[ Log In ]
[ Register ]

Question #: 13726

Question: Can the 4x8 blackfoot be outfitted with some type of reference pins?

Current Solution

Our CNC Routers can be outfitted with other devices and configured in so many ways. However, I'm not familiar with reference pins. Are you referring to input for feedback?

Customer response:
Looking to add something like this:

https://youtu.be/J7kcXfn0HKk

Does the Blackfoot have a preset x and y home point so pop up pins will be accurate?

Buildyourcnc response:
Oh yeah. You can easily add those types of pins to any of out machines. You can even use pins for registration as well so you can machine two sides of your work-piece so the design matches.

Respond:

Other Possible Solutions to this Question

  • WHAT CABLE LENGTHS SHOULD USE FOR THE BLACKFOOT CNC MACHINE

    The blackfoot requires a total of 50 feet of cable.

    The X axis needs 15 feet
    The Y axis needs 17 feet
    and the Z-axis needs 18 feet

    These are 20 gauge 4 conductor cable.

    Additional Information:

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    WHAT CABLE LENGTHS SHOULD USE FOR THE BLACKFOOT CNC MACHINE

  • WHAT SOFTWARE CAN BE USED WITH THE BLACKTOOTH LASER CUTTER?

    If you take the standard parallel cable BoB (Break Out Board), then you will need control software (Mach 3 or EMC2) and CAM software to make your G-Code (such as CamBam). Personally I use CamBam and Mach 3, they work beautifully but don't expect to turn them on and know how they work out of the box. Give yourself a few weeks to get familiar with the basics. CamBam is VERY powerful software for it's price. I'm surprised how much I keep learning on what I can do with it...I highly recommend it if you want as much control as possible.

    Mach 3 + CamBam as a bundle costs $310. EMC2 will give you a free replacement for Mach 3 and is exclusively for Linux.

    If you use the USB BoB, it will cost an extra $75 + $75 for the software. This is an all-in-one package so no need for Mach 3 or CamBam.

    For etching rasters (jpeg, bmp, tiff, non-vectors, photos), I highly recommend PicEngrave. It has been a labor of love for the past 9 years and John has done a wonderful job with it. It easily compares in quality compared to software that is in the $200-$300 range. John's software runs $40 and can be found here: http://picengrave.com/ (don't let the modest website fool you, this stuff can do amazing things). DotG and the Mach3 engrave plugin are two other options and instructions can be found on Dustans page in the gallery on buildyourcnc.com website.

    Additional Information:



    Additional Information:



    Additional Information:

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    WHAT SOFTWARE CAN BE USED WITH THE BLACKTOOTH LASER CUTTER?

  • WHICH MACHINE SHOULD I BUY, THE GREENBULL OR BLACKFOOT?

    The greenBull can range is routing width sizes of 5 feet and 6 feet. The blackFoot has a 4 foot routing width.

    Previous Solution:
    The greenBull machine has a sturdier gantry than the blackFoot, so you can be more agressive with the cutting feedrate (cutting speed). The blackFoot is also a good machine, but it all comes down to the speed at which you want to produce the fabrication

    The spindle is also highly recommended for it's quietness and easier cleanup (no fan blowing the dust in the air)

    Additional Information:



    Additional Information:

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    WHICH MACHINE SHOULD I BUY, THE GREENBULL OR BLACKFOOT?

  • SHOULD I SELECT THE GREENBULL OR BLACKFOOT CNC MACHINE?

    The greenBull can range is routing width sizes of 5 feet and 6 feet. The blackFoot has a 4 foot routing width.

    Previous Solution:
    The greenBull machine has a sturdier gantry than the blackFoot, so you can be more agressive with the cutting feedrate (cutting speed). The blackFoot is also a good machine, but it all comes down to the speed at which you want to produce the fabrication

    The spindle is also highly recommended for it's quietness and easier cleanup (no fan blowing the dust in the air)

    Additional Information:



    Additional Information:

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    SHOULD I SELECT THE GREENBULL OR BLACKFOOT CNC MACHINE?

  • CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME HELP OR POINT IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO INCORPORATE MK 7 EXTRUDER WITH BOOK PLANS FOR 3D PRINTER?

    Mounting the extruder to the whiteAnt can be done a couple of ways. One is to take the 4 mounting holes located at the lower portion of the z-axis rail support and use long screws protruding out. Take a thinner material and drill the four holes matching the locations of the 4 screws and screw on nuts to hold it in place. The other option would be to use the metal bracket and fasten to the edge of the rail support.

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME HELP OR POINT IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO INCORPORATE MK 7 EXTRUDER WITH BOOK PLANS FOR 3D PRINTER?

  • HOW MUCH MOTOR CABLE FOR THE BLACKFOOT?

