Hey all, I’m looking into getting the x carve 1000mm I was just curious of what I should and shouldn’t get it with it, should I order a separate spindle other than what they offer as I noticed most of you have different ones should I order extra hardware should I not get the limit switch as I see its practically useless help me out here let me know where I can save
Jonathan,
Without some additional information on how your shop is outfitted, and your abilities, it it tough to give an exact suggestion of where to save. For instance, do you have the ability to make your own wasteboard? That is a frequently substituted option especially considering shipping. I personally substituted the stepper motors, but my first set burned up. The other supplier had no warranty so I ended up double buying those.
In the end, getting extra screws, nuts, etc, direct from Inventables at the time of the original order will save you money. Yeah, they sound expensive per piece, but when you go to the hardware store, they are in the small bins, individually packaged, and you will spend 30 cents each. Their pricing for wiring, at least in the kit form is actually very reasonable and I doubt you can find it locally for less. (Search my posts for my build story if you want to hear more).
Finally, as Bob mentions, the switches aren’t limit switches, but rather homing switches so the machine can identify where the spindle is at relative to the machine itself. Some people swear by them, some at them. I highly recommend installing the wiring during the initial build at a minimum. If you don’t put the wires in then, you will never do it. You can then give the switches a try. If you like them, great! If not, at least you know which side you fit in.
Overall, unless you are an extreme DIYer with strong personal opinions on how things should be done (in which case you likely wouldn’t ask the initial question), I suggest getting the entire kit, minus the waste board, from Inventables. You are already getting a very capable machine at 1/3 the cost of some of the popular commercial units with at least as much capability.
–Rick
Thanks guys appreciate it, and reason why I called it a limit switch was because one of the guys I was watching called it that and said it didn’t work maybe that’s cause he didn’t know what it was haha, I own a business in car audio and looking into furthering my product and also plenty of other things you can do with a machine like this, how about about maintenance what does that consist of if any, and where could I by replacement brushes for the dewalt 611. Trying to get all this info now before I buy. As well as I noticed tons of you have done a lot of personal upgrades to these machines as far as stiffening the x/ y axis is that something I should do almost instantly?
Also as I refreshed my brain on the contents of an x carve do you think I would need the “toolkit” as prolly most of us have those things in much better quality, the “Z Probe” not quite sure what it is as it has slipped my mind already but I know I wanted to ask if it was needed, the “side board kit” from what I have read sounds like a piece of wood nothing special?? And one other thing I have forgot already haha. And as someone had asked earlier while not knowing what kind of tools I have I basically own a woodworking shop and also do mechanic work I have tons of tools its basically an addiction for me I can’t have enough so I am well equipped in my shop and also own my own business in car audio
Thank you for the response, I think I will make my own side mount table I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t misreading it and would lost out on something important to my x carve, and for the tools I expected to own them and I’ll have to check that out
After looking through the forums I have found it on his website I believe is it called the triquetra P3 auto Zero?
I skipped wasteboard. I saved ~180 after buying the 3/4" mdf.
You need a (Table Saw that can position a rail at 39", or Jigsaw/Circular and a good guide like Kreg makes) + drill + metric bits (or be ok with small tolerance differences from conversion to imperial), forsner bits + countersink bit.
I would skip the side board, unless you’re into that fit + finish.
If you DO get it, make yourself some dust guards for the left Y rail early, otherwise you need a smallish attachment to get the sawdust out.
The sideboard doesn’t have an option for just the rails + hardware, it’s expensive to ship because of the MDF.
Skip the zero-plate, and get @CharleyThomas triquetra instead triquetra-cnc.com so you can do all the axes, and not just Z.
This I did not see as an option while looking through is that in a different section like add one or upgrades?
I think I am going to buy the triquetra zeroing block and if that’s the case as you said I can save $30 and skip buying the z probe correct
yes the Triquetra block replaces the Z-Probe – Inventables, Inc..
I do not have experience using it via Easel though.
1 Like
How do I know which one to get
I don’t quite know what I’ll be using it for guess I’ll ask a car audio friend which one he uses with his, wish there was a universal one for either or
I feel like I’m over using y’all and becoming annoying if it gets to that point just ignore me but I am 100% new to anything CNC, does that come with an actual vaccum or just an attachment for one you already own
Jonathan,
Based on the additional information you have mentioned, and based on descriptions of use from PhilJohnson, I think the homing switches may be a very useful addition for you. With audio installations, I can see a bunch of similar cuts that could use a bump stop.
You will have all the tools you need… don’t bother with the tool kit. Since you have a woodworking shop the waste board and side board will be easy for you to make yourself.
The Z Probe kit basically basically consists of a speaker wire ran through the loom to a headphone connector mounted on the spindle carriage, and then a conductive “puck” of known thickness. A cable plugs into the headphone jack, other end of the cable has an alligator clip that you hook to the spindle, and then the puck. When probing, the electronics look for when the puck and clip make contact. Since you are considering the triquitra you probably have everything else in your shop to make this work.
–Rick
2 Likes
Thanks for the response I want to save as much as possible but without risk of losing anything useful with this amazing machine I will be buying with my tax return hoping to make my moneys worth in a year or sooner
you can use it in easel to set the Z axis zero, just need to set the thickness during machine setup / advanced when you get to the probe part…
Ok, I can use the triquetra with vcarve desktop as well right
Hmmm is vcarve desktop a good thing to buy or should I go with vcarve pro, again I’m 100% bee to all of this but I don’t want to limit myself to easel as I have read it restricts you on a lot
I agree with Bob. I started out with desktop then upgrades to pro then to Aspire. The cost to upgrade is only the difference in cost between the two products
Ok you think desktop is better than easel