sd110 calibration issues

Questions/answers/discussion about initial setup of your CNC Shark

Moderators: al wolford, sbk, Bob, Kayvon

Post Reply
waaden
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2022 3:08 pm

sd110 calibration issues

Post by waaden »

Hi All. I am a new-ish owner of an sd110, and this is my first cnc. (have been playing with it for almost a month now). I have had a few issues along the way, and I realized I hadn't checked out the forums yet, so this is my first post here. Hoping to get some tips and advice! Sorry for the novel below, but I am trying to think through my journey of trying to get this machine working well so far.

My first issue was with what I later learned to be called tramming. I was getting a pretty deep "step" pattern when trying to flatten a waste board. I watched a bunch of youtube videos, and also contacted support. I was told that for this machine it is normal, there is no way to adjust it, and that I could use pieces foil to shim between the router cradle and the router mount (hopefully I am getting the terminology right). I ended up with a big ridiculous blob of foil and a router mount that was bending all over the place and I switched to just putting washers on the bolts between the cradle and the mount. I was also told that I could adjust the actual bed if I needed, but when I loosened it, it didn't have nearly enough play to get it even close, so I just went back to using washers. It is better now, but I don't know that I'd even call it "good enough"..... it is still visually off just using a 1-2-3 block, and nowhere near close enough to even think about switching to one of the tramming jigs I saw other people making. I am still not sure if this is really normal, or if I just failed to describe just how far off it is to support (I did send pictures).

So after making those adjustments, I tried cutting a simple tray to see if it was any better. The lines in the bottom of the piece from the bit not being perpendicular were noticeably better, but I could still see them (at least I can probably sand them out now? before even just across the width of a 1/4" bit they were pretty deep). Another issue that I had been having was now worse though. It seems like every time the router plunges down, it pulls toward the front of the machine or something? I originally thought maybe it was just from the bit being tilted, but it doesn't do it when it lifts up, and also I think then it would be leaving ridges on the walls as well, which it isn't.

At this point I'm really not sure what to do, I've had so many problems and there doesn't seem to be any way to make ANY adjustments on this machine. It works fine for vcarving text into things and stuff like that, but my main interest was getting into cutting out precise parts (fitted boxes for specific items, small puzzles and game pieces, and things like that... maybe even trying aluminum eventually)

Below is an image of what I am seeing. It is noticeable where it cut the tabs. The router was going around clockwise, and it pulls in the same direction any time the router is plunging, so you can see it on the piece to the right of the tabs at the top, and on the waste part to the left of the tabs on the bottom. I think tomorrow I will try taping the wood down instead of clamping it, and then cutting it with no tabs.

Thanks in advance for any assistance!

Image

User avatar
Rut Row
Posts: 24
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2022 2:38 pm

Re: sd110 calibration issues

Post by Rut Row »

I'm not familiar with the SD110. But if definitely sounds like tramming is your issue.

User avatar
Bob
Posts: 1252
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2010 3:35 pm

Re: sd110 calibration issues

Post by Bob »

I would be curious to see settings used for this project. Would you post the crv file for this? Or, at least the tool path settings.
Bob
"Focus"
Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek (Developer of the microscope.)

User avatar
Kayvon
Posts: 552
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2014 11:46 pm

Re: sd110 calibration issues

Post by Kayvon »

How deep are your passes? Quarter-inch bit?

waaden
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2022 3:08 pm

Re: sd110 calibration issues

Post by waaden »

Hey everyone, thanks so much for the replies!
How deep are your passes? Quarter-inch bit?
Yes, its a 1/4" upcut bit, and I used the built in "softwood 1/4" endmill" bit in vcarve. For the spindle speed... I'm using a Bosch Colt router so its not too precise, but I found a speed table in the user manual and tried to set it using that. It says "1" is 16000 rpm and "2" is 18000 rpm, so I set it somewhere in between 1 and 2. Here is what it shows if I go to that toolpath and click edit on that tool:

Image

I would be curious to see settings used for this project. Would you post the crv file for this? Or, at least the tool path settings.
Sure, I have added it as an attachment... I think... still new to this forum :lol:

edit: I forgot to mention. It occurred to me after I made my original post that it could have had something to do with the cut direction. It looks like it defaulted to climb cut, so I tried the same thing today but with a conventional cut, and it still did the same thing.
Attachments
test pine tray.crv
(197.5 KiB) Downloaded 122 times

User avatar
Bob
Posts: 1252
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2010 3:35 pm

Re: sd110 calibration issues

Post by Bob »

Something appears to be flexing. Your settings are very conservative, so they should not cause flex. (A long run time, but not flex.) Is the bit extended too far beyond the collet? Is the router extended down through the support too far? Are you using a carbide bit, or a HSS one? How secure is the router in the mount? Are all connections between the stepper motors and the drive screws tight in the couplings? The Y axis coupling would be the first one to check.
I'm just looking for reasons why something in the system may be causing unwanted movement.
Bob
"Focus"
Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek (Developer of the microscope.)

waaden
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2022 3:08 pm

Re: sd110 calibration issues

Post by waaden »

As far as the router and bit, I actually try to keep them extended down from the mount/router as little as possible, so I don't think that is the issue. The router mount feels pretty tight. I am using a carbide bit.

I have to admit I haven't "dug deeper" into the machine to look for loose connections etc. so that should be my next step I guess. Who knows maybe I will find something that also explains why it was so far out of tram out of the box?

waaden
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2022 3:08 pm

Re: sd110 calibration issues

Post by waaden »

OK I went out to the machine and tried wiggling things around to see if anything felt loose. The couplings all felt tight as far as I can tell.

But.... if I hold the router cradle and try to move it up and down, I do feel a little bit of movement (like, movement that feels like something is loose, not the entire machine flexing as one solid piece). I think I traced it back to the linear bearings on the x axis. If I hold one of the rails and kind of put my thumb on the bearing I can feel a little bit of movement in the bearing while the rail stays still. I'm not sure if any play is normal for these kind of bearings? If it is "twisting" about the x axis though.. that would cause movement on the y axis like I am seeing I think...

Post Reply