The one problem with that idea is that the little scallop that gives access to the spindle lock button would no longer line up.
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Exactly - That’s why I was hoping just a slight tweak to the angle would alleviate some pressure on the cable, and still allow enough practical access to the scallop
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I can’t think of any other reason why that wouldn’t work.
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I put in the plug while having the top and bottom plate “clamps” loose, then wiggled things around until it seated, then tightened things again. The cord is only slightly pressing against the support. I don’t think it is a big deal, just suggesting if you do a “v3” if you want to allow a little more clearance by either changing the shape of the support or rotating it slightly and making it a touch longer to compensate for the rotation.
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I’m still waiting for my M4.1 to show up, so please forgive anything below that doesn’t make sense in terms of the Actual Hardware™. That said, here are some comments and questions…
PCB cabling, mounting, shielding, etc.
I bought a DeWalt Router Fixed/Plunge Base Kit (DWP611PK) and I’d like to be able to use the router with the supplied bases. So, I’d like to avoid anything that makes it hard to install and/or remove the router. Has anyone looked into extending and/or replacing some of the cables, mounting the PCB on the sled, shielding it, etc?
Add-on devices
I’m interested in attaching various sorts of sensors (e.g., cameras) and effectors (e.g., laser engraver) to the sled. It seems like some sort of tubular adaptors could be fabricated, allowing the router to be swapped out for other devices. Has anyone looked into this sort of thing?
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Yep, that has been done by someone else. And for which you’ll need to extend cables to each arm plus some cable routing to keep everything clear of the arms and belts as things move.
In my design I didn’t do that, because I didn’t have any realistic option for extending the cables, and I figured other people might be in the same situation. I also wanted it to be as close as possible to the existing M4 concept.
However, I believe that mounting the PCB to the sled (with longer cables) and using a spindle is the best option by far. And if the top and bottom ‘clamps’ can be tweaked to allow for rapid ‘clamp’ and ‘unclamp’ actions around the spindle, then tool bit and spindle swaps would be super easy to do.
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I took a quick look at spindles and then asked ChatGPT some questions (ChatGPT - CNC Spindle Speed Control):
I’m thinking about controlling it from a RasPi, but it might also be possible to control it via the Maslow 4’s own processor.
ChatGPT said:
Both options could work, depending on how the Maslow 4 handles outputs. If its processor can generate a PWM or 0-10V signal, that might be the simplest integration. Otherwise, using a Raspberry Pi would give you more flexibility, especially for additional automation or monitoring.
Since I know little about the M4’s processor and even less about how its interfaces are used in the M4, I bailed out here. Help?
I had a chat with a friend who is an engineer. He pointed out that I probably want to run the bit at a fairly constant speed, so a manual control might be Just Fine. Also, controlling the supplied power doesn’t always control the speed…
The spindle I bought came with its own power supply which included a speed controller. So there was a fair amount of wiring up I had to do. But speed control and overall control I now have in a control box to the side of the M4
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