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Summary

In this video, I share my experience with tuning servos, particularly JMC and older DELTA ASD-M models, which proved to be less straightforward than anticipated.

However, during my DIY CNC router build, the MightyMill project, I encountered a Delta B3 servo for the Z axis. Initially apprehensive due to past experiences, I was pleasantly surprised to find that newer servo models like the Delta B3 and A3 offer a streamlined, one-button solution for auto-tuning.

Join me in this demonstration as I showcase just how effortless and efficient this process has become with modern servo technology. Whether you’re a seasoned CNC enthusiast or a beginner, mastering servo tuning has never been easier.

Don’t miss out on optimizing your CNC machine’s performance – watch now and discover the simplicity of auto-tuning with Delta B3 and A3 servos!

https://bit.ly/human-version

https://bit.ly/AI-version

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–Affiliate links —

• EU Vevor machine skates: https://s.vevor.com/bfQY16
• US Vevor machine skates: https://s.vevor.com/bfQY2w
• Aliexpress Vevor Skates: https://a.aliexpress.com/_DdXgAlF

Summary

In a remarkable display of determination and ingenuity, the journey of moving a 3.5 ton CNC Mill, the Mycenter Zero by Kitamura, into a personal workshop is shared. The adventure began on New Year’s Eve, a time when assistance was scarce, leaving the task entirely up to the narrator.

Employing VEVOR machine skates alongside a Pallet Jack that I already owned, an attempt was made to maneuver the massive machine into place. Despite the initial optimism, the task proved to be far more challenging than anticipated.

The narrative takes a brief detour to 1992, highlighting the revolutionary introduction of the Mycenter Zero. This wasn’t just any CNC machining center; it was a leap in precision manufacturing, boasting features like a 12k rpm high-speed spindle and compact, robust construction, which enabled the production of complex parts with exceptional precision. Its introduction marked a pivotal moment, setting new standards in the industry and influencing modern machining practices with its ethos of precision, reliability, and innovation.

Returning to the modern-day workshop, the struggle with the machine continues.

Despite several attempts, adjustments, and the use of additional tools, the process was arduous. However, with persistence and a bit of brute force, the machine was finally settled into its new home.

Although the VEVOR machine skates offered some assistance, especially in the final stages, the narrator acknowledges the challenge of such a task when undertaken solo but recommends these tools as a valuable supplement to equipment like a Pallet Jack.

In the end, the mission was a testament to the solo effort and the spirit of innovation that continues to thrive in the world of machining.

The successful relocation of the Mycenter Zero into the workshop, done entirely single-handedly, was not just a personal victory but a nod to the enduring legacy of precision and ingenuity that the machine itself represents.

My build has finally begun and in this post I will take you on the building journey. Make sure you have read part 1 here , part 2 here , part 3 here

Lifting it up in the shed

It’s been some time since my last update. The machine is complete, but it’s worth noting that I had to construct a shed specifically to accommodate it; the machine proved too large for the existing brick structure.

I bought a garage “engine block” crane to lift the approximately 350kg structure in the shed. You really notice that using the right tools in a situation likes this makes huge amount of difference.

Replication method at work

After moving and leveling the machine I had to make the surface of the aluminium extrusion flat in order to mount the rails to it.

It is a bit of a messy situation but hey! it works.

After making the surface flat I cut out the slot with a hot-knife in order to mount my rails to it.

Adjusting the gantry level

I used the metal epoxy “gap filling” method to level the gantry vs the Y1 and Y2 gantry rails:

I used Mirror glaze wax release on the gantry to make sure it just fills the gap and does not stick to the gantry extrusion itself. Not this works REALLY well!

After making sure it is level, I let it cure.

in a Dan Gilbart video I recently learned to make figure 8 motions when doing this. I tried it out and noticed it worked well. I did not actually check it on the surface plate but you notice that the surface is quite flat. Within >=0.0x mm I would estimate. Good enough for this part.

Mirror Glaze

Mirror Glaze Wax release; 16$

Aliexpress.com

Fixing the electronics

I decided to rewire the electronics from scratch. It worked out quite well I must say!

After I wired most of it on the desk I hung it on the wall and started connecting it to the CNC.

