I am working on a modified version, using some of the old M4.0 parts. So far I have taken the arms from around the router and put them, via a sheet metal extension on an axle immediately above the sled. The arms rotate around a central pivot and sit outside the sled.
The motor is connected on the sled end with a direct drive to the spool. The sensors and belt exit are on the opposite end which should reduce the chance of belts getting chewed in the drive cogs.
The Z motors and guides are mounted above the sled and out of the way the arms
The motor is mounted to the base with 2 bolts, so it can be moved out to help if belts tangle. Allows spool to move freely. The motor is now direct drive, so I had to reverse polarity. Having seperating the motor end from the sensors reduces the chance of belt being caught in the cogs.
Separate covers for each component mean each area can be accessed without affecting the other areas.
By making each arm external, there is no need to dismantle the main frame in order to correct any problems in an individual arm. In addition, there is no lateral force on the router from the belts pulling the Maslow around.
Each arm is hinged, so they can fold up for storage to minimise space.
All the rotating axles are seated in a bearing, and I reused the small axle from M4.0 idler for the central spool.
I have used the electronics from Maslow 4.0, (because I had them) but it could also use the later 4.1 versions. Each of these different colours are a discrete component
Improvements.
The motor could be replaced with a right-angled gear box motor so it could lay flat.
Spooling could be on a smaller axle, to allow more belt layers, and terminated internally with a clamp arrangement to allow replacement of the belt while retaining the spool. Central axle pivot point, above sled, Z motors and guides on upper deck.
Nice! That’s a really neat way to get the spools off the router!
From experience, the motors are fairly heavy compared to the rest of the spool assembly - is that still true here?
I wonder, if you made the main circular base just a little bigger, could you have a bearing / wheel mounted next to the motor so that weight is supported on the base (if that’s not already the plan)?
I like that idea, but i have rounded the base of the arm. The metal part of support rests on the plywood sled and provides support for the motor. When the machine is close to the edge, the arm floats and is supported by the belt. It’s still being developed and I wasted a lot of plastic getting this far.
That’s fair - the way you’ve done it is more robust against dust than running a bearing, do you see much friction for the turn though? Probably not as the leverage on an outboard spool would be quite high
I have only run it without anything above it yet. Still waiting for bearings and I have to design and 3D print the guide supports, I am thinking it may only need one which would make it easier to change bits etc
Small thought, the Maslow z motors were special order to be super flat. Is there a way to use more commonly available ones? I suppose if you don’t need the spools on the router then you could clamp it anywhere on the router to make taller motors fit.
