Even with screw drive and stronger steppers is it normal to go deeper doc than the size of the bit ? Like shouldn’t it be a .25” bit at .125” doc ? And not the other way around , I would think the bit would break due to flex and force ?
I figured the bits would break, I mean I know like In pine you wouldn’t break a .25 inch end mill but like a .125 I would think the torsion would flex or break the bit.
Breakages occur when chatter bounces the bit off the material (non consistent bit engagement) and on the return takes a bite it can’t swallow.
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Ahh that makes sense.
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I have even cut deeper than that but a bit slower. Off the top of my head I was slotting at about 3/4” doc @40 ipm? Or something.
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When running HSM paths (like raster or trochoidal/adaptive paths) you allow the side edge of the bit to do most of the work. By doing so one can go deeper per pass.
Short video, not by me:
I have done 9mm in aluminium with a 3mm bit on my hobby CNC, but I do break bits on occation also…
your getting me excited to see the results i get with the screw drive! That speed is about double what i ever manage with the belts and the depth it three times what i normal work at.
Have you done much with birch ply so far? Interested to know your successful speeds on this as its what i mainly work on. Did you play about with the micro stepping on the X controller?
It’s a necessity. You should be set to 1/2 stepping. 1/4 at most of you need crazy resolution. But that resolution is not consistent since the machine is still on wheels. 1/2 stepping gives you a good balance between resolution and torque.
How are you able to get those speeds? I top at 100 Ipm. Anything over that and the motors (269 oz Nema 23) stumble and lose steps. I use 1/2 stepping but I can’t believe that would be the issue.
Better tuned steppers for the lower DC voltage of the Xcarve. Lower inductance steppers perform better with lower voltage and therefore have a flatter torque curve.
The stock steppers, while lower in value, have a much flatter torque curve at least from my experiments.
On my Z axis, the 269 oz-in topped out at like 70-80 ipm, my 269 oz-in topped at around 100 ipm and the stock stepper topped out at like 170 ipm.
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Sort of a sideways topic.
I’m working on upgrades on my xcarve, Working towards a 1800 Y-axis. Now I’m no good with all this math and stuff, I mostly just put things together and fiddle till they work, or don’t.
Whats the likelihood of 1800mm screw drive on the Y axis?
Both functionality, and availability?
I’m slowly working on upgrading my x-carve step by step, because I can’t afford to just go out and buy the machine I want. X-carve gives me the ability to upgrade, step by step, as finances see fit, and eventually, evolve to its full potential.
Max length is 1000mm
Unless you get thicker ball screws. For longer runs you want to go with rack and pinion or hefty belts.
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Dragging an old thread out of retirement, dont hate me haha. So I recently purchased an xcarve and was putting it together last weekend and I CANNOT believe how much I absolutely hate the belts granted I only got the 500x500… I was thinking that a screw drive or a rack and pinion system would be my first upgrade even over the zaxis upgrades. I was curious where exactly I could pick one of these up if they are still available?
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Get the cnc4noobies z axis first.
If you do plan on lifting the machine to work on thicker materiels get the 8” +1” version.
Thanks Phantomm I will definitely be looking into both!
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I went to the site for the screw drive but don’t see options for the size x carve. I plan on the 750 mm size. Is there a kit for that?
Great review on this product! Is this available for all sizes of X Carve such as the 750 mm?
Sorry for the dupe post.
I realized that I didn’t add the option so I just did. All three sizes can be selected.