New Hermes Rotary Question

[John Jackson]

This is a question directed to someone with a New Hermes or other rotary engraver.

I have a New Hermes 1219 engraving table that came to me minus all electronics and software. I now have it hooked up to a stepper driver and use Mach3 software to control it.

I have cut a few signs and so far so good.

At the moment I have the spindle plugged in to a regular socket and there is an on off switch on the front of the engraver.

I was wondering about spindle speed. I gather some of these engravers plugged the 110v spindle into the proprietary computer where the speed could be controlled.

1. Does anyone know if it is customary to have variable speed spindle on a rotary engraver?

2. Can I use a standard router speed control to alter the spindle motor speed?

3. For normal plastic engraving is it even necessary to slow down the spindle speed? Under what circumstances would you do this?

Thanks,

John Jackson

[laura passek]

John
I have this machine, it is at least 20 yrs old or more and runs on DOS.
It works great . if you could post a picture of the bed and the coputer componants I can see if it is the same and then I maybe able to help. I have an owners manual to that may be of some help trying to figure out the spindle and motors
There is a speed control as well as depth adjustment knobbs on the main control box but you can adjust the speed with the spindle drive belt, if it has a tiered pulley on the spindle just move the belt to the speed you need.
I run at full speed on most stuff i do.

Post some pics and we'll go from there.

John - Lauras' OH

[Mike Null]

A speed control is common and necessary on rotary engravers. I'm not familiar with the model you have.

[Mike Mackenzie]

The only speed control for the router motors was with the tiered pulley on the spindle.

The problem with this is the belt gets stretched and then wants to fly off of the pulley.

Using a variac motor speed control works just fine and that is what I would recommend. Keep the belt in the center position and use the variable speed controller to adjust the RPM's.

I really can't remember when I needed to slow down the spindle speed. I always wanted to increase the speed and that is limited to the motor.

[John Jackson]

Here are some pictures of my machine, including a close up of the spindle. My machine does NOT have stepped pulleys so as it is only one speed.

Will try a wood router speed control.

I am adding some additional limit switches at the moment, and need to re-do my stepper wiring as I am getting some line noise someplace, creating false trips on the limit switches.

FYI - I use the wireless XBox controller to jog the machine - works well.

[john passek]

Thats a newer version of my machine, I have to run DOS, haven't figured out how to upgrade the computer system yet, or if it is even possible.

[John Jackson]

The original machine had a proprietary computer system with DOS - like interface and lots of cartridges. If failed, and the original owner tried to get it serviced and was given quotes by the pound to haul it away. So he threw out the computer half, and what I bought was just the table, the chip vacuum and about 25 assorted cutters.

I purchased a 24v power supply and a 4-axis stepper driver, traced the wires and hooked it up and tweaked it until i got it running. The Mach3 software I purchased.

I also have a CNC Wood Router and a CNC Wood Lathe that I bought cheaply with proprietary interfaces, and am replacing them so they will be controlled by Mach3 as well.

I am trying to decide what software to use to create the files to send to the engraver. I need to find a software that does good engraving, as well as make items on the router and hopefully the lathe and not cost into the thousands.

A friend converted a file for me for this table using V-Carve which worked really well - it calculated how many passes the cutter needed to make to carve away some larger letters.

I did try to controll spindle speed with a router speed control which did not work. The controller varied how long it took to get the starting capacitor to finish starting, once it was running it ran at full speed no matter the setting.

John

[Mike Null]

John

That is a dandy looking machine.

My Newing Hall is computer controlled but engraving speed and spindle speed are controlled by dials on the controller.

I'm using Engravlab Expert for my software. It includes a wide range of tool options and fill options. It was about $1600.

[Mike Mackenzie]

I was the production manager for the company who built and designed them for New Hermes :eek:

I still have the original proto type system.

[John Jackson]

>>I was the production manager for the company who built and designed them for New Hermes

That's cool!

As mentioned I have it up and running, but with my lack of experience it is hard to tell if I have it right.

My first project was a "nines clock" - the artwork was posted in one of these forums and I had a friend import it in to V-Carve and generate the gcode for me. My wife loved it - she is a high school math teacher and it hangs in her classroom.

It is about 10" square, and I engraved it with the protective plastic still on because the nose was damaged and scratching. I now have a new nose installed.