table for it and new T track spoilboard and it’ll be good!