Finishing the mechanics

I kinda dropped and messed up the C5 1605 nuts I had on my spindles. As they were already too short anyway I decided to pick up some new ones from Aliexpress:

I was seriously impressed with how riged the DFU version of the ballscrew feels. There is no play at all. I later on measured it on the CNC itself with load and you dont see it budge at all. I can really recommend these C5 1605 DFU screws from Yixindianqi Store on Aliexpress.

So after completing most of the electronics, I went off to mount the spindle and servo motors. Initially, I had put the MAKITA RT0700 router on there; but that died very quickly after a little accident when I crashed it into the toolsetter.

Because the design of my frame is more of an afterthought … I had to add some way to mount the fixture table/wasteboard on the CNC. While it is not ideal to weld on a relatively precise machine frame, it was still the easiest method to do it.

After completing this stage I mounted 36mm of MDF plate to it and went on to the next step

Many small steps in between

So as it goes in a project. you lose focus on documenting a bit and do all kind of small steps. During this time I got probe basic working well on the CNC, tuned the servos and did some final adjustments on the mechanics.

Tramming and aliging the axis

So as in any precision machine build where your mechanics are to perfect, you are going to have to adjust the tram and yaw of the spindle.

I started first with fixing the “nod” of the spindle by putting in a 10mm endmill upside down and using an indicator to make sure the measured distance stayed the same while moving the Z-axis up and down. This was relatively quick to be fixed.

For the trimming (rotation of Z spindle ) I did the following:

So I 3d printed a spacer so I could mount my indicator on the spindle. Turned it round to make sure the distance of the indicated stayed the same. As my z-axis is quite heavy, I found the use of a strap quite useful to slowly get it in the right spot.

Making chips!

After spending some more time with the machine I made another short video where I did some more drilling and milling

Can it mill hardened steel?

So a question that comes up quite a lot is if the Lusintun BT30 ATC spindle can mill steel? The answer is yes, the spindle itself is not the limit. The stiffness of the machine is.

I did some testing on some hardened steel to make sure it could handle normal steel with ease.

Conclusion – Mightymill build Part #4

Since part #3 quite a lot has happened. The machine is together, is working and performing pretty well. As this is the first full CNC build that I have done there are plenty of areas that need improvement. One of the main things is to make the Z-Axis stiffer and make a better connection from the gantry to the ballscrew.

Other than that I’m happy with how it performs!

Make sure to subscribe to the newsletter to make sure you don’t miss any updates.

Feel free to reach out to me on discord

My build has finally begun and in this post I will take you on the building journey. Make sure you have read part 1 here and part 2 here .

Assembling the machine frame

It took a while, but finally I was able to move the machine frame in my recently cleaned shed and get it assembled. For me, the concrete filled machine frame was one of the most time consuming aspects of this build.

The leg assembly was the most difficult to move. While I had put GD-60S wheels under it, it is till a top heavy assembly which weighs 120kg. With a bit of sweat and hurt, I was able to position it and get the assembly going.

I was able to assemble it without too much hassle. To get it all square I had to use the Farmer’s jack to pull the legs inward as there was a slight misalignment. After that it is square (diagonal measurement) within 1-2 mm over a span of 1.6 meters. Which is fine for this application.

It all seems to fit pretty well. Time to go on to the next step.

Lets “rise” up!

It was time to make the riser plates. I used my old and not so trusted HBM BF25 manual mill for this. It actually had lots of troubles during this process. Wobbliness … (DC) motor brushed dying, and other fun electronics issues… But i got it going again and was able to finish the job.

As you can see in the image, the side finish of my milling does not look very good. As I mentioned before my HBM bf25 is quite wobbly and not in a good state. There is still quite some play in the column and in the gibs even after tuning.

As the side surface is not a critical one for my application it is not too bad.

in a Dan Gilbart video I recently learned to make figure 8 motions when doing this. I tried it out and noticed it worked well. I did not actually check it on the surface plate but you notice that the surface is quite flat. Within >=0.0x mm I would estimate. Good enough for this part.

Whetstone set

This set of whetstones was affordable at 25$ and I was able to get it locally quickly.

