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Thread: Epilog Radius?

  1. #16
    Kev,
    while it looks like the motor/encoder is no longer available, the encoder is widely available ($40-60).
    The encoder is really not serviceable, The old X motor/encoder was in a parts box, It took the old encoder apart but damaged the optical disc. having it apart, I don't think there is any way to get it apart once installed without a high likely hood of damaging the disc.

    There is a silicon dust cover available for that model encoder from the manufacture.
    I wonder how many $500.00 motor/encoder assemblies were swapped out do to a dirty encoder? That a dust cover could have prevented.
    I am guessing that is why they went to an "encoder strip",, serviceability.



    Quote Originally Posted by Kev Williams View Post
    YOU HAVE A DISC encoder like mine, it's under the black plastic cover on your servo-stepper, the black cover is to keep the dirt out- ha ha...

    The XP-Vista-7 driver should work, just make sure they're 32bit versions-

    The binding you feel is kinda normal for servo motors, but may be guck on the rails that you'll hopefully get clean-

    Why do people get rid of the 'tanks'? Usually lack of electronics parts availability...

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Austin, TX
    Posts
    590
    Nick, you hit the nail on the head with why a lot of those machines went in dumpsters or storage rooms. Epilog (finally) quit supporting them a couple or 5 years ago, and doesn't carry any parts. They can't even look up the serial numbers any more sadly.

    So, when ANYTHING breaks, you're either done or searching what few machines are out there for parts. That makes it hard to justify putting any money into things like a tube recharge or a power supply repair.

    My suggestion, if you're committed to the Radius try to locate another one and buy it for parts. Otherwise you're pouring time/money into a sinking ship. Though I will say the manual and support documents are still floating around the internet. I may even have some for that machine, I'll have to look.

    As for the computer question, you can get any windows 32 machine (so anything up to windows 7) and the driver will work. Also, they make usb to serial printer port cables now; so no issue there either.
    60W, Boss Laser 1630
    75W, Epilog Legend 24EX
    Jet Left Tilting table saw and Jet 18" Band saw
    Adobe Creative suite and Laserworks 8

  3. #18
    Keith,
    Thanks for the lowdown.
    Even though the tube is labeled 2002,, it appears to be strong.
    I plan to use this machine for 6 months or so to see if a laser fits in the mix, and if it does I will pursue a modern machine.
    If it does not, I only have $1200.00 in it (so far) and should be able to get that back out of it.
    It does work fine except the problem with skewing a raster image in the "X" axis. This "appears" to be a problem with the optical encoder on the X motor.

    I did talk to epilog tech support. They do have the motors (299.00).
    I cross referenced the encoder, Digi-key and a few others have them $45-60,, so I replace that and see what it does.
    Picked up a Dell win7 32 bit computer with a built in Par port, $100.00 incl 20" LCD, key board, Mouse, etc, that will be here Friday.

    Hard to believe a 17 year old tube is still going,, but it is.
    I will keep you updated.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Sammamish, WA
    Posts
    7,630
    Quote Originally Posted by Nick Andraka View Post
    Joe,
    Do you have a link to that thread?
    There is definitely no encoder strip on the X axis bar. There are no wires at all running to the lens or anything else moving up and down the X axis bar.
    The ribbon cable on the left side y axis does control the X axis motor.

    There is an enclosed optical encoder on the back of the X motor, it is non serviceable.

    Nick
    Sorry Nick, links to other forums are not allowed by the terms of service.



    Sammamish, WA

    Epilog Legend 24TT 45W, had a sign business for 17 years, now just doing laser work on the side.

    "One only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things go, and duct tape to make them stop." G. Weilacher

    "The handyman's secret weapon - Duct Tape" R. Green

  5. #20
    Got it, I though it was on tis forum.

    Quote Originally Posted by Joe Pelonio View Post
    Sorry Nick, links to other forums are not allowed by the terms of service.

