The blackTooth Laser cutter and Engraver can be built in a weekend. Take a look at the build instructions and try to determine if you feel you have sufficient capability to put together the laser system.

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HOW COMPLEX IS YOUR KIT TO ASSEMBLE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY - HARD IT SETUP CONTROL THE LASER WITH MACH3?

We use purified water, but adding some coolant can be a benefit. The addition of coolant can keep the water in a state that maintains no growth of foreign organism like algae and the such. Additionally, If you are in a colder climate, antifreeze will work well.

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Do you recomend distilled water or coolant for your 80W laser tube with the CW-3000?

When the z axis is going down, the laser turns on. When the z axis is going up, it turns off. The z axis directions is only a signal that is either 5v or 0v. That determines the direction. In vectric, you will need to set your machining operations with a very very small depth so the time it takes to get to its final depth is a very short time.

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AM NOT SURE HOW TO SET THE Z AXIS TURN ON/OFF LASER WHEN CREATE CODE. KNOW THAT ITS TYPICALLY Z-AXIS MOVEMENT DOES THIS - BUT YOU DONT SHOW ANYTHING HOOKED UP IN PLACE OF AXIS.

Since the pump will use a standard 12v power supply, you will have two wires. One of those wires will be connected from the power supply to the pump. The other wire will be connected to the power supply and the pump, but cut that wire and connect one side of it in the P terminal and the other end in the S or the O terminal depending on if you need the connection as NO (Normally Open) or NC (Normally Closed).

Step number 9 in the instruction will have the relay connection information:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-parallel-breakout-relay

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I wpold like to know how to hook up my water pump (12vdc 9 amp) to turn it on and off using Mach 3. I have your Blue Brew break-out board Rev. 2.8 dated 8-12. Explain how the three relay connections work for this application? Thanks.

All of our machines exhibis radial loads on all of our bearings with the exception of the bearings on the z-axis lead screw that holds the lead screw in place. These lead screw bearings are held between a coupling and a collar and the load on these bearings are well within their specifications.

The v-groove bearings that are used for movement along rails have load centered between the double races of the bearings (from where the point load from the rails exist within the center of the "W" profile of the bearing). There may be slight axial load on bearings on the z-axis positioned on the rails for z-axis up and down movement and y-axis side to side movement where torsion load exists from load on the end mill during the milling process; however, this is a very small fraction of total load on these bearings are are well within specification.

Can you let us know where you see side (axial) load on our bearings, so we can better describe the conditions? Thanks.

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I've been interested in your machines, but the designs seem to side load most of the v-bearings, which raise questions about bearing life, and reliability. Isn't there a better choice of bearing configurations?

You will need to look for the parameter that controls the run frequency. The frequency can be controlled bu the panel, external terminals, or the RS485 TX/RX terminals (UART protocol). You will want to change that parameter so it uses the panel. If you are referring to the maximum panel dial frequency is only allowing 200-300 rpm, then look for the parameters to control the frequency.

For 200 RPM:
Hz = 200/60 = 3.33 Hz

For 300 RPM:
Hz = 300/60 = 5 Hz

Conversion to RPM:
If you ever find yourself yearning to reverse-engineer the process, the formula is as follows:

RPM = Hz × 60

Look for values that match somewhere between 3 and 5 in your frequency parameters and replace them with 400 to give you 24,000 RPM max.

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I HAVE A 2.2KW WATER COOLED SPINDLE WITH YL620-H VFD. THE VFD USES P#-## PROGRAM FORMAT. BELIEVE ALL CORRECT SETTINGS SETUP BUT WHEN TURN UNIT ON, IT SPINS AT ABOUT 200-300 RPM REGARDLESS OF WHAT FREQUENCY CHOOSE. DO YOU PARAMETERS IN THIS FORMAT FOR UNIT? THANK YOUR HELP. HUIBERT MEES

