Trick Laser MAX METAL with Linear Rails

[mhackney]

SGB10-3UU blocks $47 each

SGR10-xxxx rail $49 each cut to my specification (700mm which is TOO long for the max but I have not had time to measure the exact length yet).

I ordered from Automation4Less

So about $100 a tower. I am also using these on a new CoreXY build that has a 12" x 24" x 20" working envelope.

You can get prices online at their website (A4L). It took 4 days to arrive to me.

[Xenocrates]

That's actually exactly the site I found. Good to know their lead time is pessimistic.

[mhackney]

Here is the belt attachment and tensioning mechanism I designed for the carriages. I also printed this temporary mount for the TrickLaser carriage arm mounts. I'll likely cut these in aluminum at some point but may commission the printer with the printed parts as they turned out really nice and are rigid.

[mhackney]

Ok, I've had a couple of PMs about the rail dimensions. I've finally had time to measure!

The SGR10 rails are nearly perfect. They are slightly wider than the tower extrusions but are the best fit. The length between the top and bottom braces is 670mm (26.375"), so you would order SGR10-670.

[Fishbyte]

Thankyou so much for the measurements. I appreciate it.

[mhackney]

Feel free to ask questions on my build here, that's why I started it. I'lll be posting the parts for the carriage end caps, the top and bottom idler brackets and the slot mod you need to do on the columns near the steppers this week. The parts can be printed or machined aluminum.

[Fishbyte]

Michael,
I'll be stalking you on this site.....I sort of am confused how you are using a ss hose clamp flattened as a tension-er for the glide, or why it needs to be there. Keep in mind that I have only built an Prusa I3 type machine and my other machine I own is a Cartesian type Wanhao D5S, so I do not yet pretend to understand the dynamics of the Delta yet. I am reading through the Rostock Delta's latest build guide to educate myself a little and of course eating up as much info as time will allow on this and other sites. I love the passing of knowledge and different views.
I got the bug to start a new build on the Delta side of the fence when I just went to the Goshen, IN MWRRF a couple weeks ago. I saw TrickLaser"s booth and did not realize that they live so close to me as I live in Niles, MI. I was very impressed with how tight the build was that I decided that was the frame to start with. I also thought I was going to go with his tricktrucks and MaxMetal Platform, but now after reading about Brian and you discussing the linear slide rails, this is the way I want to go. I would like to go with magnetic arms so I do not know yet how I will attack the attachment to the slides and what type of effector platform to use, I would prefer it out of aluminum than plastic.......time will tell. Thanks again for your assistance

[mhackney]

1) you need a way to tighten the belts
2) on the Rostock and Metal Max, the pulley at the top of the tower is slotted so the belt can be tensioned
3) on my build with linear rails, I use 2 pulleys at the top to offset the belt to be parallel to the travel of the carriage on the rails, I prefer to have this securely mounted requiring an alternative belt tensioning mechanism
4) I "open" the hose clamp so you have a 4" long x 1/4" wide slotted strip with the adjustment screw in the middle. One end off this attaches to the bottom of the carriage as shown in the photo above. The other end is attached to the belt. I am making a little clamp that the belt inserts into and folds over for security.

Hopefully that explains things. Your machines must have some way to tension the belts, even if it is crude. I wanted to build a more reliable tensioned for this machine.
the MetalMax frame is EXTREMELY well designed and machined. I have seen none better for either deltas or Cartesian printers. I'm dying to get my build done!

[Fishbyte]

I understand and thanks for explaining it. I am very impressed with the upper tower, double roller guides that you built. I cant see another way to do it than that. Is there a possibility that I could pay you to make another 3 aluminum cutouts for those? I totally understand if you are too busy...

[mhackney]

Fishbyte, I sent you an email about the parts. You actually need top and bottom brackets with idlers to offset the belt (see the previous page of this thread) and you need to modify the slots down by the steppers to provide clearance for the idlers. If there is interest from others I can make a few sets of these parts.

[Fishbyte]

Michael, any updates with your progress, or has life gotten in the way?

