Zowee! It’s 95 degrees F. in the shop this afternoon. I have been working in and out of the shop most of the day. Mostly drawing things in Vectric Software then running out to run them on the HB2. My biggest concern is proper cooling for the computer but it seems to be doing fine. They are short runs from 10 to 45 minutes. I am stopping now that we’ve hit the 95 temp in the shade. I don’t even want to think about working in the sun. The front porch also in the shade is showing 98. We have had over 3 weeks of near and over 100 degree days.
I grabbed some pictures with the cell phone so quality isn’t too great. The pictures are showing about 93 degrees at 3:15 in the afternoon. I also got the main bench cleared and am doing some surface work on it. Getting ready for new projects! You can see the new (old) computer under the HB2.
I have been doing some engravings in Corian and just basically getting the feel (yes hot) of how long I and the equipment can hold up in this weather.
I ran some Lithophanes this evening. I realized I had my iPhone in my pocket so I grabed a short segment of the HB2 in operation.
What you need to note is the quiet operation with the Taig spindle running at 10.600 RPM and the bit cutting at 50 IPM (Inches Per Minute). Most of the noise is the cutter in the Corian solid surface material making the 0.10 to 0.20 depth cut. If you listen carefully you can also hear the higher pitch “chirping” of the z axis stepper motor. I am “eighth stepping” the motors so it takes 1600 steps to make one shaft rotation. You are hearing those steps.
Most folks are running very loud (screaming actually) routers or high speed rotary tools to do this work. It’s hard to even think over the noise level. I have to wear ear protection with those spindles, but not with the Taig spindle. It’s nice…
I ran an 8×10 Lithophane yesterday which required a few minutes over 3 hours of continuous running on the HB2. Not a single glitch. It sounded and ran so good I was able to do a lot of regular work around the shop, like cleaning up.
The sound level is extremely low with the Taig spindle and the new tune up with the finer microstepping. Now the loudest sound is the cutting of the router bit through the material. No problem with normal level conversation right next to the operating machine
Most owners of these machines are using small wood routers. They do a great job (I have one) but the sound level is extremely high. It requires ear plugs or ear cans (headset) to protect hearing. Not so with the Taig spindle.
Now I can spend more time on project design and equipment refinements like material mounting methods. Breaking couplings looks like a problem solved.
I put a little spray of my very special grease behind the thrust bearings on the HB2. Not hard to do as it goes in as a thin spray foam and quickly congeals into grease. A double shot behind every thrust bearing was perfect.
HB2 runs like a new machine! Wow, it is really more effective than I imagined. I just ordered a mini grease gun with this brand of lube to use on the linear bearings. Good stuff!
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