Some more clue and answers to some people’s questions:
Here is some play that I noticed in the z motor coupler. It’s a video of me using an allen key putting some torque back and forth (i’m not using a lot of force here). If I do use more force, it moves the z-ball screw. Not sure if this is intended - and this is while the machine is energized. I checked all the set screws in the couple, and they are already tight. Any thoughts about this? Is this normal? Edit: after looking again closer at the video, at least to me, it seems like the z-ball screw is moving with the coupler when I move it, but not 100% sure.
Here is another pic of another angle of a new sign I made this morning. Using a single flute straight o-flute 1/8 end mill with a small radius I filed on it to make it clean the bottom better. It isn’t so terrible that I would consider it unacceptable for signage, but I’d really like to do better. I know it’s possible to do better with these bits/toolpaths/material as I have done it it my day job on other machines.
The start and end points in the 1/8 clearance toolpath as seen in the vcarve preview. (60 engrave bit is used for smaller areas/cleanup).
Toolpath settings used. 40% stepover. Engraving done in 1 pass. I have tried a final pass of around .005” and didn’t really see any difference.
GCode file used for that path.
125 EM.nc (31.1 KB)
A look at the nodes for the shape.
I don’t notice anything loose other than the coupler play I mentioned at top of the post. I may take the spindle/slider off to inspect closer.