Aliexpress.com

It all fit well without too many issues. With such precision applications be sure to torque bolts and screws correctly. It is essential that you do in precision applications to ensure equal load and proper contact between surfaces.

After this I also ran the whetstones over it quickly to remove all the burrs.

In addition to this I had to buy the following items:

I used some 3mm thick ground steel parallels for equal spacing vs the alu block.

I used this method to ensure that the side of the extrusions meet the adapter plate perfectly at the same reference plane.

Finally! it is starting to look like a CNC!

Conclusion – Mightymill build Part #3

Moving and re-assembling the machine frame was one of my biggest hurdles. But once I got going it went relatively smooth. The Farmer Jack’s helped a lot with this.

I ordered some new goodies such as Delta ASDA-M controller, 400W ECMA 20b optical encoder ac servo motors. A 1 meter 000 grade granite parallel (all surfaces) and some nice steel AC servo motor mounts. It is now all on the train from China. Hoping for it to arrive at the beginning of December.

The next step will be making the adapters for the ball screws and motors, mounting the extrusions to the table and making the z-axis adapter so it can all be mounted together.

Stay Tuned!

Make sure to subscribe to the newsletter to make sure you don’t miss any updates.

Feel free to reach out to me on discord

My build has finally begun and in this post I will take you on the building journey. Make sure you have read part 1 here.

The heavy duty z-axis

Due to wanting to use a BT30 ATC spindle I had to upgrade to a heavy duty Z-axis. The design I opted for was originally designed by Crabs Shed. I optimized some small aspects of it and added it to my design.

Milling the z-axis plates

Crabs Shed was so kind to help me with milling the z-axis plates for my diy cnc build.

He even made a video of him milling it:

Initial measurements

One of the first things I did after receiving the plates was mounting my Sorotec Blue line HGR20 rails to it and measuring the (relative) flatness of the base plate versus it.

I quickly noticed that the leftover milling marks had a significant impact on the relative flatness of the mounting surface.

As the rails I uses are P – grade and my carriages have p1 preload it adds additional requirements on the rail mounting surfaces and alignment versus each other.

The image above gives you an indication regarding the accuracy of various parts of the rail and the various grades available. Regular Aliexpress “china” rails will be grade C or worse undefined.

I measured too much deviation of the z-axis mounting plate for my liking. I really wanted to keep this under 0.01mm or better hence I had to take it one step further.

Surface correction step #1

I got myself a set of whetstones from aliexpress in order to get rid of the milling marks and achier an overall surface which is more uniform.

In terms of improving the surface finish and flatness this did the most. It removed all the high spots and made the surface much more even.

Whetstone set

This set of whetstones was affordable at 25$ and I was able to get it locally quickly.

Aliexpress.com

Surface correction step #2

I got myself a small and affordable granite surface plate. It came with a full test certificate and all.

I got this since i wanted to scrape the high spots of the mounting surfaces flat.

In addition to this I had to buy the following items:

In total I spent about 2 hours of scraping. Can significantly speed it up if your initial plate is flatter or if you use power tools such as a dremel to do the difficult work for you.

I was not completely happy about the Diamant bluing paste. When indents get smaller than 0.01mm you will have a very hard time seeing it. There are better alternatives out there albeit those are difficult to get as an European.

When fully assembled, I measured the parallelity of the top plate vs the mounting surface of the Z-axis and it is well below 0.01mm. Good enough for me!

Mounting the Lusintun ATC spindle

Time to start drilling holes in the 100mm spindle mount.

The spindle mount was too tall so I could not fit a bigger size drill in my BF25L. So i had to put it on the side and ream it to the final size of 8.5mm.

How heavy is the Z-axis?

I would have guessed that it would have been heavier but 25.4kg it is!

New goodies

As I’m still waiting on quite a few milled parts for my cnc build I put my focus a bit on other aspects of the build.

HGR20 linear rails covers

To protect my nice precision and preloaded linear rails I know that I needed to get myself some linear rail protection. After looking on Aliexpress I found myself some.

I got 6 of the 600mm length ones. This is probably a bit too long for my build but I was afraid to get ones which were too short. It has many “internal supports”. This enables you to cut it to size when needed. You can find them here on Aliexpress.

