Learning the hard way.
Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2019 10:14 am
This is more of a reminder to the CNC Shark users to not only keep their machines clean but to check all joints for tightness.
Recently, I started a project of making 350 5 pointed stars for a Christmas project for my local church. I started noticing that some of the stars were not just quite right. The coupler between the Y axis drive motor and the worm gear had loosened enough to distort some of the stars.
I had mis-diagnosed the problem by thinking I needed to clean and lubricate more, which I did and created even more, less than perfect stars.
Because I purchased my machine used, I don’t know if the coupler is factory or not, but the small allen set screw that I had hoped would stay tight because I had used lock-tite, had come loose again. The drive motor has a flat side of it’s shaft that the allen screw fits in, but, if just a little loose, the motor will still turn the worm screw but will allow the Y axis to move 1/4 of an inch side to side (in and out). 1/4” is way too much for most any project.
Real problem would be the same connector on the X axis motor. Much harder to get to.
Just another one of lives learning opportunities.
Recently, I started a project of making 350 5 pointed stars for a Christmas project for my local church. I started noticing that some of the stars were not just quite right. The coupler between the Y axis drive motor and the worm gear had loosened enough to distort some of the stars.
I had mis-diagnosed the problem by thinking I needed to clean and lubricate more, which I did and created even more, less than perfect stars.
Because I purchased my machine used, I don’t know if the coupler is factory or not, but the small allen set screw that I had hoped would stay tight because I had used lock-tite, had come loose again. The drive motor has a flat side of it’s shaft that the allen screw fits in, but, if just a little loose, the motor will still turn the worm screw but will allow the Y axis to move 1/4 of an inch side to side (in and out). 1/4” is way too much for most any project.
Real problem would be the same connector on the X axis motor. Much harder to get to.
Just another one of lives learning opportunities.