Not really interested in CNC, but I have definitely been interested in adding power to the Z. That crank is hard on an old guy. Been fiddling with this for a while, but finally got it all put together.
Went with a Nema 34 stepper and controlled by a Seeed XIAO (which is a thumbnail sized souped up Arduino - https://www.seeedstudio.com/Seeeduino-XIAO-Pre-Soldered-p-4747.html).
Started out wanting to do a jog wheel to control it, but morphed into a dual rocker switch, which in practice works out better, I think...
So far, I'm super pleased with it. Might tweak the fast setting, it occasionally stutters when moving up, but that's the advantage to using a microcontroller, it's a simple adjustment to the software to tweak it. Slow is just what I wanted. Bumping moves about .07mm, so I can use it to touch off on a work piece without using the handwheel.
3D printed the control box.
DC Power, stepper driver, step down and the Seeeduino.
Used a Lovejoy connector for the physical link. Lower one is a 10mm ID, drilled and tapped to 12x1.75. Replaces the lock nut on the top of the Z-axis lead screw.
Went with a Nema 34 stepper and controlled by a Seeed XIAO (which is a thumbnail sized souped up Arduino - https://www.seeedstudio.com/Seeeduino-XIAO-Pre-Soldered-p-4747.html).
Started out wanting to do a jog wheel to control it, but morphed into a dual rocker switch, which in practice works out better, I think...
So far, I'm super pleased with it. Might tweak the fast setting, it occasionally stutters when moving up, but that's the advantage to using a microcontroller, it's a simple adjustment to the software to tweak it. Slow is just what I wanted. Bumping moves about .07mm, so I can use it to touch off on a work piece without using the handwheel.
3D printed the control box.
DC Power, stepper driver, step down and the Seeeduino.
Used a Lovejoy connector for the physical link. Lower one is a 10mm ID, drilled and tapped to 12x1.75. Replaces the lock nut on the top of the Z-axis lead screw.