  6. #21
    After reading Andrews thread from last year I realize my Epilog Radius was very jerking while moving the X and Y with the "jog" wheel on the control panel.
    I would power the machine on and the X and Y would go to the "home" position in the rear left corner.
    With the red pointer on, I would jog the X and Y to the front right corner using the wheel on the control panel,,
    I would then hit the "stop" button which returns the lens to the home position. Except the home position moves each time I do this, typically and inch or more from where home was last time.
    So the machine is loosing track of where it really is. This leads me to believe the encoders are loosing track of the motion.
    This could be why the "jerks" when jogging with the control panel,,

    I guess I will order an encoder for the X from Digikey and check the motor brushes and bearings while I have it out.
    The Y motor is another story, I'll pull it and try to get some #s off of it and see if the encoder can be disassembled and cleaned.

    It looks like the previous owner has changed out the X motor/encoder assembly twice already, looks like they are good for 3-5 years in a production environment.

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Austin, TX
    Posts
    590
    Quote Originally Posted by Nick Andraka View Post
    Keith,

    Hard to believe a 17 year old tube is still going,, but it is.
    I will keep you updated.
    Nick, just so you've got all the info; the tubes can be recharged/rebuilt. While it is not technically impossible the original tube is still running in its original form after 17 years; it's much more likely that while the tube is the "same", it has at least been re-gassed if not rebuilt. Nothing wrong with that, both of my older Epilogs have had the tubes repaired; just thought you should know it's likely.

    Also, I do have the basic manual for the Radius in PDF. Though I don't have any of the service instructions I thought I might. If you'd like the manual, send me a private message with your email address.

    Good luck!
    60W, Boss Laser 1630
    75W, Epilog Legend 24EX
    Jet Left Tilting table saw and Jet 18" Band saw
    Adobe Creative suite and Laserworks 8

  8. #23
    Keith,
    I have the Users manual PDF, thanks for the offer.
    Yeah, good change it was re-gassed.

    Shame about Epilog not supporting this (parts wise), this thing is a tank.

    Nick

  9. #24
    Made some progress while waiting for the win7 computer.
    I knew the not returning to home, or home on the X axis would change everytime you sent it back to home. It would typ move 1/2" - 1"
    I pulled the Y motor, as if I could not clean it up and make it stop jerking in the jog, the machine is toast.
    The Y motor bearings felt fine, I removed the Opto encoder, it was clean as a whistle, so I remounted it.

    Same jerking motion when jogging with the wheel on the control panel,, then it hit me: I had the same jerking in the X and Y when jogging with the wheel,,, the control wheel is bad!

    So I turned my attention to the X motor and removed it to give it the close up exam.
    Once I had it out I saw that it was a very new motor unit,,,,, But the set screw on the cog pully was never set, the drive pulley was loose on the motor shaft.
    Tightened it up and put it back in,, the machine "homes" to the same exact spot everytime now.

    Computer should be here tomorrow, fingers crossed.

    Nick

  10. #25
    More progress,
    The bargain win 7 computer/monitor came, got it set up and loaded the epilog radius printer driver.
    Loaded Adobe Illustrator free trial,, but wont let me use it because I dont have that machine hooked to the internet.

    Opened MS "Paint" and made a few boxes and circles,, they rastered beautifully,, so the machine is fixed!!

    I then loaded "Inkscape" via a thumb drive,, it printed all the boxes and circles in raster, even when I selected vector only in the print driver preferences.

    But anyhow,, the Engraver seems to be repaired, the $90 computer works fine and communicates with the engraver via the parallel port fine. lots of hurdles jumped today.

    Happy with my investment so far, now I need to brush up on how the vector drawing and printer driver relate to each other and control the outcome.

    Nick

  11. #26
    Well,
    Everything is all set up, just waiting on a fitting for air assist tube.

    Framed out 2 short walls, separate circuits for laser, exhaust fan/compressor, and computer.
    The 8" fan is mounted outside and pulls good (8" Fan > 2' of 6" > 6" ell > 5" 45deg > 5' of 5" > 5" ell > 5' of 5" > 1' of 4" flex)




    DSCN0207.jpg

  12. #27
    Wow,
    Time flys by.
    I never updated this thread.
    The issue was a loose set screw on the intermediate shaft of the X axis.

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