The connections for the Mach3 USB CNC Machine interface card you refer to is connected as follows:
- All of the "D" connections such as XD, YD, ZD and AD are the direction connections and are connected to the CW- connections on the drivers.
- All of the "P" connections such as XP, YP, ZP and AP are the pulse connections are are connected to the CP- connections on the drivers.
- The 5V connections on the USB board are connected to the CP+ and CW+

Here is a link to the wiring diagram:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/Documents/Electric%20Wiring%20Diagram.pdf

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the tutorial for the discontinued usb card is great but i have your usb motion card stb4100 i need with AD AP +5v wired to the cp+cp-cw+and the cw-

What controller are you using to control the cnc machine (Mach3 usb, parallel breakout board, etc.)?

The spindle VFD has an input for 0-10 volts to control the speed and can be used with the MAch3 USB or the Pokeys57CNC board. There are also other terminals in the VFD to control the forwared/reverse and start and stop. Mach3 has parameters to control these output and you need to specify which pins are used for these.

You can also use the TX/RX RS-485 connection on the VFD to have total control using an FTDI USB to serial connector board to connect the computer directly to the VFD.

How to connect the USB to Serial adapter to the VFD:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/FAQ/13790

FTDI USB to Serial:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/Interfaces-newbiehack-Interfaces-TTL232R-USB-UART-Serial

Pokeys57CNC board:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-electronic-component-breakout-Mach4-mach3-USB-ethernet-Board

Mach3 USB board:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-electronic-component-breakout-Mach3-USB-Board

Parallel Breakout board:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-parallel-breakout-relay



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I do apologize for leaving out the parts list.
Leadshine MX4660 4-Axis Digital Stepper Motor Driver
Ethernet SmoothStepper
YL600-2S-2K20 VFD
4 Relay control board
Has anyone had any success getting Mach3 to control the spindle speed and direction?

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I have the 2.2KW VFD. I would like to have it controlled through software. What are the Mode parameters that need to be changed that will allow FWD/ REV, START/STOP and RPM control?

It is not clear that mobile phones do produce brain tumors, or any serious health effects for that matter. A number of epidemiology studies have been almost completely negative on the issue.

See the article I wrote with John Moulder in IEEE Spectrum magazine and also Moulder's FAQ on mobile phones and health.

There has been a lot of discussion over the years about the possible mechanisms by which microwave energy such as emitted by cell phones might produce biological effects. The one unequivocal mechanism is the heating of tissue, but mobile phones operate at power levels that are too low to cause noticeable heating in the user. Scientists have speculated about other mechanisms, but these theories remain unproven and many of them have been challenged on biophysical grounds.

Whatever may be the risks or nonrisks of mobile phone radiation, a hands-free kit is an effective way for the user to reduce his or her exposure to radiofrequency energy while using a mobile phone.

Kenneth R. Foster, Professor
Department of Bioengineering
University of Pennsylvania

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I WOULD LIKE TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE PHYSICS PRINCIPLES REGARDING USE OF MOBILE PHONES AND DEVELOPMENT BRAIN TUMORS. I'VE BEEN THROUGH MANY SITES BUT THEY CAN NEVER GIVE AN EXACT ANSWER. REALLY SOMEONE TUMORS OR DOES IT HAVE DO WITH INTENSITY RADIATION DISTANCE BETWEEN PHONE INDIVIDUAL?

Using Anti-Freeze in the cooling system with either our spindle or our laser tubes will not have any problems and we recommend using a small amount in locations where temperature is freezing or below.
Although we do not recommend using an entire gallon of anti-freeze rather just a small quantity with tap water will be sufficient.

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All last winter, the temperature was below freezing and sometimes below zero. I used 100% antifreeze for the spindle coolant. Worked great !! All the spindle needs is any type of coolant flowing through it to take the heat away. I use three gallons of antifreeze in a tub with a fish-tank pump to push the antifreeze through. 100% antifreeze works great in cold or hot winter.

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Excellent tip. Thank you for this correction. So it is OK to use antifreeze solely as a cooling method.

