There've been a number of discussions on here about the potential & potential problems of mounting one of those massive 1.5kW 80mm spindles on the Lead, but you're the first one I've seen actually try it on a full-size machine.

I've got one on mine too, but due to space constraints I only have a half-width gantry. I keep thinking about expanding my machine to full-width, but every time the topic comes up, someone (sometimes me) brings up oft-repeated but little-tested theoretical concerns about the longer beam bending/sagging/twisting from the weight.

How has it been working out for you? Have you had any trouble, or had to make any gantry modifications to compensate for it? Or have I (or we?) been worrying about nothing?


-Bats
(also, your electronics look fantastic... now I can't even look at my wiring without wincing)

 

Oooo... I've been drooling over the High Z mod anyhow, but it didn't occur to me (recently) that it would make the gantry twice(ish) as sturdy at the same time.

Of course, then you get into the leverage/momentum question - when happens when you run a 10lb spindle up the High-Z's flagpole and then send the gantry G0'ing home like a bat out of metaphors?

Although, I've already wasted the past week trying to chase down some intermittent stalls that I think are feed rate/acceleration-related (maybe... unless they aren't. this will probably need a thread of its own if it doesn't clear up in the next couple days), so maybe I should consider slowing down anyhow.


-Bats...
(...out of heck? ...out of patience? ...out of liquor? ...out of not-yet-snapped-endmills?)

 

Hey Marco, I've been deliberating over upgrading my machine for the past week or two. I'm no closer, but leaning towards LEAD now.

Where I'm coming from an OX and recycling anything electrical I want to keep the layout the same and there's a length of 2040 on the backside of the gantry which you mount your controller to traditionally. I see from your video you have a length of 2020 that holds up the drag chain. How is this fixed in place?

This isn't aimed towards Marco specifically but anyone that can tell me what they think - but wonder would happen if the C-Beam was flipped so the leadscrew was exposed towards the 2080[?] uprights. Obviously the Z-axis assembly would be facing the other way and you would have to invert some directions in the GRBL values. But then I can use a 2040 fixed with some angle brackets into the 2080 to mount the controller.

I don't know if that would make it stronger or weaker, or off balance. On one hand there's an extra 2040 bracing the gantry. On the other you'd have 4 less angle bracket fixing the C-Beam to the uprights.

Sorry if this is something that has been brought up in past threads. I was just curious.

 

Hi Marco, outstanding electronics setup your attention to detail was superb. Do you have a YTube video on your electronic build or somewhere I can view to learn about your electronics build? I would really love to do the same as yours (if not patented or course) happy to purchase plans or whatever you have. Kind regards, Bruce.