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Zeus CNC Router Kit

Discussion in 'CNC Mills/Routers' started by snokid, Oct 13, 2014.

  1. snokid

    snokid Journeyman
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    I have been lurking for awhile read then read some more I finally settled on the zeus kit.
    http://www.spark-concepts.com/zeus-cnc-router-kit/
    $1,035.85 to my door
    only have to buy spoiler board and a bit to be up and running.
    I have emailed the owner, looks like mid November as a ship date.
    Will take photo's and do some youtube video's when it arrives.

    just reminds of the saying "let the settlers take the arrows" hope all goes well. I will report on the good the bad and the ugly.
    Bob
     
  2. Tweakie

    Tweakie OpenBuilds Team
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    Looks like a good choice Bob :thumbsup: I hope you are pleased with it and I look forward to your report on it's performance.

    Tweakie.
     
  3. Nick W

    Nick W Well-Known
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    Bob, did you get the kit? I'm on the fence whether to get this as a starting point and then modify it as my expectations grow.
     
  4. Joe Santarsiero

    Joe Santarsiero OB addict
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    Well that takes the fun out of Make! o_O

    I like the Xpro though.
     
  5. snokid

    snokid Journeyman
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  6. snokid

    snokid Journeyman
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    Yes i got most of the kit. I was sicker than crap last week. I'm happy with my purchase. They did some nice things with the plates the extra support for the x axis is a good idea. Three support beams for the bed is nice also. Waiting on the z axis nut and driver board. Told me it will ship in the next week.
    Before i bought this i tried to order from the openbuilds store for a couple of weeks but something was always out of stock so i figured this way 1 order and that was it.
    I have a 3d printer that i ordered from different places and i still dont have it together because stuff just doesnt fit. Once this is running i can make the last piece i need to finish it.
    Bob
     
  7. Joe Santarsiero

    Joe Santarsiero OB addict
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    Nice kit.

    X axis plates are a good idea. Removes the problem of cantilever torsion on the plates and wheel screws and turns it into more of a distributed load. I'll definitely add this upgrade to the list.
     
  8. Chris Breeling

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    That looks like something that I am interested in. Is there anything that you would upgrade to right away if you were going to do it again? I plan on cutting much the same thing as you have described acrylic and different types of wood. How difficult was the build to complete?
     
  9. snokid

    snokid Journeyman
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    There are a few things I will upgrade right away.
    It didn't ship with a drag chain but so far I don't think it needs one. They have moved where the control board mounts so the only thing you need it for is the z axis and the router cord.
    power supply it shipped with a 12v power supply, I have already ordered a 24v supply.
    The router is a harbor freight router, I'm going to buy a better one as soon as I get it running. I guess I might give the harbor freight one a chance for a little bit.
    I ordered a e-stop switch, not sure which way I'm going to wire it yet cut power to everything or like a limit switch.

    Putting it together was easy but you need to watch both Mark's video's and the ones from spark-concepts. I built it in 2 nights about 4 or 5 hours in total. A couple of things weren't in either video but were easy to figure out. The control board mount uses m5x8mm bolts just a FYI....

    Ok would I do it again.......
    I don't think so. The main reason I bought this was the parts store was always out of stock of something when I tried to order everything to build an ox. But spark-concepts is just getting started and I think they are swamped I ordered this in mid October and got it mid November. I could of placed a couple of orders from the parts store and got it in about the same time I think....

    I have had some people tell me it's overpriced but I really don't think it is. I don't have a chop saw at home I have one up at my cottage but it's 3 hours away, so I would of had to purchase a chop saw for home to cut the rails, that alone would of made buying the parts more than the kit...
    Bob
     
  10. Robert Hummel

    Robert Hummel Custom Builder
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    I like the inside braces on the Y axis, should really stiffen it up.
    I will be adding that feature but a little different in order to block the chips and dust missed by vac.
    Going to use red cast acrylic, I just hope it works out the way I'm hoping it does lol
     
  11. Nick W

    Nick W Well-Known
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    Thanks for the input. I was thinking about having to upgrade some parts once I outgrew the basic Zeus kit. But it seems like it needs to be upgraded right away. 12v supply?, meh. I guess I can start ordering bits and pieces to build one from scratch. The thought of placing one order was very attractive though. Maybe I can hold off until plates are available in the OB store.
     
  12. pmany

    pmany New
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    Are they going to be put in the store?
     
  13. GrayUK

    GrayUK Openbuilds Team Elder
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    Yes "pmany", Mark is introducing them to try to maintain, and guarantee, an up-to-date plate all the time.
    Sort of OB Standard. :thumbsup:

    Gray
     
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  14. Joe Santarsiero

    Joe Santarsiero OB addict
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    I find it so odd that everyone around here refers to the longest axis as Y. Must be a router thing. :/
     
  15. GrayUK

    GrayUK Openbuilds Team Elder
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    Joe.
    It does have a History. However, it does not refer to length of axis.
    It seems to be:
    Forwards and Backwards, irrespective of distance, is "Y Axis".
    Side to side, or a cross (X), again irrespective of distance, "X Axis".
    Up and Down, "Z Axis".

