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Weiss VM32 CNC Conversion

$12 Amazon prox switches on my engraver. No issue with repeatability, typically within a thou or so. The trigger is the black cylinder at 3:00 relative to the end of the prox switch. No contact and won’t destroy the switch if I do something stupid.

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And we’re home folks!
As in homing is now enabled and functioning.
Sadly my proximity sensor aka rpm sensor can’t cope with the rapid input so doesn’t respond over 400 rpm.
So I need a different solution there.
I think an optical encoder is what I need.
 
David said:
And we’re home folks!
As in homing is now enabled and functioning.
Sadly my proximity sensor aka rpm sensor can’t cope with the rapid input so doesn’t respond over 400 rpm.
So I need a different solution there.
I think an optical encoder is what I need.
Click to expand...
I have the same $12 proximity sensor on my lathe tach, no problem detecting a magnet at 1200 rpm. Sensor too far from trigger?

I tried optical, too fiddly. Didn’t like oil and grit, didn’t like having sunlight come in through the shop window.
 
whydontu said:
I have the same $12 proximity sensor on my lathe tach, no problem detecting a magnet at 1200 rpm. Sensor too far from trigger?

I tried optical, too fiddly. Didn’t like oil and grit, didn’t like having sunlight come in through the shop window.
Click to expand...
I dug out the sensor from the electronic tach that I never used on my lathe. Works like a charm now.
It's temporary as I have new pulley and belt coming so I have 1:1 motor to spindle instead of the 2:1 I have now.
The goal is to hit 4000 rpm spindle speed.
 
David said:
I dug out the sensor from the electronic tach that I never used on my lathe. Works like a charm now.
It's temporary as I have new pulley and belt coming so I have 1:1 motor to spindle instead of the 2:1 I have now.
The goal is to hit 4000 rpm spindle speed.
Click to expand...
Does this mean it's far enough a long for a visit and demo?
 
Susquatch said:
Don't forget to bring grease, glue, camo gear, and a sissy bag to hide critical parts in. If you send photos live, there is a cadre of us that would love to provide ideas to slow him down. We can all be brainstorming while you execute the plan!
Click to expand...
OK. UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE!
I did visit @David today. However, there was a grey squirrel at the door in full riot gear brandishing a weapon so I had surrender my phone and all 'bags' at the door. So alas, no pictures.

It was reassuring to see, or more precisely not see the floor. We could walk around... a bit...

He expects to be making chips this weekend and I wouldn't be surprised if that happens. Incredibly neat wiring job in the CNC cabinet. The motors are very smooth and it moves fast. Even with the toothed belt drive the spindle is nice and quiet but then it's a Bergerda AC Servo so that makes sense anyway. Like mine seeing it turn 100 RPM so easily is so cool.

I think he's going to beat me to the punch installing his pump oiler. Not sure I understand why. I've had mine for as long as I've had the mill and not installed it yet. Seems silly to procure it and then install it right away. Sometimes I just don't understand.

There are some little things that will need work but overall that will be a nice CNC installation.
 
jcdammeyer said:
OK. UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE!
I did visit @David today. However, there was a grey squirrel at the door in full riot gear brandishing a weapon so I had surrender my phone and all 'bags' at the door. So alas, no pictures.

It was reassuring to see, or more precisely not see the floor. We could walk around... a bit...

He expects to be making chips this weekend and I wouldn't be surprised if that happens. Incredibly neat wiring job in the CNC cabinet. The motors are very smooth and it moves fast. Even with the toothed belt drive the spindle is nice and quiet but then it's a Bergerda AC Servo so that makes sense anyway. Like mine seeing it turn 100 RPM so easily is so cool.

I think he's going to beat me to the punch installing his pump oiler. Not sure I understand why. I've had mine for as long as I've had the mill and not installed it yet. Seems silly to procure it and then install it right away. Sometimes I just don't understand.

There are some little things that will need work but overall that will be a nice CNC installation.
Click to expand...
Thanks John :)
It was good to see you today, I appreciate your kind words. Yup I have a few things to tidy up/sort out. Don't know if I'll have the pump oiler installed this weekend but then again, my wife's in Vancouver so you never know :P
You realize of course that you're the impetus for this little escapade.
 
David said:
Yup been there done that on my cnc router.
I have a fail safe for the X and Y in that there is a physical stop on the negative end of both axis. I'm going to adjust both axis so that the prox sensor triggers just before.
On the Z, an over travel would likely tear off the mount.
On the plus side because I'm using servos as soon as they miss a step they error out and stop.
And these are NC switches so that helps prevent an accident too.
Click to expand...
David, are you using Mach3? If so you should look into the "Soft Limits".
 
David said:
No I'm using Masso. It has soft limits and I've set them up.
Click to expand...
The user interface actually looks very friendly. We didn't dive into it in depth but unlike LinuxCNC which to a certain extent requires a text editor this was way more along the lines of MACH for setup. Not to say LinuxCNC doesn't have a series of setup screens but the moment you step outside the ordinary...

Anyway, it looks like it should be able to be easy to use.

We did have a longer discussion on the switch over from using a CNC router with moving head and fixed table to one where the tool remains in place and the table and router head moves. I must admit I still have to think twice when I want the tool bit over a particular mark which direction do I turn the MPG knob.
 
jcdammeyer said:
The user interface actually looks very friendly. We didn't dive into it in depth but unlike LinuxCNC which to a certain extent requires a text editor this was way more along the lines of MACH for setup. Not to say LinuxCNC doesn't have a series of setup screens but the moment you step outside the ordinary...

Anyway, it looks like it should be able to be easy to use.

We did have a longer discussion on the switch over from using a CNC router with moving head and fixed table to one where the tool remains in place and the table and router head moves. I must admit I still have to think twice when I want the tool bit over a particular mark which direction do I turn the MPG knob.
Click to expand...
Oh crap, I hadn't considered switching back and forth between the two...
 
Perry said:
I have one machine setup with Mach3 and metric. The other is with LinuxCNC and imperial. Just to keep things .....interesting. ;)
Click to expand...
My CNC router is running UCCNC and the mill is running MASSO. Both are metric though so there’s that I suppose.
I will say that I like the MASSO interface a bit more as it’s less complicated whereas UCCNC is very feature rich and the majority of the features I never use.
 
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