[johannesgjParticipant]

i am aware of other topics covering similar like :

http://diylilcnc.org/forum/topic/z-axis-extension

but none gives approachable answers.

i understand that when scaling the diylilcnc different troubles can occur.

the material chosen for the build can be inaqurate in strength and new material has to be chosen for the extended scalings.

here are some questions. please bare in mind that both answers and tips on where to find answers.

what happens to the z axis when you extend it?

how do you extend it?

what happens to the x axis when you extend it?

how do you extend it?

what happens to the y axis when you extend it?

how do you extend it?

my personal case:

a friend of mine is starting to make homemade shoes and need a machine to do the heels og highheels.

in what he described diylilcnc would to the job terrific.

however the dimensions are wrong.

he needs the following working dimensions:

z-axis = 8 inches

y-axis = 16 inches

x-axis = 12 inches

this makes the x-axis intact which is great i guess.

ps i have a friend who is talented in cad but i have to know which questions to ask him so he can help me.

[TaylorKeymaster]

@johannesgj,

Let’s start with a holistic answer: DIYLILCNC is meant for folks who enjoy the very challenges that you’ve laid out. We decided to release our plans for free because we think that this model inspires the larger community to contribute. We’re also involved in many other projects, so we’re unable to fully solve complex engineering requests such as yours on a schedule.

We can point you in the right direction, but you’ll have to the bulk of the work. If you’re interested, why not use our forum to organize a group of like-minded individuals who can collaborate on a cutting-envelope expansion? If you mock up some solutions, we’d be happy to critique your redesign and offer suggestions.

The Y axis is the simplest to extend. To do so, you’d need to build a longer base, install longer 1/2″ rods, and use longer pieces of timing belt. That’s it!

The X axis is a little more complicated. Here you’d need to alter the “X-beam” panels in the CAD file to make them longer. The “X-beam caps” will also have to be adjusted accordingly to make sure that both the length and tab/slot relationship stays consistent. You’ll need longer 1/2″ rods (that sit on the top/bottom of the X-beam) and a longer 1/4″ rod (that runs through the X-beam). As you’ve pointed out, at some point it’ll be possible to extend this part past its material’s ability to maintain rigidity. There’s also one length of timing belt that’ll need to be longer.

The Z axis could also be modified, but that process would be too long to detail here. That’s going to require some significant engineering, and it’s not the kind of thing one could just abstract in a forum post. It’s totally doable, but you’ll probably need to build the stock design first for a reference point.

I should also point out that 8 inches of Z is an unrealistic goal (to me at least). The limiting factor here is the bit – if that’s only 2″ long, no amount of Z travel is going benefit you when carving most shapes.

I hope that helps! Looking forward to your ideas.

[Author]

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