    The motor cables for the blackToe are as follows:

    Total 30 feet

    X - 9
    Y - 10
    Z - 11

    Additional Information:



    Additional Information:



    Additional Information:



    Additional Information:

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    HOW MUCH MOTOR CABLE FOR THE BLACKFOOT?

  • I AM PUTTING TOGETHER THE BLACKFOOT AND USING A PORTER CABLE ROUTER. CONFUSED ON HOW TO RELAY ROUTETR WITH USB BOARD. IS THERE ANOTHER SWITCH THAT GOES BETWEEN BOARD ROUTER SO PLANET CNC CAN TURN PERHAPS VACUUM OFF?

    We are currently working on a relay board that will connect to USB breakout board, and the router/spindle for both the on/off function. Unfortunately we still do not have it completed or ready to be placed on our website, but it is in the final stages of testing. Please check back regularly for updated stock!

    Here is a link to a tutorial for a DIY relay circuit:



    There is no vacuum control on the Planet-CNC program, however you could use the same concept of the router/spindle on/off using the relay circuit. Although you will have to use either the flood or mist function for the vacuum.

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    I AM PUTTING TOGETHER THE BLACKFOOT AND USING A PORTER CABLE ROUTER. CONFUSED ON HOW TO RELAY ROUTETR WITH USB BOARD. IS THERE ANOTHER SWITCH THAT GOES BETWEEN BOARD ROUTER SO PLANET CNC CAN TURN PERHAPS VACUUM OFF?

  • WHAT IS THE LEAD TIME FOR BLACKFOOT

    You can expect a one week lead time for our machines.

    Additional Information:



    Additional Information:



    Additional Information:



    Additional Information:

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    WHAT IS THE LEAD TIME FOR BLACKFOOT

  • CABLE LENGTHS FOR THE BLACKFOOT

    The blackfoot requires a total of 50 feet of cable.

    The X axis needs 15 feet
    The Y axis needs 17 feet
    and the Z-axis needs 18 feet

    These are 20 gauge 4 conductor cable.

    Additional Information:

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    CABLE LENGTHS FOR THE BLACKFOOT

  • HOW LATE IN THE SEASON CAN I VACCINATE MY PATIENTS WITH INFLUENZA VACCINE?

    Peak influenza activity does not generally occur until February. Providers are encouraged to continue vaccinating patients throughout the influenza season, including into the spring months (e.g., through May), as long as they have vaccine in the refrigerator and unvaccinated patients in their office.

    Because influenza occurs in many areas of the world during April through September, vaccine should be given to travelers who missed vaccination in the preceding fall and winter. Another late season use of vaccine is for children younger than age 9 years who were vaccinated for the first time in the current vaccination season but failed to get their second dose. For each of these situations, vaccine can be given through the month of June since injectable influenza vaccine customarily has a June 30 expiration date.

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    HOW LATE IN THE SEASON CAN I VACCINATE MY PATIENTS WITH INFLUENZA VACCINE?

  • WHAT ARE SOME USEFUL MODIFICATIONS CAN APPLY TO THE BLACKTOOTH LASER CUTTER?

    Temperature probe monitor. Very valuable. This keeps you up to date on your coolant temperature levels.

    Voltage meter. This will tell you the exact level of voltage/power you are running telling the laser to run at instead of an arbitrary mark on a drawn wheel around your POT.

    Ammeter sensitive to 1mA. This will be sure your not over driving your tube and reducing it's life significantly.

    Hour meter. This will tell you exactly how long your system has been 'on' giving you a more accurate bead on the length of your tubes life.

    Exhaust fan upgrade. The current fan included is 100CFM. You can buy 120mm fans that push 250CFM and I have included a guide on how to go about doing this here. http://buildyourtools.com/phpBB3/viewto ... 8cdd1802bf

    To push the exhaust fan even further, if you have the room/power, I would highly recommend investing in a 600+ CFM "Dust Collector" system. 250CFM is still not suffice to draw all the smoke that can come off of 3mm or 1/8 MDF cutting job.

    A cutting surface. I bought myself a aluminum 'egg crate' mesh from my local HVAC company. They are used a cover for fluorescent lights and work great for low impact cutting surface. They come in 4'x8' sheets and are easily cut to fit. The other side is if you can find a steel honeycomb cutting bed to fit. These can be quite costly or fairly affordable depending where you are looking. The benefit of a steel honeycomb is you can use high power magnets to hold material down.

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    WHAT ARE SOME USEFUL MODIFICATIONS CAN APPLY TO THE BLACKTOOTH LASER CUTTER?

  • DO YOU SUPPLY THE MALE PORTION OF MOTOR CONTROL CABLES WITH REDLEAF?

    Yes and properly soldered.

    Additional Information:
    20

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    DO YOU SUPPLY THE MALE PORTION OF MOTOR CONTROL CABLES WITH REDLEAF?

