Vectric Customer

This is my current (re)build. I love bringing these older machines back to life. This one started out on Vectric's side of the pond, but a few upgrades later and it will now run on the right side of the road!

Enjoy:

This is another machine I have been tinkering on. I got busy for a while and had to set this build aside. Finally got back to getting the tool rack and spindle mounted and the macros written. This video shows a test run of some of those macros. The laser pointer (XYzero), toolchanges, tool measure and dustfoot interaction with all of the above. Ive cut a few small piece, but mostly parts for the grid table system. Speeds are reduced until I have full confidence in these mostly untested macros.

Table is aluminum with a grid of tapped holes on 3" centers. Table bolts, clamps, alignment jigs and maybe even some vacuum pucks are all intended to mount in various locations. A 3/4" MDF spoilboard with oversized holes is bolted over the aluminum.



More to come!

Looks good so far, Gary. I'd sure love to have a tool changer for my CNC. I'm working on a simpler (or perhaps more complex) way to change out the whole (small trim) router when a new tool number shows up in the G-code. I have the post processor figured out, and macros for what to do when a new number shows up. I'm only at the idea stage on how to transfer power to each router when they are picked up. I'm on my 2nd strategy for how to capture and release each router. More contemplation will be require for how to move the router rack in and out of cutting limits so the gantry can reach the routers. I have it on drawer slides at the moment and can simply move it in and out as needed, but I'd like to automate that motion.

Looking forward to more of your progress.
4D

Here's a peek at last weekends project for the shop.  Its a drill machine that will be put to use drilling control box backplanes to enable component mounting.  Had most of the stuff on hand and I'm trying to decide if that's a good thing.  This was a fun project.

Enjoy: 

Nifty. Thanks for posting.

Huey Lewis called and said he would rather you hear my machine than his music. Here is a link with the copyrighted music removed.

Apologies to the forum.

A last look at tis machine before it's off to the new Owner. His work requires 6 tools so the machine has been retrofit to accommodate that number.

Video:

Switched over from Mach3 to UCCNC...
VERY HAPPY with it.

Here is my work flow with it...
Nothing special about the code or video... Just wanted to show the process.

I want to rebuild my machine and am looking to buy extrusion...where can I find a plate as in this picture? I need to have a mount for the opposite end of the ball screw from the motor end. Thanks

Search ebay for "80/20 joining plate". You might find something close or one of the vendors may be able to machine one for you from an existing plate.
A few years ago I bought quite a bit of 80/20 extruded aluminum from one of the vendors to build my stock duplicator.

pbb116 wrote:I want to rebuild my machine and am looking to buy extrusion...where can I find a plate as in this picture?

Since you already have a machine, make one.

That looks to be a custom part, and not something you could find anywhere.

I'm a relatively new forum user.

A short while ago I had issues with the control on my ELU860 machine.

At the time I needed another ELU860 user to confirm a few details from their own machine. I wanted to send a message to a small number of other forum users who I found through a forum search.

But the forum would not let me do this, so I had to post a message to all forum users, and I did not get a single reply from a fellow ELU860 user.

How about extending the capabilities of the 'Gallery of Machines' a discrete 'machine user group' when we have a machine specific question?

I'm now in the process of a retrofit rebuild and upgrade of my ELU860 machine with new motors and controls. I'm sure this will be of interest to other ELU860 machine owners.

Here is a look at one of my current projects, a "retro-mod" of an existing imported machine

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Early testing:

Nearing completeion, macro testing:

A little bit of VCarving with area clearance:

This is my machine ... Designed and built it myself after checking out many different versions online.
- Control: Windows 10 > MACH 4 > USB to PMDX-422 > TB6560 - 3 Nema23 (270 oz-in) Stepper Motors > 2:1 Reduction to RM1602 Ball Screws.

I had posted it about a year ago ... but have made some modifications/additions since so I thought I would update here in case there may be some interest.

- Added a cover for the whole thing with removable Lexan panels. Also vacuum attachment ... Really cuts down on the dust and noise!
- Inside that box on the top perimeter I added some LED Strip lights ... Nice light with no real shadows on the work piece.
- I made a new router attachment and table so I could mount the router in a horizontal position ... this works really well.
- I originally did this to enable making clean box / finger joints on the edge of boards without having to clean up the inside radius of the fingers.
- Very accurate joints and very flexible with regards to layout and tightness of the joint.
- I still do the project in V-Carve but looking at the edge of the board. Then in MACH_4 I reverse the Y Axis motor direction and swap the Y and Z Axis motors in the configuration.
- I'm I will find other uses for this addition ... Nice mod to do