    I'm sure someone has explained the reasoning before, I think it was Tweakie.

    Gray
     
  16. Joe Santarsiero

    Joe Santarsiero OB addict
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    It's more about what one considers the front of their router.

    In General and for most cases, a mills X axis is longer than it's Y. Feels right to me to view the router the same.

    I was just saying that sometimes it gets confusing when reading some posts because it is not always clear what they're referencing.
     
  17. GrayUK

    GrayUK Openbuilds Team Elder
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    I think the above is the accepted standard in the world of CNC.

    Gray
     
  18. Joe Santarsiero

    Joe Santarsiero OB addict
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    Been that way on every machine I've programmed. Also, when the first rotary axis is applied it is usually A about X. Except once I used a horizontal with a tombstone and that was programmed about axis B.

    So this is why I get confused when some folks call their traditional X axis Y and visa versa.
     
  19. mybuild14

    mybuild14 New
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    Hey guys this is what I go by when assigning my axis identification. Is this right or wrong?[​IMG]
     
    #19 mybuild14, Dec 10, 2014
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2014
  20. Robert Hummel

    Robert Hummel Custom Builder
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    That is how I do it :)
     
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  21. Tweakie

    Tweakie OpenBuilds Team
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    Me too :)
     
  22. Joe Santarsiero

    Joe Santarsiero OB addict
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    Yeah, must be a router thing.
    I'll end up using a Y gantry. Easier for me looking at the machine from the side while sign making.
     
  23. snokid

    snokid Journeyman
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    I have it all together!!!! success, well kind of....
    I must of used the bolts for the router clamp or the ones you are supposed to use are too short, took a plate out and shimmed the router with a couple of bolts, not pretty but it will work till my order for new bolts comes in.
    Next I go to home depot and have them cut my spoiler board 19 1/4 x 29 1/4 great out the door for 11.00 cool till I get home and the darn thing isn't square, I should of just cut it myself, I did the best I could and got it square but now it's a little short.
    Got it all wired the only thing left in that department is the e-stop still not sure what I want to do with that yet.
    I just got up from my shop after messing with the gbrl settings for the last hour, I just can't seem to get the thing to sound smooth. With the default settings for the cncpro board it would move too far but sounded smooth. Once I set the travel to 26.67 and 200 it's noisey I have played with all the settings nothing seems to help....
    here's what I have for settings in the videos.
    any Idea's?
    thanks Bob

    gbrl1.jpg gbrl2.jpg


     
  24. Robert Hummel

    Robert Hummel Custom Builder
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    Change your homing and seek settings a little higher and see if it smooths out. The slow movement in causing the sound IMO
    $24 = 2000
    $25 = 2000
     
  25. snokid

    snokid Journeyman
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    ok that didn't work and I turn off homing. but I turned up rates and accelerations to very high numbers 60,000 and 80 got it moving faster, but still making noise.....
    I just remembered I had the 12v supply on when I first got it together and it was quite but the steps per mm were very high, if I remember right it was 200. Then I switched to the 24v supply and changed the steps per mm to 26.667, I wonder if I have to adjust the current?
    the steppers are room temp after running gcode for about 15 minutes.
    Does that sound right? Do I need more current?
     
  26. Robert Hummel

    Robert Hummel Custom Builder
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    What is the max current for your motors and drivers?
     
  27. GrayUK

    GrayUK Openbuilds Team Elder
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    I've heard that sound before. I think it's a low power thing. Ask Serge. He's been there, before you.

    Gray
     
  28. GrayUK

    GrayUK Openbuilds Team Elder
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    Do you remember Robert, there was a video, about 6 months ago, and the motors were making a hell of a row. I can picture the video, but can't
    quite remember the owner. Was it Serge?
    I wish we had some system of finding these things!!
    Gray
     
  29. snokid

    snokid Journeyman
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    Drive 4 motors with DRV8825 Stepper Drivers - 2.5A (peak) with 1.75A (RMS) with up to 1/32 microstepping
    motors DC 2.8 A/Phase

    I do remember the video, I will be looking up serge's posts and see if I can find it...

    Well I ran some code thru it, a 3" x 4" box with a 2" circle in the middle, what I got was a 2.875 x 4 box with a oblong circle.
    my grbl settings are the same for both the x and y axis, easy enough to change but I don't understand why they are different....
    In sketchucam I set it for .752 thick and it cut I would guess 1/4" into my spoiler board...


     
  30. Robert Hummel

    Robert Hummel Custom Builder
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    Your motors should be able to handle the max your drivers can provide.
    I would heat sink your drivers and get a small fan blowing to keep things cool
     

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