https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGhlaHIymVw
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That looks great. Did you build it yourself, or is it a kit of some kind?
Either way, it looks very professional. Congrats.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick Potter
Thanks. This is homemade. I've been teaching myself to code and use design software, and this is one of my longer term projects. I'm working on a way of using this system to make customized dovetail and box joinery. I'm 90% done with the software and have to design a small addition to the hardware.
Are you using the Hall effect sensor to locate a "home" position and then a encoder on the servo to measure the movement of the fence? Do you have any over travel safety stops?
What are you using to drive the router lift and how do you lock it in position?
All the machining and assembly looks very well done for being self taught.
Very cool. Is it possible to make it act more like a tigerfence where you input a value, 11.25" for example, and it automatically sets itself to that value?
Thanks!Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Kane
Yep, it does that and quite a bit more.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jerry Bruette
Thanks for the reply. I'm just using the hall effect sensor to find home when I first start using it and then the stepper motor moves it based on input and the controller keeps track of location. I have software limits on travel set up and and an emergency stop. That should be sufficient for now.
For the router, I'm just using the holding torque of the stepper to hold it in position.
Here is the router lift mostly finished:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmhYoubKWcU
There was a project done in Australia a few years ago that automated a router table using a CNC spindle via touch screen. The designer wrote all the code and it did not use a computer just some sort of processor chip thingy. His design stored jobs, did joints from the software such as DT's and box joints, had the same home plate idea etc. From memory he wrote something like 6000 lines of code to achieve it all and the prototype used a stripped down router.
A Google search using "yet another router table" will take you to the Australian woodworking forums circumventing the forum policy preventing me directly linking to it. The thread starts with a very nice conventional table then changes to designing a table and fence system digitally controlled, the fence was very nice and hugely effective. He then went on to post some YT footage as well which I now can't find. Searching through the router sub forum for his user name will bring up other threads on the same project as well with the links to the YT videos. Best of luck with your project, I started to build one based on the Australian design but it was never completed but I have all the components and I intend to use the design to make a touch screen digitally controlled lift for my A3-31 which is where the Australian project actually started.
Thanks for the info. I was able to find his threads on the Australian forum. You can find his youtube channel by searching youtube for "Michael Zing." His channel is the first result. It is an impressive project. We have some similar design goals and some very different ones. I wanted an all in one solution for a table saw and router table. I also wanted the ability to use the fence manually and digitally.Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Parks
I'm not sure I understand his reasoning for using the linear scales. It is impressive that he is, I'm just not sure I understand the need. I'm considering using a linear scale for my fence ,so I can seamlessly transition from manual to digital mode and vis versa without the need to rehome. Otherwise I don't think I would complicate things.
I couldn't find any info on dovetail joinery in his videos. I have to spend more time on the threads. I also store jobs, as well as blade libraries, etc.
For electronics, I'm currently using a $10 arduino clone with a $5 bluetooth board to run the machine. I use an android tablet or my phone to communicate with it via bluetooth, so our programming environments are very different. I think I made things easier on myself doing it this way and I'm guessing he is a much more knowledgeable programmer than I am. Though because I'm taking advantage of easier to use coding environments, I think my dovetail/box joint software is more user friendly and powerful, as I'm able to offload the calculations to the android and have a more interactive environment. Granted his is in a working state, and mine isn't completed yet.
I'm currently designing a variable angle fixture for the fence and it seems similar to what he made for his right angle fixture.
Thank you for letting me know about his project. It is interesting to see other people doing what I'm trying to do and how they went about it. Once my system is in a more complete state, I'll reach out to him and compare notes. I'm curious if his system would be able to make use of my joinery software.
Robert, can you please PM me on the Oz forum with your email address. Thanks.
I added a secondary, variable angle fence that will work with both the table saw and router table:
Album:
https://imgur.com/gallery/j0fMzLk
Control App updated with Blade libarary:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14JThBtbe7E
Finishing up Joinery app and combining with control app:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evlIAfesn8o
Just came across this today, Robert. Great job, very impressive.
I have a Ready2Rout/Ready2Lift system on my router which works in a very similar way, but your system looks much nicer. As far as I heard, they sold very few of them, and there were definitely customer service issues, but my system does work as a digital automated fence and lift for my router table.
Your system looks much, much nicer.
I'd love that fence setup for my SawStop tablesaw. I installed a digital readout on mine, but having to re-zero it to the blade is annoying at best, and having the blade movement automated by a stepper motor would be awesome. The Tigerfence is drool worthy, but way too expensive for my hobby shop.
Anyway, great job. Any more progress, videos?