--- In
Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, JanRwl@A... wrote:
> In a message dated 7/26/2004 10:10:08 PM Central Standard Time,
> eemikez@c... writes:
> I don't see the Y-axis motor, maybe it's hidden behind the Z... <<
> Mike: No, I think the entire table-top moves on this, so the Y
motor is
> "down in there" under the table. A guess.
>
> Does this EUR 1200,- price include the DRIVERS? Expensive just for
the metal
> parts in the view! And NO "quill motor"? Is one supposed to use
one of
> those awful things with sleeve-bearings wit 0.005" play?
>
> Look in FILES; third one down. That is home-brew, with Thomson
linear
> bearings and Class-L way-shafting. This can be built with Xylotex
drives and
> Size-23/single-stack bipolar motors. Here, as I made this in '84,
I used (old)
> unipolar and home-brew drivers. HOT (wasteful) "ballast
resistors". Never again!
> Jan Rowland
Hi Jan,
http://f4.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/QNMFQXGRpKKaf9_jsvxJ2gJc7fqs6b7iTOlaNbJzvSL-ZJkBZD0tE-Ap-tYKGACAfgs9TTlB6rHqDXbnzliF0QXHvdyRT7Hr/Homemade%
20PCB%20equipment/Dscn0329.jpg
darn, I hate yohoo urls.
files section > Homemade PCB equipment > Dscn0329.jpg
third file in that folder.
If you priced out that unit today, I think the bearings and shafting
will be close to $500.00 and that is before you make the table, or
drivers or power supply. Add the leadscrews and although you have a
huge work envelope, it still is more than most of us need.
I just made an 11.7" x 6" board for the first time. I could have
reduced it to about 10" x 6" if need be, manybe more, and would have
been happy to make two boards if needed.
But, there is some cost savings in just buying the thing and not
spending the hours to learn and then design. In the year (on and
off) it took to design a stepper driver that would be competitive to
the Gecko, I could have saved those many hours and been further ahead
on many other projects. And, in the end, I wound up buying the
Geckos as I needed something to drive the machine in the first place.
Someday, I'll actually finish the project and assemble and test the
units.
Dave