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Can anti-freeze be used as a coolant for your 40W laser tube? I live where winter temperatures are below freezing and my CNC machine is in my unheated garage.

Does your breakout board (interface) have a relay? If so, you can connect one of the router/spindle's ac lines through the relay. The M3, M4 and M5 codes are used to control the router/spindle. Typically, the M codes are automatically added to the g-code regardless if you configure this in your CAM software. If you have the breakout board from buildyourcnc, you can go to the product page for the breakout board and the relay connection diagram and narrative is in the instructions on that page.

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WHAT IS THE MOST EASY WAY TO HOOK UP MILL IN THAT AUTOMATICALLY STARTS WHEN CYCLE STARTS, AND STOPS GCODE THROUGH?

Currently our greenBull can only accommodate a 40W laser tube due to the size and current mounts on the spindle/laser hybrid assembly!

However please contact 281-815-7701 for further assistance with the greenBull machine.

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I am interested in the GreenBull 4x8 CNC machine kit you have; I also wish to get the laser attachment but I was wondering if its possible to have the laser larger than a 40w, say in the 80-150w range?

If your Z axis is moving in the opposite direction, go into Mach3, click on config, ports & pins, then click on the motor outputs tab. You will see the axes labeled on the left and the parameters labeled on the top of this dialog box. Toggle the dir low active for the z-axis.

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What if I'm having the same issue on a different axis?

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You can follow the same procedure as with the z-axis. When you get to the motors outputs tab, toggle the dir low active checkbox for the axis that you would like to change.

If you are using another control program, let me know and I will add the recommended action here.

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Girbl

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I have a grbl laser machine tronhoo machine that is running back wards and side ways wrong help

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I have a grbl laser machine tronhoo machine that is running back wards and side ways wrong help

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I have a grbl laser machine tronhoo machine that is running back wards and side ways wrong help

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I have a grbl laser machine tronhoo machine that is running back wards and side ways wrong help

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I have a grbl laser machine tronhoo machine that is running back wards and side ways wrong help

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I have a grbl laser machine tronhoo machine that is running back wards and side ways wrong help

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I have a grbl laser machine tronhoo machine that is running back wards and side ways wrong help

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I have a grbl laser machine tronhoo machine that is running back wards and side ways wrong help

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I have a grbl laser machine tronhoo machine that is running back wards and side ways wrong help

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I have a grbl laser machine tronhoo machine that is running back wards and side ways wrong help

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I have a grbl laser machine tronhoo machine that is running back wards and side ways wrong help

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I have a grbl laser machine tronhoo machine that is running back wards and side ways wrong help

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I have a grbl laser machine tronhoo machine that is running back wards and side ways wrong help

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My Z-axis seems to be reversed on a fully assembled machine... I've tried reversing it in the config settings on Mach 3, but to no avail. What do I need to do? IS this a wiring issue that was not done correctly at the factory?

If the gantry height is changed by, say 3 inches, then the z-axis front, rails and back (where the nut is mounted) needs to increase by 3 inches.

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Has anyone built the machine from the book plans and made changes to the Gantry to allow an increase in the Z-axis travel. If so, what dimensional changes need to be made besides increasing the height of the Z-axis pieces? I would imagine the gantry rail and sides have to be altered as well. Am i missing anything?

Yes, if you are using 1/2" standard allthread lead screw coupled to your stepping motors, you can increase the speed by changing the lead screw to 10 TPI 5 Start Lead Screws with antibacklash nuts. This will allow you to have up to 200-300 IPM (inches per minute) travel and cutting speeds.

The reason why the feedrate and jogging speed is faster is because the lead screw will travel a farther distance for each turn of the motor. A standard allthread will only travel one inch after 13 turns of the motor. The above (link below) 5 start 1/2" lead screws will travel one inch with only 2 turns of the motor! That is a drastic difference and you will get more torque from your motor since most of the torque is present at low speeds.

