Phil's random vcarve posts (phil's projects)

According to his current listing, it’s a 3/8-12 2 start ACME rod.

Also according to his current listing, the anti backlash is delrin and replaceable.

I’m debating about emailing him to get the dimensions for the flange and stuff although it’s probably just the standard.

Mine is also starting to inhibit some vertical play when messing with it by hand.

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I wouldn’t hold your breath for any useful info off the guy.

I contacted him with questions etc when I was planning to replace the bushings in my microcarve z, and he was not very helpful at all. In fact he had a pretty shocking attitude towards the situation, and basically completely bombed me off.

I too had some vertical play also, and it turned out I needed to raise the lock collar on the leadscrew at the top, as well as fiddle with the “anti-backlash” part.
After trying various ways to eliminate to play I used a clamp to apply some pressure to the top of the leadscrew and the bottom of the lock collar (obviously with the collar slackened), and then tightened the collar.

The backlash nut or whatever is essentially useless as it is. If you disassemble your unit i’d say you will be surprised it ever worked. The nut is just split into four part way along it’s length, and then a small o ring applies minimal pressure around the very bottom.
I used some electrical tape around the area split into four to apply some more pressure, and superglued the end of the tape so it wouldn’t come undone.
(This may not make a lot of sense Unless you disassemble your unit and see what I mean).

Since doing this I have had no vertical play and everything works as it should. I understand that it’s not essentially a “fix” and more of a bodge, but this Z will be going in the bin if the anti backlash fails or the bushings go again as it’s basically a pos.

If only cnc4newbies z’s were around when I ordered this microcarve rubbish

DumpsterCNC seems to be pretty popular for anti backlash nuts for CNCs.

http://www.dumpstercnc.com/acme_38122.html

B711089F-A403-4B09-9998-68C54C6ACC32

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Yep. I missed that…

I got confused also. I thought the comment of the cheap Chinese anti backlash was referring to microcarve and not the CNC4Newbies.

I was talking about the microcarve.

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I have used them, and they all seemed to wear out too fast. Good when new, but there is not enough self-adjustment in the design IMO. I still have some new spares lying around here somewhere. I no longer use the crappy machine I had them on (an early kit made by John Hansford, the Microcarve guy :roll_eyes:).

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This is exactly what his response to my email said. I’ll be checking mine later this week when doing some other upgrades.

Back to Vcarve, have you tried two sided for doing a crib board storage pocket? I’m playing with that idea now.

Yes I had seen that.

I’m looking at taking a slightly different approach using an undercut bit:

https://www.whitesiderouterbits.com/collections/slot-undercut-bits/products/3098

And plan to use Vcarve with some lead ins and such to make my groove for the cover.

I’m looking at the two sided milling part of v9 to help (hopefully) make it easier

I use Dumpster CNC ones on my machine… 1/2", 5 start ACME rods. been working well so far

I have the Z plunge from Kyle Kronyak and so far it has been working perfectly.
However, if and when I do start having problems, I have been thinking about a ball screw.
I don’t know if it has been discussed before or not, but could the Z axis be upgraded to a ball screw?
What would the cost be?

Are you referring to your CNC4Newbie or your Microcarve?

I had a thought about the microcarve upgrading the rod to a faster rod, especially if changing anti-backlash nut.

Either way, it should branch to a new topic from your Vcarve thread.

Aspen is also very white

That would be good for the front of a birdhouse as you had done in the past.
I may have to purchase one of these from you.

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well we know who he is making next now… ha ha

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Did something similar in high school. I was lucky the fingers just bounced off the top of the blade as the kickback brought them into harms way.

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Do you have just the arrow as an svg file for sale somewhere? I’m a Cubmaster and been looking for the aol arrow.

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Hey Phil. With your Jurassic signs, how deep are you cutting?

Ah cool. Thanks for the info. I am working on one for my boy.

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I ended up going with .0625 depth. This one is only about 16" wide. Turned out decent so far… just need to paint it.

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