Tool length measurement

In addition to that my tool length measurement sensor just came in. It seems like quite a solid and professional item. I also made a separate review of it. For those interested you can find it here.

Finishing up the machine frame

As I had too little concret last time, I went to Hornbach, got some more and finished up the second leg of the machine frame.

I cut some extra holes in the legs as I wanted to make sure it was completely filled.

After grinding it open I observed that it was completely filled. So there is no need for doing this. the total weight of a single concrete filled leg is 120kg now.

Mounting for the machine feet

I started cutting some 120x120mm squares out of 10mm thick steel plate to have a surface to mount my GD-60 levelling feet to.

After cutting and tapping it was time to grind off some paint from the legs and weld them to the frame. It made a little mess of my previously beautifully painted kern red paint.

I will have to clean up the spatter a bit and re-paint the damaged parts.

Conclusion – Mightymill build Part #2

Getting the z-axis mounting surfaces flat and dialed in was initially one of my bigger concerns. But after wet sanding it and scraping I was quite happy with the result.

Additionally I was able to make some progress regarding the machine frame.

Now it is finally ready to go to the next step and that is mounting and aligning the alu extrusions and rails to each other. And start making my design into reality.

Make sure to subscribe to the newsletter to make sure you don’t miss any updates.

Feel free to reach out to me on discord

My build has finally begun and in this post I will take you on the building journey.

The machine frame

My machine frame is built out of 120x120x4mm thick steel tubing. I chose this size as I could get it relatively cheaply. It is massive overkill, however. As my shed only has a small door it needed to be able to come apart easily so I opted for various bolted connections instead of welding it fully (which would have been much and much easier).

I added some extra supports for the machine bed which is not shown in the image above.

For painting I opted for Nelfamar Vinyl Plus which as a marine grade vinyl paint. I used this is various outside based projects before and it is easy to use, durable and quite affordable. The color I opted for is RAL3002 “Kern red”.

Concrete time

I wanted to take advantage of the vibration dampening properties of filling the machine frame with polymer concrete such as UHPC or Durfill. I describe the workings of that in this post here.

As Durfill is relatively expensive when you use it in low quantities I opted for using off-the-shelf pre-mixed concrete from the local Hornbach which at 2.75 EUR per 25kg bag is a steal. I added Moertelshop’s Flup4 to it to enhance its properties.

To cover the bolts I added grease to them and tighten them to the steel base. After semi-drying the concrete they were removed. I still need to do one of the steel legs. When I have some time in the coming weeks I’ll proceed with it.

Aluminium extrusion

For the machine itself, I used 80x80mm aluminum extrusion for the Y axis and 120x120mm extrusion for the X axis. The gantry risers are also 120x120mm aluminum t-slot profile.

Again to enhance it’s stiffness and vibration dampening properties I have filled these with UHPC polymer concrete. The specific product I used is Durfill by Durcrete.

It performs better than regular concrete or run-of-the-mill UHPC. As the volume for these aluminum extrusions is limited I chose the more expensive but better-performing Durfill product.

Polymer concrete time – Durfill

Durfill expands a little to ensure a good hold on the containing material. To ensure a clean mounting surface a spacer was created to prevent it from expanding past the edge.

Afterwards the spacer can just be washed out by washing it out with water. This method is extremely simple but works well.

With the Durfill, I just followed the mixing instructions and poured it into the aluminum extrusion. Whatever was spilled on the side, just wash it off with the garden hose.

After drying, the washed out spacers of the riser tubes look like this:

I did some video recording during this process. I’ll be uploading that somewhere in the coming weeks on my youtube channel.

The gantry tubes etc have also dried at this point.The weight of the table frame is about 400kg after filling it with concrete and mounting it togther.

Mounting and adjusting the Linear guides

For my design I utilized Sorotec Blue‘s HGR20 rails with P – precision class and P1 preload.

One of the first things I had to do was to create an adapter in order to allow two HGW20CC carriages and my dial indicator to be mounted to it. With a hole in the middle to tighten the t-slot nut and bolt. If you are interested in the drawing of this just hit me up on Discord.

After finishing this on my HBM BF25 mill (glorified drill press) I mounted it on my Y axis rail.

