Another 4" CNC rotary table

[kwackers]

I'd just decide which printer I liked and tweak the positioning and font sizes until I was happy with the result.

Mind you I've never had a printer that didn't print things the right size...

[John Swift]

Hi

 a while ago I had problems with a PDF pcb design from the US
part way through rescaling noticed the design was for a US / imperial  paper size
and the printer defaulted to A4

   John

[madjackghengis]

In reply to John's note/observation, isn't it nice we can have so many differing systems that work fine with each other, but just can't completely figure out how to scale to each other's base line.  I find the same thing sort of amusment trying to go from Imperial to US or metric to US, and not knowing the defaults or standard practices.  I think it's good just because it causes our brains to hurt, and makes us come up with independent solutions.  I will be printing things for my build when I've got this whole thing fingered out, I'm still having a bit of a time finding pc board here in the colonies, or I should say board without holes and plated through already.  But the store has ferric chloride, just in case you want to etch those plated through boards.  I grudging left with a tub of rosin and 556 ic, dual 555 timer, and no board.  I expect I'll have to find it on the internet. mad jack

[kwackers]

madjack,

You want to get into programming PIC's (or similar), with only a few lines of code a 8 pin PIC can do everything a 555 or 556 can do with less components and cheaper!
And being programmable, it can do an awful lot more!

[John Stevenson]

Why not draw the enclosure and / or keypad in a CAD program for precision instead of an art program ??

John S.

[j45on]

Why not draw the enclosure and / or keypad in a CAD program for precision instead of an art program ??

John S.

If I had one I would 
I have an old XP PC and an old black and white laser printer they both print exactly what I tell them to print
My newest computer is a mac with a new kodak colour inkjet this wont print exactly what I tell it

I originally made the file on the mac it prints properly on the PC but not the mac

Now I'm just going with a black and white keypad as it's winding me up now 

[j45on]

Not much of an update but I have some more parts now and Arc Euro Trade have more of my money
I also have the pic chip but I'm still waiting for the programer to arrive

Another 4" CNC rotary table

[madjackghengis]

madjack,

You want to get into programming PIC's (or similar), with only a few lines of code a 8 pin PIC can do everything a 555 or 556 can do with less components and cheaper!
And being programmable, it can do an awful lot more!

I don't know much about programing, and you can bet I will follow your lead all the way, with regard to getting this rotary table cnc operating, I just picked up the 556 because they are so handy and cheap, and I didn't have an extra one laying around.  It might well become the oscillator/driver for the flasher I can't buy for love nor money for my new/old 81 Mercedes 240D, so I can get it registered with turn signals and everything.  I'm still stuck on not having found the parts to make the board you so gallantly made available to all to use.  I've got a nice print out of the board on paper, and I'm going to try the repeat printing you describe on your other forum, but I don't know if my printer will be accurate enough, and I will either have to revert to the way I etched boards in the early eighties, or use the iron method of transfer of ink, to the circuit board.  Does ink jet ink transfer with heat?  If not, I will have to print on a clear sheet, and use photo-resist and put the board and print out in the sun for a few minutes.  By the way, I did not know the "PIC" was an eight pin chip, I'm way behind you, and slow to catch up, but really appreciate the learning experience.  More than I can truly express. mad jack

[kwackers]

By the way, I did not know the "PIC" was an eight pin chip, I'm way behind you, and slow to catch up, but really appreciate the learning experience.

Hi Jack,
PIC is a generic term for a family of devices. You can get them in as little as six pin surface mount versions up to 100+ pins.
The 8 pin versions come in a number of flavours but can be bought in the same form factor as a 555.
The version used in the divider is a 40 pin device, mainly because it provides enough pins to hook up the LCD, keypad and still have enough left to drive the stepper etc.

Good luck with the PCB, don't forget you can use stripboard if all else fails. If you do I'd recommend placing components similarly to their PCB positions.

[j45on]

madjack you could always get your inkjet print photocopied then you could iron it or there is a good video on etching a board using the photoresist method here
I always assumed you had to use a UV light to do this which is why I went with toner transfer but I think I will give this a go next time
http://madmodder.net/index.php?topic=2849.0

Guys I have some questions about my stepper motor I have to freely admit I know jack about them
The one I have bought has eight wires and the driver has 4 outputs and is labelled as a "bi-polar driver"
So as far as I can tell from the instructions I have two options series and parallel 
Also I noticed at the bottom of picture 2 that
Arc Euro motors supplied with their rotary tables are wired in parallel so am I correct in guessing thats what I should do ?
The final picture labels the wires from the stepper driver as A+ and A- / B+ and B- yet no mention is made of wire polarity on the motor data sheet
Now I'm super confused 

Another 4" CNC rotary table

Another 4" CNC rotary table

Another 4" CNC rotary table

Another 4" CNC rotary table

[tumutbound]

Bipolar parallel will give the best results seeing maximum torque is more important here than higher speed.

