The New Hotness

The CNC 3018-Pro normally holds a small DC motor with a nicely cylindrical housing,so this was an easy adaptation of the MPCNC’s diamond drag bit holder:

CNC 3018-Pro - Diamond bit - overview — CNC 3018-Pro – Diamond bit – overview

The lip around the bottom part rests atop the tool clamp, with the spring reaction plate sized to clear the notch in the Z-axis stage.

The solid model looks about like you’d expect:

Diamond Scribe - Mount - solid model — Diamond Scribe – Mount – solid model

The New Thing compared to the MPCNC holder is wrapping LM6UU bearings around an actual 6 mm shaft, instead of using LM3UU bearings for the crappy diamond bit shank:

CNC 3018-Pro - Diamond bit - epoxy curing — CNC 3018-Pro – Diamond bit – epoxy curing

I cut the shank in two pieces, epoxied them into 3 mm holes drilled into the 6 mm shaft, then epoxied the knurled stop ring on the end. The ring is curing in the bench block to stay perpendicular to the 6 mm shaft.

The spring constant is 55 g/mm and it’s now set for 125 g preload:

CNC 3018-Pro - Diamond bit - force measurement — CNC 3018-Pro – Diamond bit – force measurement

A quick test says all the parts have begun flying in formation:

CNC 3018-Pro - Diamond bit - test CD — CNC 3018-Pro – Diamond bit – test CD

It’s definitely more rigid than the MPCNC!

The OpenSCAD source code as a GitHub Gist:

	// Diamond Scribe in linear bearings for CNC3018
	// Ed Nisley KE4ZNU – 2019-08-9

	Layout = "Build"; // [Build, Show, Base, Mount, Plate]

	/* [Hidden] */

	ThreadThick = 0.25; // [0.20, 0.25]
	ThreadWidth = 0.40; // [0.40, 0.40]

	/* [Hidden] */

	Protrusion = 0.1; // [0.01, 0.1]

	HoleWindage = 0.2;

	inch = 25.4;

	function IntegerMultiple(Size,Unit) = Unit * ceil(Size / Unit);

	ID = 0;
	OD = 1;
	LENGTH = 2;

	//- Adjust hole diameter to make the size come out right

	module PolyCyl(Dia,Height,ForceSides=0) { // based on nophead's polyholes
	Sides = (ForceSides != 0) ? ForceSides : (ceil(Dia) + 2);
	FixDia = Dia / cos(180/Sides);
	cylinder(r=(FixDia + HoleWindage)/2,h=Height,$fn=Sides);
	}

	//- Dimensions

	// Knife holder & suchlike

	ScribeOD = 3.0; // diamond scribe shaft

	Bearing = [6.0,12.0,19.0]; // linear bearing body, ID = shaft diameter

	Spring = [4.5,5.5,3*ThreadThick]; // compression spring around shaft, LENGTH = socket depth
	//Spring = [9.5,10.0,3*ThreadThick]; // compression spring around shaft, LENGTH = socket depth

	WallThick = 4.0; // minimum thickness / width

	Screw = [3.0,6.75,25.0]; // holding it all together, OD = washer

	Insert = [3.0,5.0,8.0]; // brass insert
	//Insert = [4.0,6.0,10.0];

	Clamp = [43.2,44.0,34.0]; // tool clamp ring, OD = clearance around top

	LipHeight = IntegerMultiple(2.0,ThreadThick); // above clamp for retaining

	BottomExtension = 25.0; // below clamp to reach workpiece

	MountOAL = LipHeight + Clamp[LENGTH] + BottomExtension; // total mount length
	echo(str("Mount OAL: ",MountOAL));

	Plate = [1.5ScribeOD,Clamp[ID] – 02*WallThick,WallThick]; // spring reaction plate

	NumScrews = 3;
	ScrewBCD = Bearing[OD] + Insert[OD] + 2*WallThick;

	echo(str("Retainer max OD: ",ScrewBCD – Screw[OD]));

	NumSides = 9*4; // cylinder facets (multiple of 3 for lathe trimming)

	// Basic mount shape

	module CNC3018Base() {

	translate([0,0,MountOAL – LipHeight])
	cylinder(d=Clamp[OD],h=LipHeight,$fn=NumSides);
	translate([0,0,MountOAL – LipHeight – Clamp[LENGTH] – Protrusion])
	cylinder(d=Clamp[ID],h=(Clamp[LENGTH] + 2*Protrusion),$fn=NumSides);
	cylinder(d1=Bearing[OD] + 2*WallThick,d2=Clamp[ID],h=BottomExtension + Protrusion,$fn=NumSides);

	}

	// Mount with holes & c

	module Mount() {

	difference() {
	CNC3018Base();

	translate([0,0,-Protrusion]) // bearing
	PolyCyl(Bearing[OD],2*MountOAL,NumSides);

	for (i=[0:NumScrews – 1]) // clamp screws
	rotate(i*360/NumScrews)
	translate([ScrewBCD/2,0,MountOAL – Clamp[LENGTH]])
	rotate(180/8)
	PolyCyl(Insert[OD],Clamp[LENGTH] + Protrusion,8);
	}

	}

	module SpringPlate() {

	difference() {
	cylinder(d=Plate[OD],h=Plate[LENGTH],$fn=NumSides);

	translate([0,0,-Protrusion])
	PolyCyl(Plate[ID],2*MountOAL,NumSides);

	translate([0,0,Plate[LENGTH] – Spring[LENGTH]]) // spring retainer
	PolyCyl(Spring[OD],Spring[LENGTH] + Protrusion,NumSides);

	for (i=[0:NumScrews – 1]) // clamp screws
	rotate(i*360/NumScrews)
	translate([ScrewBCD/2,0,-Protrusion])
	rotate(180/8)
	PolyCyl(Screw[ID],2*MountOAL,8);
	}

	}


	//—–
	// Build it

	if (Layout == "Base")
	CNC3018Base();

	if (Layout == "Mount")
	Mount();

	if (Layout == "Plate")
	SpringPlate();

	if (Layout == "Show") {
	Mount();
	translate([0,0,1.25*MountOAL])
	rotate([180,0,0])
	SpringPlate();
	}

	if (Layout == "Build") {

	translate([0,-0.75*Clamp[OD],MountOAL])
	rotate([180,0,0])
	Mount();
	translate([0,0.75*Plate[OD],0])
	SpringPlate();
	}

view raw Diamond Scribe.scad hosted with ❤ by GitHub

The New Hotness

CNC 3018-Pro: LM6UU Linear-bearing Diamond Drag Bit Holder