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C-Beam™ Machine - Plate Maker

Discussion in 'CNC Mills/Routers' started by Mark Carew, Jul 16, 2015.

  1. Kyo

    Kyo Veteran
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    New Pen mount is working great. A sharpie barley fits but works well. I added the .stl file to the resources tab if any one else wants to do some pen plotting with there C-beam machine..

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

     
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  2. Gilbert Mackall

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    I am having a lot of fun with my CBeam. Here is a picture of my first cut using Inkscape, MakerCam and UGCS.

    IMG_1194.JPG
     
  3. eddiejr

    eddiejr New
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    Great site! Were there any SketchUp or EASM files released for this build? Thanks.

    -Eddie

    Update: Nevermind... I found OpenBuilds CBeam Machine_v131.skp conveniently inside of CBeam Machine Control Software 10-6-2015.zip from HERE. Nice work!
     
    #903 eddiejr, Feb 22, 2016
    Last edited: Feb 23, 2016
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  4. Arondite

    Arondite New
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    In case anyone is looking to print or design a dust shroud, here is the one I drew up quick. It works extremely well, uses a standard 2.5inch shopvac, and a 52mm spindle. The boot gets held on with the suction of the vacuum, making tool changes easy when removed.

    model.png IMG_20160222_180222.jpg IMG_20160222_174141.jpg IMG_20160222_174120.jpg

    My thingiverse thing: CNC Vacuum dust shroud - 52mm spindle, 2.5" shopvac by Arondite
     
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  5. Kyo

    Kyo Veteran
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    Had a little bit of fun doing my first real bit of cutting on the C-beam Machine this evening. The idea in my head started out as a coffee mug coaster and ended up as a tea kettle trivet. haha :) This is so much fun! No clue what I am really doing yet but having a blast doing it!!

    C-Beam CNC Machine
    1/2" MDF
    Dewalt DWP611
    16,000 rpm ( lowest setting on 611 )
    1/8 Carbide Flat Nose Endmill
    50ipm cutting speed
    0.028" depth of cut per pass

    [​IMG]

     
  6. David the swarfer

    David the swarfer OpenBuilds Team
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    that means you are losing steps, reduce accleration and /or max speed for the Z axis, and/or increase the power to the motor.
    if you are running at 16x microstepping on a 8x8 leadscrew, you can reduce that to 4x microstepping. much more power and more accuracy, and you still get 0.01mm per step.
     
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  7. Michael Shore

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    I had a similar issue, but found the collars on the lead screw were loose just ever so slightly and moved.

    if they aren't tight, the screw pushes against the top when its going down and against the bottom when going up.

    just a thought.
     
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  8. Kyo

    Kyo Veteran
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    Chomping away on some 1/4" 6061 Aluminium plate. :thumbsup: @Mark Carew and the crew hit the nail on the head with this little c-beam machine. I now really need to build a enclosure and print my case for the power supply and electronics. For the enclosure, I think I am going to do something along the lines of what Winston Moy setup for his S3.

     
  9. Mark Carew

    Mark Carew OpenBuilds Team
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    Looks great @Kyo ! You know you have to share that cool key chain design now :)
    Thanks for sharing this cool video :thumbsup:
     
  10. inhan

    inhan New
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    Very good. Kyo
    Please give me cnc g code.
    Keychains I'd like to print.
     
    #910 inhan, Mar 2, 2016
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2016
  11. Kyo

    Kyo Veteran
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    Thanks guys, Here is the Sketchup file I made for the key chain as well as a exported dxf.

    Cut settings were.
    16,000rpm
    40ipm
    0.015" depth of cut
    40% Step over

    Endmill used was.
    1/8" flat nose single flute upcut carbide.

    Sadly, while it started off great. towards the end it decided to veer off course and ruin the piece and break my endmill. Not sure if g-code issue ( sketchup file and sketchucam ) or hardware / communication. ( X-pro / GRBL Panel )

     

    Attached Files:

    #911 Kyo, Mar 2, 2016
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2016
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  12. GrayUK

    GrayUK Openbuilds Team Elder
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    Ouch!!! :banghead::banghead:
    It was going soooo well :(
    Let us know what happened please.
    Gray
     
  13. Michael Shore

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    Any chance you could post the G-Code as well or
    PM it to me.


    Michael
     
  14. dddman

    dddman Journeyman
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    Missed a couple steps in X?
     
  15. Jimmybuckets

    Jimmybuckets Well-Known
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    Hey Kyo...nice router shim!!! Ha ha ha. You said it hits the mounting angle brackets some where. Do I need to update or is it workable as is?
     
  16. Ronald van Arkel

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    @Kyo Thank you for the videos and the bit information. Going to buy some from Amazon as there is no way to get them in Mexico.

    -Ronald
     
  17. Kyo

    Kyo Veteran
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    @Michael Shore , Here is the .cnc gcode file feel free to rename to .nc or what ever you need. Also check the top of the file for the settings I used to work with your machine.

    @dddman , That was my first thought as well. It was also suggested as chip loadup as I don't have any air or such to clear out the chips. I also checked my driver voltage this morning and it turns out they were putting out (or trying lol ) way to much current. The drv8825 is vref*2 they were all set to 2.00 (so 4amps?). I reset them to 1.00 so that should mean each steeper is now getting 2amps? The motors sound much more smooth now after the adjustment as well.

    @Jimmybuckets , Yeah just a little interference ( I will snap a pic latter today). I think it is fine as is. I just made two little notches with the razor for clearance. The shim is working out perfect. It is keeping the dewalt mounted nice and secure within the OB mount.

    @Ronald van Arkel , No problem glad to share. I had to grab mine from ebay / amazon as well. They came in quick.
     