  • DOES ANY OF THE SOFTWARE THAT COMES WITH IT COMPATIBLE MAC 10.6?

    There are several CAD/CAM programs out there for MacOS. Here is a list of a few: http://www.macuser.de/forum/f53/3d-2d-cad-395058/#post4499316
    I've also read good things about punchCAD: http://www.punchcad.com/
    Of course, there is always SketchUp if you are in a pinch. There are a few CAM plugins for SketchUp as well, but I've never used them, so I can't vouch for them.

    CAD/CAM will get you as far as designing your parts and producing the g-code, but if you also want to run the CNC machine with your Mac, you will need a piece of software similar to Mach3 or EMC to run the g-code. I haven't been able to find anything like these programs that runs on Mac, so you may have to run Mach3 or EMC in Windows using Boot Camp or a virtual machine such as VMware or Parallels.

    Personally, I would use the Mac to do all the CAD/CAM, then use a cheap PC to run the CNC machine.

    Additional Information:


    Additional Information:
    EasyDNC for OSX
    www.dnc-x.com

    Additional Information:


    Additional Information:
    Hi guys I’m new to the cnc and I’m beginning to learn how to operate and cad-cam software also my cnc runs on Mach3 my questions is if I should use MacBook to do all designs if I can have all this software to run on Mac or I have to use windows software to operate it? I have separate small computer connected to the cnc table who have Mach3 on it please help. Also if you know any other software much easy for beginners please let me know thank you guys!
    My email if needed is r1jastrzebski@gmail.com

    Additional Information:


    Additional Information:
    Hi , thank you for your advise!

    Additional Information:
    Hi , thank you for your advise!

    Additional Information:
    Hi , thank you for your advise!

    Additional Information:
    Hi , thank you for your advise!

    Additional Information:

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    DOES ANY OF THE SOFTWARE THAT COMES WITH IT COMPATIBLE MAC 10.6?

  • CAN THERE BE CLOSED LOOP CONTROL WITH STEPPING MOTORS?

    I haven't delved into using encoders with stepping motors too much. From my research, you need to have a controller that can provide the closed loop control, rather than software handling that process. I have also found from my research that using encoders on stepping motors is generally used to stop the machine in the case that the motor failed to achieve the commanded position for some reason and gives the user the chance to correct and continue with the job.

    If you want proper closed loop control, it may be best to go with servos and servo controller that provide the closed loop control within the real of those two components.

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    CAN THERE BE CLOSED LOOP CONTROL WITH STEPPING MOTORS?

  • WHICH MACHINE SHOULD I BUY, GREENBULL OR BLACKFOOT?

    The greenBull can range is routing width sizes of 5 feet and 6 feet. The blackFoot has a 4 foot routing width.

    Previous Solution:
    The greenBull machine has a sturdier gantry than the blackFoot, so you can be more agressive with the cutting feedrate (cutting speed). The blackFoot is also a good machine, but it all comes down to the speed at which you want to produce the fabrication

    The spindle is also highly recommended for it's quietness and easier cleanup (no fan blowing the dust in the air)

    Additional Information:



    Additional Information:

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    WHICH MACHINE SHOULD I BUY, GREENBULL OR BLACKFOOT?

  • I JUST BOUGHT THE 3 AXIS W/HEAVY GANTRY, WILL MACH 4 RUN WELL WITH THIS, AND HOW LARGE CAN GO CUT AREA

    Yes Mach3 is a great program. Our 3 axis is 6'X12'X3'using all BYCNC components (incl. redsprout)

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    I JUST BOUGHT THE 3 AXIS W/HEAVY GANTRY, WILL MACH 4 RUN WELL WITH THIS, AND HOW LARGE CAN GO CUT AREA

  • WHAT CAN ADD TO MY BLACKTOOTH LASER CUTTER MEASURE THE TIME OF USE?

    Hour meter. This will tell you exactly how long your system has been 'on' giving you a more accurate bead on the length of your tubes life.

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    WHAT CAN ADD TO MY BLACKTOOTH LASER CUTTER MEASURE THE TIME OF USE?

  • HOW CAN THE ROUTER BE CONTROLLED OR CONNECTED TO ELECTRONICS COMPUTER?

    The parallel breakout board has a relay that can turn the router on and off according to the control software in the computer. The router will turn on automatically prior to the machine moving (a time frame can be set so the router is up to speed). When the machine is finished and is not moving, the router automatically turns off. This is with the m3, m4, and m5 codes in the g-code.

    If you are interested in the USB breakout board, you will need to get an independent relay board.

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    HOW CAN THE ROUTER BE CONTROLLED OR CONNECTED TO ELECTRONICS COMPUTER?