[mhackney]

I have way too many things going on! I had to do some maintenance and upgrades to my larger CNC milling machine and I just finished those off. I also had to manufacture a bunch or reel kits to replenish stock. And I'm working on a 10" x 22" lathe CNC conversion, a 12" x 24" x 16" Core X-Y printer design and build and, of course, the Max Metal! I have a few things to clear off my plate this weekend and then I'm finishing up the Max Metal.

[Fishbyte]

Is that all? Man,that is impressive. Trust me when I say that I am not trying to put any kind of pressure whatsoever on you. You got to relax. Hopefully you love doing these types of things and it is a form of relaxation for you. If not you are in burnout mode.....Jim

[mhackney]

It's a business but it's also fun/relaxing/stimulating so I don't really burn out. I wish I had the time to grow the business to where it needs to be to completely support my income. But I have 2 kids in college and 1 just graduated so I have a couple of years before that happens!

[Eaglezsoar]

It's a business but it's also fun/relaxing/stimulating so I don't really burn out. I wish I had the time to grow the business to where it needs to be to completely support my income. But I have 2 kids in college and 1 just graduated so I have a couple of years before that happens!

Actually I have wondered how you balance all you do. Years pass by quickly, the kids will be out of college and I truly pray that then you can make your business full time. All that you do for this forum is appreciated Michael.

[Fishbyte]

Michael, I hope all is well. Is it possible for you to please post the .stl of the white belt clamps you designed to attach to the glides. I think I am going to start the build soon and also let me know when you need me to pay you for those reworked double pulley guides you designed. Thank you Sir

[mhackney]

The attached ZIP file has all the printable parts so far. Been crazy busy with everything but almost dug out of it all. I've made a couple of your parts, just need to finish up.

MetalMax Parts.zip

(4.43 MiB) Downloaded 393 times

[Fishbyte]

Thank you so very much !!! Man that was fast.....it's like you live next door. Try to enjoy your weekend.

[mhackney]

LOL. Enjoying my weekend entails having free time to get all these projects done! It looks like I have some today.

cheers,
Michael

[626Pilot]

I would exclusively use CNC-cut parts, rather than printed, in the final machine. You will get better tolerances and higher accuracy, which I assume is why you're using linear rails.

I'll be watching this thread closely. I was just thinking about building my second MAX METAL with linear rails. I already have the TL frame. For me, the point of linear rails would be to eliminate any possible angular deflection on the trucks/carriages, so they all face dead center, or as close as humanly possible. I am currently working on printed carriages and effectors for mag arms, and I'd like to look into getting all-metal versions cut on a 5-axis.

[mhackney]

That's what I'm doing in my machine. Any tricky new designs I print to work out the details before machining.

Another option for the carriages is to have them printed in metal. With a light design, the SS option is not bad. Ultibots is doing this with good results.

[626Pilot]

I did some research into that. It looks promising, but I have to wonder about the roughness of the surface. Their effector design is pretty neat. Certainly minimalistic. However, I like the Rostock/Trick Laser designs better because they're designed to be universal. My own effector uses the exact same hole pattern.

[bvandiepenbos]

By the way, the most recent MAX METAL Frames are shipping with longer columns.
They have been 33" but are now 34.5"
Increased distance between top & bottom side frame rails by 1"
Increased distance below lower rail by .5"
For several reasons; better/cleaner wire routing through columns, added more room for psu and display at bottom, increased build height by 1" to match stock RMAX v2 when using 300 mm arms.

[Eaglezsoar]

By the way, the most recent MAX METAL Frames are shipping with longer columns.
They have been 33" but are now 34.5"
Increased distance between top & bottom side frame rails by 1"
Increased distance below lower rail by .5"
For several reasons; better/cleaner wire routing through columns, added more room for psu and display at bottom, increased build height by 1" to match stock RMAX v2 when using 300 mm arms.

Is there anything that the users who purchased the prior kits need to do?

[bvandiepenbos]

By the way, the most recent MAX METAL Frames are shipping with longer columns.
They have been 33" but are now 34.5"
Increased distance between top & bottom side frame rails by 1"
Increased distance below lower rail by .5"
For several reasons; better/cleaner wire routing through columns, added more room for psu and display at bottom, increased build height by 1" to match stock RMAX v2 when using 300 mm arms.

Is there anything that the users who purchased the prior kits need to do?

No, it does not affect other frames. I just wanted people to know that might read this thread in the future.