Buy these t-slot nuts!

I used the regular “twist and turn” t-slot nuts before and they are… very bad for this application. After switching to the model on the right all my adjustment issues went away. I was able to align the whole rail in just a few minutes instead of an hour of tinkering. Do not cheap out on your (t-slot) nuts!

Get it here

After using the premium of style of t-nuts the adjustment went swiftly.

Video of the linear alignment

I aligned the distance between the blocks to about 10um. This took about 15 minutes of work. Good enough for me

Conclusion – Mightymill build Part #1

I was able to make a good amount of progress so far. The next step is starting with the Z-axis and getting that going. Make sure to subscribe to the newsletter to make sure you don’t miss any updates.

Feel free to reach out to me on discord

Continue reading

BB tools sells various low cost end mills, milling cutters and more.

What is Aliexpress?

Aliexpress is an online retail service that offers a wide variety of products at competitive prices. It is a popular destination for online shoppers looking for great deals on electronics, fashion, home and garden items, and more. Aliexpress also offers a convenient online platform for businesses to reach a global audience.

How to Use Aliexpress

If you’re looking for a great online retail service, look no further than Aliexpress. Aliexpress is a leading online marketplace that offers a wide variety of products at competitive prices. With millions of active users, Aliexpress is the perfect place to find what you’re looking for.

Here’s how to get started with Aliexpress:

1. Create an account. You’ll need to provide some basic information, such as your name and email address.

2. Search for products. Use the search bar to find what you’re looking for. You can also browse by category or use the advanced search function.

3. Add items to your cart. Once you’ve found the perfect product, click “Add to Cart.” You can add multiple items to your cart before proceeding to checkout.

4. Check out. Review your order and enter your payment information. Then, click “Place Your Order” to complete your purchase.

Pros and Cons of Aliexpress

There are many reasons to shop on Aliexpress, but there are also some drawbacks. Here are some pros and cons to consider before shopping on Aliexpress:

Pros:
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Cons:
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There are a variety of products that you can buy on Aliexpress. Anything from clothes to electronics can be found on the website. You can also find a variety of home goods, including furniture and kitchen appliances. If you’re looking for a specific item, chances are you’ll be able to find it on Aliexpress.

How to Find the Best Deals on Aliexpress

When it comes to online shopping, everyone wants to find the best deals possible. And when it comes to finding the best deals on Aliexpress, there are a few things you can do to make sure you’re getting the best possible prices.

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Alternatives to Aliexpress

There are a number of online retail services similar to Aliexpress. Some of these include:

-DHgate
-Taobao
-Tmall
-1688.com
– Alibaba.com

Each of these retail services has its own unique features and benefits. For example, DHgate is a wholesale platform that offers low prices on a wide range of products, while Taobao is a Chinese online marketplace that offers a large selection of goods at competitive prices.

When choosing an online retail service, it is important to consider your needs and budget. Aliexpress may not be the right choice for everyone, but it is certainly worth considering if you are looking for an affordable and convenient way to shop online.

Conclusion

While Aliexpress may not be the perfect online retail service, it does offer a lot of advantages that other services don’t. For one, it’s extremely convenient and easy to use. It also offers a wide range of products at very competitive prices. If you’re looking for an online retail service that offers great value for money, Aliexpress is definitely worth considering.

The goal of this new cnczone discord channel is to create an active, supportive and friendly community for DIY CNC and cnc enthusiasts to discuss cnc machine builds, coupon codes for popular cnc aliexpress stores, discuss business opportunities, stay up to date with new CNC podcasts and relevant youtube videos.

As the cnczone discord grows the aim is to create exclusive discounts and opportunities for its members in the cnc realm.

Whats Discord?

Discord is a VoIP and instant messaging social platform. Users have the ability to communicate with voice calls, video calls, text messaging, media and files in private chats or as part of communities called “servers”. Wikipedia

What is a discord server?

Discord is a group-chatting platform originally built for gamers that has since become a general use platform for many kinds of communities. Discord is divided into servers, each of which has its own members, topics, rules, and channels.

How to join the CNCZONE Discord server?

Interested? Join the discord HERE

Other interesting machining Discords?

• PrintNC Discord
• Machinist Discord