MAXNC
Makers Local 256 (https://256.makerslocal.org/) owns at some point got two MAXNC mills. One was a MAXNC15 with a closed Loop control system and the other had an open Loop control system. They came with a 4th axis and a lathe chuck. The the company MAXNC is now defunct. The main problem with running these machines was that they used an unusual control system compared to typical stepper driven desktop CNC machines. Apparently it used a quadrature system. I have no idea what that means or how it is different. They use normal stepper motors.
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Its working. For those that know what they are doing. You don't know how? Git gud scrub!
Running the Machine with Mach3
For minimum cost I want to get it running with the MACNC controller. This means using either the MAXNC software, or using Mach3 which has two special modes for compatibility with MaxNC control systems. I couldn't find the original MAXNC software that would have shipped with the machines. And I am familiar with Mach3, so it was an easy decision.
The main thing I did to make it work was switch from the open loop system to the closed one.
this link has a configuration file: https://www.cnczone.com/forums/benchtop-machines/254426-cnc.html
Wat Do?
ficturing buy vise & parrallels (with vice hold-down thigamagics) https://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=3763&category= t-slots for rotary table rotary table chuck adapter (check rotary table threads first) nuts all thread make / buy t slots Hold-down Clamps 1/4-20 all thread 1/4-20 wing nuts laser cut some wood holding clamps cnc some aluminum ones
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKYgI4bcCl4 http://diyprojects.eu/online-g-code-generator-for-simple-cnc-hold-down-clamp/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXIPJDy8d-s
laser cut a box
https://en.makercase.com/#/
https://www.festi.info/boxes.py/
https://makeabox.io/ https://jeromeleary.com/laser/
https://wiki.umiacs.umd.edu/sandbox/index.php/Laser_Box_Generator_Programs#Laser-Cut_Maze_Designer
rotary table to lathe chuck adapter https://www.sherline.com/
tools for lathe
make / buy
another thin 1in wrench - 1.006-1.015 opening(1.0105)
https://www.sherline.com/
wiring box
3x home switches wire to be NC
2x probes
reverse from NO to NC
combine them with a NC relay?
box for electronics
look into adding limit switches
make enclosure
make air blower (mount to head)
make enclosure for the mill
Wire the 4th axis 6 pin
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/molex/0015917060/3157045 https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/molex/0015913054/2001994 https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/molex/0014600064/3121758 https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/molex/0014562062/313698 https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/molex/0050579405/115035?s=N4IgTCBcDaIOwAYEDZkFoEEY4E4AEAsgPIAyAogBogC6AvkA https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/molex/0050579406/115038?s=N4IgTCBcDaIOwAYEDZkFoEEYAcCAEAsgPIAyAogBogC6AvkA
CAM Software
CAM software prioties in order: 1-cheap 2-simple to use 3-adaptive tool path Trochoidal paths areas a "poor mans" adaptive tool path 4-lathe option 5-multi axis (4th and 5th axis) with cleaver use of models and programing your own g-code indexing should be posible bith 3 axis g code generator 6-simulation
meshcam (standard and pro) $250-500 circa the future year two-thoswand and twenty two https://www.grzsoftware.com/ pro adds 3D Toolpath simulation, usefull 2D Contour Toolpath odd, thats typically more basic that 3D 2D Pocket Toolpath, thats typically more basic that 3D Not sure about if it has 4th axis no turning meshcam for alibre half price Not sure about if it has 4th axis deskproto https://www.deskproto.com/index.php https://www.deskproto.com/support-videos/videos-5axis.php $1k for 5th axis. thats a lot less, but I think its jkust indexing freecad w/ path plugin https://www.freecadweb.org/ https://wiki.freecadweb.org/Path_Workbench looks to be verry much in development estlcam http://www.estlcam.de/ only cheap cam with Trochoidal option that I'm familiar with thread milling 360 fusion cam Has everything include adaptive milling and 5 axis simultaionious subscirption plan not itar compliant no-one like subscription software cheapest is $70 per month I may not do that manny 5 axis parts, or parts that reqire adaptive paths, so maybe get it one month make g code then end subscritoion? maybe there are education licence the maker space can get
Collet
The MAxNC uses a spindle from Taig. It has the same collet. Its a small closed system.
Instead I used an adapter : https://taigtools.com/product/er-16-adapter-for-3-4-16-spindle/ http://cartertools.blogspot.com/2009/07/taig-1045er-er16-to-taig-spindle.html
https://taigtools.com/product/1041-collet-set/ https://taigtools.com/product/collet-nut-for-collets/ https://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=2317
So I could use ER-16 collete instead
Probing
Using a height probe allows you to precisely tell the machine where the top of your part is. This is important for not crashing and breaking off your tool bits. This is a pretty descriptive video
I bought a basic pair of probes off ebay. They are nominally 0.75in in height.
