I’d planned to do some more learning with F-Engrave but decided I needed to tidy a few things up first, starting with the CNC controller. I made a ‘temporary’ enclosure for the CNC controller about 4 years ago so it’s long overdue. The controller comprises a 48V power supply and a Gecko G540 controller, an E-Stop power switch and a DE9 connector for the limit/home switches and (soon) probe input.
It was my first try at cutting aluminium on the X-Carve and it went fairly well. Panel is 1.6mm aluminium, alloy unknown but pretty gummy stuff to cut. The straight cuts cam out better that the rounded holes cut for DE9 connectors, I think I was a bit aggressive on the DOC and it showed on curves.
Feed rate was 600mm/min, DOC 0.4mm with a 2mm, 2 flute endmill.
I have a solid state relay that I’ll install for router control and a second DE9 for PWM control to an optional VFD. That way I can use the same controller with my 6040 CNC router. This will be phase 2 of the build, I need to cut some aluminium angle to mount the SSR and the second DE9 will have to wait until my next trip to town.
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All finished, neat and tidy (except for the missing DE9 connector) and with a bonus - it still works!
Minimalist front panel, maybe needs an indicator for power.
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Lasers? I’d put my eye out!
After sitting in the concrete floored, uninsulated shed on a wet, 9°C day for a couple of hours , re-soldering motor and limit switch leads, I think my next upgrade should be a heater!
Controller is installed and works well. Biggest change was actually cleaning up the mess of ‘temporary’ wiring I had for the home switches. They are all in a single cable with a 4 pin microphone connector which goes through an adapter box which also connects the Z-axis probe plate. I added this extra adapter so I can easily move the home switch/probe wiring from the X-Carve to my other CNC router (a 6040). I still have to add home switches to the 6040.
While I was making changes, I configured a PS2 game pad as a pendant. With Linuxcnc, this is a fairly simple exercise, other than deciding what to use all the buttons for.
The Z-axis touch probe is a great addition, no longer getting uneven surfaces at the bottom of jobs run with more than one bit. Probe plate is just a chunk of 10mm aluminium but I might try to make something like @CharleyThomas’ Triquetra but on the 6040 as it handles aluminium a bit better than my unmodded X-Carve.
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