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You know what they say about assuming!
I've continued doing some testing on my CNC in between learning about different software. For instance, I downloaded VCarve Desktop Trial version a few days ago and was trying to run one of their trial projects. Prior to this, I had done a couple of small v-carve items to try different bits, but the project I tried today is a detailed box top. It had been running for about five minutes and suddenly the spindle collet and bit spun out of the spindle! There had been some noises from the bit and I attributed it to some of the details being climb-cut since the bit has to go both directions. But.....
Then, I finally engaged my brain! Why would the spindle collet nut come loose in the first place? I've used routers of various types for decades and never gave a thought to such a thing happening. Then, it hit me! This is a DC spindle!!! I had wired it according to all the proper conventions, so I "assumed" all was well with the world. Well, ahem! When I watched the spindle spin down, sure enough it was going the wrong direction! The correction, of course, was simply to flip the positive and negative leads feeding the spindle. Life got back on track! I re-started the VCarve project and it sounded much happier!
Another thing I decided to run is the X- and Y-axis motor belt clips I did a while back to handle 9mm wide belts. Well, I'll let the photo below tell the tale:
The two clips on the left are from my original run. On the right are the clips I ran today.
Ah, well.....live and learn.
I've continued doing some testing on my CNC in between learning about different software. For instance, I downloaded VCarve Desktop Trial version a few days ago and was trying to run one of their trial projects. Prior to this, I had done a couple of small v-carve items to try different bits, but the project I tried today is a detailed box top. It had been running for about five minutes and suddenly the spindle collet and bit spun out of the spindle! There had been some noises from the bit and I attributed it to some of the details being climb-cut since the bit has to go both directions. But.....
Then, I finally engaged my brain! Why would the spindle collet nut come loose in the first place? I've used routers of various types for decades and never gave a thought to such a thing happening. Then, it hit me! This is a DC spindle!!! I had wired it according to all the proper conventions, so I "assumed" all was well with the world. Well, ahem! When I watched the spindle spin down, sure enough it was going the wrong direction! The correction, of course, was simply to flip the positive and negative leads feeding the spindle. Life got back on track! I re-started the VCarve project and it sounded much happier!
Another thing I decided to run is the X- and Y-axis motor belt clips I did a while back to handle 9mm wide belts. Well, I'll let the photo below tell the tale:
The two clips on the left are from my original run. On the right are the clips I ran today.
Ah, well.....live and learn.