Lead screw link:
https://buildyourcnc.com/item/mechanical-leadscrews-lead-screw-!5-5-starts-10-tpi

Antibacklash nut link:
https://buildyourcnc.com/item/mechanical-leadscrews-antibacklash-nut-!5-5-starts-10-tpi

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I built a 2' x 4' cnc about 2 years ago and bought all the plans and part through this website. My average 2D design takes approximately 35-40 minutes to complete. Is there a way to make my cnc faster?

As long as the bearing has a minimum thickness of 1/4" and 9/32" is a bit thicker, there will be no problem with the book build using the bearing that is 1/32" thicker. There is actually more surface area which is better.

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I am building the CNC in your book - Build you own CNC Machine. One of the bearing thicknesses is 1/4" I can't find that bearing online. I can find 9/32, will that be a problem. Do you have a source? Thx

The motor is helped by the mechanical leverage of the screw. The 425 oz-in motors that are included in the standard electronics combo has very high torque for that type of machine. You will have no problem using that motor for the book machine.

We use that motor for very heavy spindles on the blackToe and blackFoot CNC Machine kits.

You will need to do the mechanical leverage calculation along with the torque of the motor to determine the actual weight it will lift. The calculation will need to consider the type and pitch of the screw and it would also consider the gravity constant of 9.8 m/s/s.

If you need me to determine this formula and work out the calculation based on the screw you are using, please let me know.

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thank you for the reply. I would be really good to know the calculation. The lead screw is 1/2" diameter with 13 TPI. Please provide the calculation. And one more question. If I am cutting 18mm MDF with 6mm cutting bit (so 6mm pass), what can be the maximum speed rate of cutting and spindle speed of router?
thank you

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I received the electronics for book build cnc machine. I need to know how much weight the z-axis motor can hold since my (craftsman) router seems to be heavy. It is 2HP with variable speed

if you purchased the USB interface, you will need planet-cnc software rather than Mach3, and you will need a usb cable to connect the usb interface to the computer.

The blackToe 2x4 CNC Machine Kit with optional table will need wire to connect the electronics. Don't forget to get some end mills to use for cutting the intended material.


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If I purchase the [blackToe 2x4 v4.1 CNC Machine Kit - USB Electronics - Table Included] all I would need for this CNC to be fully operational is a laptop with mach 3 software and a router. Is this correct?

Make sure to connect the motor using the bipolar parallel schema as per the datasheet.

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I also purchased these same motors(3a drive, not the 8.8) nearly a decade ago, they are now being installed on their third life as a CNC wood lathe with C axis spindle control. I never had any perceivable problems wiring them to the diagram, but in recent R+D I discovered a strange thing. I use LinuxCNC, and while going through setup and trying to tweak in the settings for the motors/drives, I found a motor wire identification guide for steppers on the LinuxCNC wiki that gives a different result for which wires go to which terminals on the drives. I have not tested both wiring schemes since I am in the middle of the build and have not yet reached that point. This could be one factor, if the wiring diagram is not actually correct. I always used bipolar parallel. As stated above, I never detected any problems in thousands of hours of run time over two separate machine configs. The other thing I learned recently is that microstepping actually reduces STEP torque by significant amounts, though I can't find any info about its effect on HOLDING torque, if any. 1/16 microstep reduces STEP torque to ~10% of motor rated torque, which can have a significant effect on heavy cuts/fast feedrate moves. I have definitely overdriven my axes by not programming conservatively enough, I do a lot of aluminum routing and hoggy work on hardwoods. There are many other factors in machine builds(resonance, mechanics, etc) that can eat away at the motors ACTUAL real life torque capability vs. its nominal rating. Lot of good info on stepper principles on the LinuxCNC website. My current build has actual ballscrews rather than leadscrews, It will be interesting to see what the performance differences are compared to my other builds. Keep the chips flying!

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[54] I purchased a kit a few years ago with a 36v 8.8A driver and a nema 23 425oz-in motors. I’ve hooked the motors as suggested but they are not holding anything like 425 torque. Please advise.