Here's a short explanation as to the difference in the various ways to connect 8 wire steppers.

[DMIOM]

Jason,

You may also find it useful to read the Stepper Motor Basics paper from Mariss & Marcus of Geckodrive - either online or downloadable as a pdf

Dave

[kwackers]

Don't worry about wire polarity.

If you swap one set the motor will run the other way, swap both and nothing changes...
(The software can swap the direction of motor rotation anyway in the setup.)

[j45on]

Thank you for the links tumutbound and DMIOM  interesting read

Kwackers I thought it might be a case of wire the motor up and if it doesn't work if swap some wires
But I just wanted to make sure 

[jatt]

"According to the company that sell the toner kit they claim that only GBC laminators work because they have heated rollers
Apparently other laminators heat between the rollers and don't work "

Bit like a fuser in a photocopier.  Cant remember what temps we are talking about in a copier tho.  Heat created by long lamps that ran thru the centre of the rollers.

Springs to set the tension between the heat rollers if memory serves me correctly.

[j45on]

I'm getting bored now waiting for my programer to turn up from china/hong kong ( I except all stuff like this will be held up because of the recent bomb plot )
I want to get on with this project at the weekend 
Where could I order a programer and what I need to program a 40 pin pic tonight ? for the weekend

[kwackers]

Whereabouts are you? Probably someone nearby who can zap it for you.

I could be mistaken, but looking at some of those shots of the inside of the bomb I thought I saw a PIC programmer in there - perhaps it was yours? 

[j45on]

I'm in Ashford,kent http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?client=safari&rls=en&q=ashford+kent&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=Ashford,+Kent&gl=uk&ei=ANTRTKeXNJTNjAfTv_CKDA&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCIQ8gEwAA
But I only have use of my motorcycle at the moment and that wont come out of hibernation until spring 
So unless someone lives within push bike distance  I have to order one plus I would like to pursue other pic based projects in the future

[kwackers]

I feel your pain, my motorcycle has also entered hibernation - something it likes to do the moment the local authority throw salt on the road (which they did a couple of weeks ago).
I use my pushbike to get around (including my 28 mile commute to work each day  ).
Fortunately I do have a car too though (engineering stuff being heavy 'n all...)

[j45on]

28 mile   mine is only around six and that kills me  
I also have a car but it is SORN'ed and needs taxing

[Stot]

I'm getting bored now waiting for my programer to turn up from china/hong kong ( I except all stuff like this will be held up because of the recent bomb plot )
I want to get on with this project at the weekend 
Where could I order a programer and what I need to program a 40 pin pic tonight ? for the weekend

I got one sitting on my desk you can borrow.   PM me your address ill post it to you (hopefully in time for the weekend).

Cheers
Stot

[j45on]

Thank you for the offer Stot   and the PM much appreciated  
Had I not ordered one last night I would take you up on your generous offer.

EDIT: post has arrived 
Another 4" CNC rotary table

[Stot]

Yep thats the fella.  I could only get mine to work in XP, anything above that doesn't allow direct access to the serial port.  I may have even had to tweak XP to allow it. 

Cheers
Stot

[j45on]

Cheers for the heads up Stot
I could not get it to work at first using an extension cable I use for my vinyl plotter
But when plugged in directly to the back of the pc worked fine
I could not believe how easy it was 
plugged it in and started ICPROG it auto detected the programer and chip I then selected the hex file and off it went job done first try 

I cant wait to test it with the stepper motor tomorrow 

Another 4" CNC rotary table

[j45on]

Tested it with a stepper motor and driver today and it worked a treat 

Another 4" CNC rotary table

Just waiting for some standoff's to arrive so I can finish the case and must remember to order some plugs and sockets
And machine the stepper mount 
I'm also wondering if I should mount the driver in the case as well
it will fit but may get to hot

I originally ordered two displays a blue and a green one I shall be sticking with the blue one (looks cool and matches my lathe) but noticed the green one is very dimly lit and would probably need the 82R resistor changing for a different value ?
Just incase someone is building one with a green lcd