Post date: Apr 7, 2013 3:48:48 AM
I've finished up the X and Z axes. With the new bearings holding the driving threaded rods in place, they move much more nicely- and quietly. I'm excited to hear how much quieter the machine is between that and the new spindle.
By "finished up the X and Z axes" I mean that the X axis is complete and installed- the second linear bearing rail is mounted, the threaded rod is in place, and the Z axis mounting plate is attached to the threaded rod and carriages. The Z axis itself is mostly done- totally done, if you're being unreasonably literal in your definition of "Z axis". The sliding part is done, ready for a stepper to be mounted (the holes are already drilled and tapped). The mounting for the limit switches is done (pictures should be up tomorrow), but the switches themselves need to be attached, and the triggers for the switches need to be tidied up a bit. If I really wanted to, I could have a functional CNC mill, but running a CNC mill without limit switches is a bad idea. So we'll stick with "mostly complete".
A couple hours of work tomorrow and things should be up and running! Pictures (and maybe video) should be uploaded sometime tomorrow (even if things don't become operational). Quite possibly not until relatively late, though... If things don't work, I'll be spending time working on it and if things do work, I'll be spending time testing, making PCBs, and then soldering said PCBs.