Edge Finding
Here is the code for probing
e-stop box
diy Arcade button Keypad USB Keyboard https://makersmuse.gumroad.com/l/xzTSK https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeYuIWGqquE
other notes
the lead screw lead is 0.05in
at one point while working on the limit switches i was considering bypassing the MAXNC control system to directly acces the computer via the parralel port to send input signals. That would reqire a parllal port break out coard like the following. (I desided aganst it and instead decided I would wire everthing to the one input puin avalable via the MAXNC system and upgrade to a modern control system if I needed more. https://www.amazon.com/DB25-Breakout-Connector-D-sub-Female/dp/B074387N6B/ref=sr_1_10?crid=3O7DSD2U3V5K1&keywords=db-25+breakout+board&qid=1669050323&sprefix=db-25+break+out+board%2Caps%2C169&sr=8-10
Replacement Drive Belt MaxNc 10 = Gates 3M-212 MaxNC 10CL-B with 1/5hp motor = Gates 3M-218 MaxNc 15 = Gates 3M-265 http://www.royalsupply.com/store/pc/3M-Polyflex-Belts-c1133.htm http://kscdirect.com/search_results.php?q=Gates%2B3M218
Potential Upgrades and future work
Adding a 5th axis would require a different control system. I'm considering this one. Travis is using it on who of his machines and recommends it.
- rigidising the machine
- y-axis is simple
- z axis is a little more work
- x axis would be just to put a setel plate to its
- replace the control components
Wiring a stepper cable
Before I got the original control system working with Mach3 Bradley wanted to replace it with a Geckodrive.
- https://www.geckodrive.com/g540-4-axis-digital-stepper-drive.html
- https://www.geckodrive.com/support/g540-rev-8.html
I'm okay with this option but I would prefer to use something expandable to 5 axis, because I am strongly considering buying a 5th axis. Replacing the control system with something more conventional would require the stepper cables to be rewired. The steppers are 8 wires. Four wire systems are much more common. Most cheap DIY CNC stuff uses 4 wires and so does that Geckodrive in particular. I rewiring a stepper cable to test if the Geckodrive will work with the steppers the machine came with. Bradley has agreed to take the stepper and the new cable to his place of employment to test on a Geckodrive they have there. Bradley swore upon his honor that he would complete this quest. Yet still I wait. The following are my notes I write wile figuring out how to do the wiring.
The steppers the MAXNC came with Powermax 11 Model P22NRXG-LNN-NS-00 steppers
- https://www.kollmorgen.com/en-us/products/motors/stepper/powermax-m-and-p-series/
- https://www.kollmorgen.com/sites/default/files/public_downloads/Nema_P2_Stepper_System_TB.pdf
- http://www.portalnaukowy.edu.pl/allegro/powermax22.pdf
Motor Pins Pin 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 internal connect 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 (The pins that had connectivity) ohm 17.8 17.5 17.7 17.4 Color blue black orange black black red black yellow
Cable motor side (indexing from arrow) pin 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 connected 1 6 2 6 6 3 6 4
Cable driver side (indexing from arrow) 1 2 3 4 5 6 - - - - no connector - blue orange red yellow black
9 pin serial port connection 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 case red yellow blue gray black orange purple brown green White
Here is how to wire it from 8 pin to 4 pin (with serial Connection) Stepper side 2 and 5 get tied together and terminated 4 and 7 get tied together and terminated
Motor Pin | letter | Serial Pin 1 blue | +A | 9 green 6 red | -A | 8 brown 3 orange | +B | 7 purple 8 yellow | -B | 6 orange
Apparently the Serial pins 1-5 gets a resistor put between them. Or at least that what it looks like from the Geckodrive documentation.
But what about the second Mill
I plan to turn that shit to a CNC lathe. I think we've got one of these chucks https://taigtools.com/product/chuck-4-jaw-3-1-4-dia-3-4-16thd/
Reference Material
Here are some links to where I found information about MAXNC The following are pages from the original company that are available on the internet archive (http://web.archive.org/)
This another page available on the internet archive (http://web.archive.org/)
Here are some other pages
- http://harmoniccycle.com/hc/3d-CNC-MaxNC_FAQ.htm
- https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/MaxNCMill
- https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAECourses/Raisbeck/cnc_equip.htm#maxnc
- https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAECourses/Raisbeck/images/resources/cnc/MAXNCmanual.pdf
- This is not the original manual, but something written as an introductory overview for student at Purdue.
- http://hans-w.com/cnc.htm
I got the parts manual for the mill from this page. Looks a little shady.
YouTuber "Josh AQ" has made many videos about his MaxNC mill
