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Sure there must be a bestter way to have limit switches on our machines. Micro switches are not well known for being highly repeatably accurate.

Has anyone else tried a different setup on their machine?

Optical, proximity, reed etc.

Any thoughts on what would be optimal in a perfect world if you had those items on hand?

Optical are great. I am working on an optical upgrade. However, even the mechanical switches are not horrible. The larger issue is the way they are triggered with a screw head.

I never liked mechanical switches myself, There are ready made hall effect type switches out there or proximity switches, You'd just need to figure how you want to mount it and wire it up. Hall effect switches are said to be the most accurate. Here's one sold by ultimachine https://ultimachine.com/content/hall-o and an optical endstop version https://ultimachine.com/oek

My ShopBot uses prox switches. I don't know what the repeatability is with them though - I don't use them for zeroing the machine any longer.

As long as it's adjustable and has excellent repeatability, I don't care what we use. *laughs*

g.

I was looking at the stop switch interface and thought about another mechanical option. What I was thinking was to have the threaded end of the stop screw pointed up. Then for ease of adjustment put a threaded standoff on the end that could be adjusted up and down. To prevent the standoff from turning a nut could be placed below it on the screw to act as a lock nut when tightened against the standoff.

Anybody try something like this yet? Any thoughts?

Personally I would like to find a non-contact solution also but until then this might be a little more consistent.

I considered making a "mushroom" that screws into the threaded rod (basically cut the head off the adjustment screw) with a lock nut. This works well. However, I am interested in making an upgrade for sale that is convenient, reliable and cost effective. I am using metric threads so when you turn the adjuster one revolution you get .5mm of travel. That will make it very convenient to measure and set the stops.

I think gabrielk did something like you're describing (nuts on the endstop actuator screws).

Yes, very similar. However, he is still turning the entire screw to set the length. In my design, the bottom part of the "screw" (threaded rod actually) is fixed and the mushroom cap simply screws onto it to move up and down while the lower section stays fixed.

mhackney wrote:Yes, very similar. However, he is still turning the entire screw to set the length. In my design, the bottom part of the "screw" (threaded rod actually) is fixed and the mushroom cap simply screws onto it to move up and down while the lower section stays fixed.

Let us know when they are ready for sale, I will be one of the first customers...