The Smell of Molten Projects in the Morning

Ed Nisley's Blog: Shop notes, electronics, firmware, machinery, 3D printing, laser cuttery, and curiosities. Contents: 100% human thinking, 0% AI slop.

The New Hotness

  • MPCNC: Belt Tensioners

    The GT2 / GT3 belt specs call for 10-ish pounds of tension, but I don’t yet have a good feel for the actual MPCNC belt tension … and it’s hard to measure in-situ. So I picked up some spring tensioners and yanked one with a luggage scale:

    GT2 Belt Tensioner - 4 kg
    GT2 Belt Tensioner – 4 kg

    You’re looking at 4 kg = 8-ish pounds of tension. When they’re relaxed, the arms sit at roughly right angles.

    I installed them on the far end of the belts, although that’s a bit snug under the roller:

    GT2 Belt Tensioner - installed
    GT2 Belt Tensioner – installed

    An endstop switch will eventually add some clearance and it’ll be all good.

    Even though they’re neither linear nor precisely calibrated, they’ll serve as a reminder to check the tension every now and again.

    Install them with the same casual disregard you reserve for fish hooks and you’ll emerge unscathed.