  • HOW DO I DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF SCREW WEIGTH THAT MY MOTOR CAN HANDLE

    There are two main questions that we can answer with respect to motor torque and the mechanical advantage of lead screws, 1) What torque motor do you need to lift a particular weight, or 2) What maximum weight will my motor torque be able to lift.

    This formula uses Newtons (N) as it's final unit. Use this with the included radius (R) to determine the torque. Newtons can easily be converted to lbs or ounces using online conversions.

    Effort = Sf + (Load/(2 x pi x (R/p) x Se))

    where:
    p = pitch of the screw
    Se = screw efficiency = Standard lead screw will be between 20% (.2) and 40% (.4)
    Sf = static force. This is the force that is needed to start the movement. The number may be eliminated, but it is good to use a number in the 5 N to 20 N range.
    Load = the expected load that the effort will need to carry (i.e., the router and the included axis assembly that the motor will need to lift)
    R = radius of the lead screw


    This formula is based on the "law of the machine"

    The final effort amount with its unit of newtons and R will be the torque. For example, if the effort comes to 100 N (newtons) and the R is .5 inches, then you can assume that the effort is 50 N-in since it would take twice the effort to turn form the one inch mark from the center of the shaft.

    Example:

    Load = 90 N (20.2 lbs)
    R = 1 inch since that is the length from the center of the shaft that the motor is rated
    p = 1 inch / 13 = .08 inches

    Effort = 5 N + (90 N / (2 x 3.14 x (1 / .08) x .2))
    Effort = 5 N + (90 N / (6.28 x 12.5 x .2))
    Effort = 5 N + (90 N / (15.7))
    Effort = 5 N + (5.73 N)
    Effort = 10.7 N = 2.4 lbs = 38.4 oz-in

    I am putting the oz-in on the end because the formula considers the distance from the center of the shaft to be one inch.

    Therefore, a 425 oz-in motor would be able to lift a 20.2 lb Router with its accompanying assembly. If the assembly and router is heavier, plug in the numbers and determine the effort required.

    With a bit of algebra, the formula can be rewritten to find the load:

    Load = (Effort - Sf) x (2 x pi x (R/p) x Se)

    Another formula that does not consider friction at all:

    Effort = (Load x p) / (2 x pi x R)

    Lets see if we get similar results:

    Effort = (20 lb x .08 inches) / (2 x 3.14 x 1)
    Effort = 1.6 / 6.28 = .255 lbs = 4.08 oz-in

    The results from both formulas appear to be very small because a 13 TPI screw will have enormous mechanical advantage.

    It is evident that the first formula that does consider friction that we are loosely estimating is far more conservative than the second formula. Either way, even the most conservative formula shows that the 425 oz-in motor will handle very large weights. If you are using a lead screw with only two turns per inch, .5 inch pitch, you can determine the requirements with the first formula.

    Example for a 10 TPI 5 start (2 turns per inch) lead screw:

    Load = 90 N (20.2 lbs)
    R = 1 inch since that is the length from the center of the shaft that the motor is rated
    p = 1 inch / 2 = .5 inches

    Effort = 5 N + (90 N / (2 x 3.14 x (1 / .5) x .2))
    Effort = 5 N + (90 N / (6.28 x 2 x .2))
    Effort = 5 N + (90 N / (2.512))
    Effort = 5 N + (35.83 N)
    Effort = 40.828 N = 9.18 lbs = 146.88 oz-in

    Customer Response:
    thank you so much

    Additional Information:


    Additional Information:


    Additional Information:
    how do i calculate torque of stepper motor if lead screw coupled to motor shaft and load applied by lead screw on plate is 100 kg by vertically

    Additional Information:
    Pls


    Additional Information:
    1m 16mmdiameter ball screws calculations


    Additional Information:
    What is the max load that 2 NEMA 17 stepper motors (spaced 2 feet apart, both will be pushing up on the same gantry) can lift while using a rod with the following specifications T8 OD 8mm Pitch 2mm Lead 4mm for each motor.

    Additional Information:


    Additional Information:
    1

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    HOW DO I DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF SCREW WEIGTH THAT MY MOTOR CAN HANDLE

Get Help with:
This Product
Orders
Tech Support
Sales
This Product
Order Query
Tech Support
Sales
Not logged in. Log In Register
Track Order(s)
View Order(s)
I Want to Schecule a One-On-One Paid Tech Support Session
Book an Appointment Pertaining to a BuildYourCNC Product (Free)
Ask a Quesion Below (Free):
Book an Appointment Pertaining Other Equipment ($60/half hour)
Book an Immedite Appointment Pertaining Other Equipment ($120/half hour)
Ask a Quesion Below (Free):
Waiting for response... I may not answer immediately, but I was notified on my cellular phone so my response is forthcoming. If I don't respond immediately, you can always go to the [My Account] page to see all of our chats at any time.