    Attached Files:

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  18. Michael Shore

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    if I use Chillipeppr to view the toolpath, it looks fine see image. so I have to agree with @dddman it does look like you missed steps.

    now you have turned down the current have you retried the cut?

    My Z and X axis are bot in bits so I cant try it myself, but as soon as its back together I am gonna cut myself a new keyring.
    Capture.PNG
    Michael
     
    #918 Michael Shore, Mar 2, 2016
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2016
  19. Kyo

    Kyo Veteran
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    Yes, well another version of the keychain. It seems to have helped a great deal. I adjusted my settings slightly and this time I held a vacuum hose close to the cut to help clear the chips. After a really quick sanding top and bottom to remove the scratches that came on the plate.

    [​IMG]

    I am as happy as a kid in a candy store. On free candy day! :D I have a feeling this is going to be just as if not more addicting then my 3d printers...

    New video. Towards the end of the clip I panic for a sec. I forgot to include the tabs to hold the part in when cutting so the part almost got flung right out by the endmill :eek:. The attempt below the one I am cutting in the shot, was with lubrication, It got all sorts of gummy.

     
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  20. David the swarfer

    David the swarfer OpenBuilds Team
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    the Gcode is good, but you do need to turn on ramping when cutting aluminum. this greatly reduces the stress on the bit. eyeball the angle on the end of the bit and ramp at a little less.
    (oh, just watched the last video and see you do have ramping on now, but without limit. you will need a limit angle if you switch to a plunge hole as I mention below)

    and for the hole, use a plunge hole. if a plunge hole is larger than the bit diameter, and ramping is on, it will cut as a helical spiral and never plunge straight down. one big advantage is that it will cut faster than an inside cut in a circle since it will maintain the ramp angle rather than strictly obey the multipass depth.

    to change your drawing to use a plunge hole:
    delete the inside cut
    draw a vertical line through the middle of the circle, or add a centerpoint if you have that plugin
    select the drawn circle and centerline and group it, this prevents any interference with the plunge hole
    select the plunge hole tool
    hold down SHIFT and click the center (blue dot when inferencing ) of the centerline
    enter the diameter and press enter.

    done
     
  21. Kyo

    Kyo Veteran
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    Thank you for the advice, I measured the angle as best I could and did a plunge cut. It definitely helped. This time it came out! A Little bit of hand file / sanding to clean up the tabs left after cutting.

    [​IMG]

    I added it to the resource tab if anyone else wants to give it a try in the future. ( I figured after a few pages pass having it on the resource tab would be easier to find then digging for the file here )
     
    #921 Kyo, Mar 3, 2016
    Last edited: Mar 4, 2016
  22. Arondite

    Arondite New
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    Those keychains look great! I'll be trying out aluminum here soon, so it's nice to have some feedrates and depth of pass numbers to reference.
    I've been having a blast with this mill, much more so than my 3d printer. Here's a sign I designed for the lady (took just after staining)

    IMG_20160303_195645.jpg
     
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  23. Mike Kershaw

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    Hello
    I'm struggling a bit with my machine:
    Does anyone know the best way to go from Vectric V-carve or Aspire to GRBL Panel?
    i.e. which post processor to use and are there any other steps to arrive at the correct code?

    Thanks
    Mike
     
  24. Arondite

    Arondite New
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    I'm using V-carve Desktop, but I'm not using GRBL Panel. I'm sending the g-code directly to the machine through the web interface Smoothieboard offers. However, it looks like there's an open source cross platform universal gcode sender that works with GRBL Panel: GitHub - winder/Universal-G-Code-Sender: A Java based GRBL compatible cross-platform G-Code sender. It's java based and shouldn't be hard to get running.
     
  25. Mike Kershaw

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    Hello, I've looked at that and can't see how that will get me from V-carve to code I can load into Grbl Panel.
    I was hoping somebody had experience of using V-carve with Grbl panel and could guide an old chap in the right direction.
    Thanks
    Mike
     
  26. Arondite

    Arondite New
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    I don't understand, or maybe you don't? in V-Carve, save your toolpaths as a gcode file. Send that gcode file to Grbl Panel using the universal gcode sender.
     
  27. Jimmybuckets

    Jimmybuckets Well-Known
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  28. David the swarfer

    David the swarfer OpenBuilds Team
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    GRBL understands only the most basic Gcode, no canned cycles etc, so you need to choose the postprocessor that gives you only
    G0 G1 G2 G3 codes, and basic M3 (spindle on) at the start and M5 at the end to stop the spindle if you have spindle control, and finally a M30 for program end.
     
  29. Mike Kershaw

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    Thanks Everybody
    I'm making sense of it now.
    Mike
     
  30. Mike Kershaw

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    Hello
    As far as I can tell, Grbl Panel is what you would describe as a gcode sender:
    Home · gerritv/Grbl-Panel Wiki · GitHub
    I didn't understand how you could use a gcode sender to send code to a gcode sender. I was looking for the correct post processor to use with Grbl Panel.
    What I've found is the Aspire post processor which seems to work with Grbl Panel is "Grbl 0.8c (mm)". This produces code which Grbl Panel accepts directly as a input file.
    The problem I had initially was basically not checking every single data entry box in the material setup: I set the datum to be the top front left corner of the material, but missed right at the end of the data entry list that in spite of the datum being set, the home position was set to 0, 0, 20.3. Where the z axis 20.3 came from I've no idea. So every time I tried the data, the spindle shot off and hit the limit. I presumed I had an issue with the post processor.
    I've done a few dry runs now, everything seems spot on.

    Thanks
    Mike
     
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