Materials and Tools[edit | edit source]

Base plate mounting materials
Base plate mounting material. Note that assembled motor and idler end triangles are not pictured.
Materials
Description Count
Assembled motor end triangle (not pictured) 1
Assembled idler end triangle (not pictured) 1
34cm diameter plywood rounds 2
M3 threaded rod, 85mm long 12
#6 x 3/4" sheet metal screw 24
M3 flat washer 24
M3 nut 24
Necessary tools
Necessary tools for mounting base plates.
Tools
Drill motor
8mm drill bit
Screwdriver
Optional - 2mm drill bit
Optional - sharp pencil

Note[edit | edit source]

Drilling pilot holes in the plywood rounds isn't necessary but can make driving the sheet metal screws easier.

To minimize swelling and shrinking due to changes in humidity, sealing the plywood rounds is recommended.

Procedure[edit | edit source]

Marking and drilling pilot holes (OPTIONAL)[edit | edit source]

  1. Positioning base plate under motor end assembly, marked "B" for bottom.
    Lay the motor or idler end assembly on top of one of the round pieces of plywood with the flanges down and carefully position it such that the assembly is centered on the circle. Mark the locations of the base plate mounting screws with a sharp pencil or other sharp object taking care to not move the two pieces relative to each other. (Clamping or starting a pair of screws can keep the two pieces from moving relative to each other.)
  2. Mark the relative location of the motor end assembly to the base plate by drawing a line through the center of one of the linking boards and a matching line on the round plywood piece. Mark the round plywood piece to indicate whether it is for the idler or motor end.
  3. Drill 2mm (1/16") pilot holes in the locations marked, but do not drill through the board.

Mounting bases[edit | edit source]

  1. Center the motor or idler end assembly over a plywood round. If there are pilot holes, line up the assembly with marks made during marking of pilot holes.
  2. Attaching base plate to end assembly with #6 x 3/4" sheet metal screws.
    Attach the motor or idler end assembly to the plywood round with #6 x 3/4" sheet metal screws. After tightening the first screw, check again that the assembly is centered on the round and start the second screw in one of the other vertices.
  3. Attach base plates to both ends (motor and idler).
  4. Check that an M3 nut will thread onto the M3 x 85mm threaded rods from both ends. Check each threaded rod before proceeding.
  5. Motor end with guide rod clamping screws.
    Place an M3 washer and nut onto one of the 85mm long M3 threaded rods. With the motor end assembly flat on the table, push the threaded rod through one of the motor end guide rod clamps. Place an M3 washer and nut on the opposite end of the threaded rod. Do not tighten the nuts. Repeat with the remaining clamp and proceed to the next remaining motor ends doing likewise.
  6. Repeat with the idler end assembly.

Drilling wire passage holes - motor end assembly[edit | edit source]

Holes need to be drilled in one of the linking boards for wires to pass through. The holes should be located near the printed end of the Y tower, which will be determined based upon the order of the motors:

  1. Set the motor end on the work surface with the plywood round down so the motors are visible.
  2. Mark motors and their wires 'X', 'Y' and 'Z' going clockwise. Use masking tape to label the wires.
  3. Drilling wire passage in motor end.
    Drill an 8mm (5/16") hole through the linking board between the Y and the Z motor near the Y motor end. Ream the hole well with the drill bit.
  4. Motor leads passing through 8mm hole in linking board.
    Carefully feed the braided motor wires through the hole in the motor end linking board.

Drilling wire passage holes - idler end assembly[edit | edit source]

  1. As with the motor end, drill an 8mm (5/16") hole through one of the linking boards on the idler end assembly, near a printed idler end. When the motor and idler end assemblies are stacked on top of each other with plywood rounds up, the holes should line up vertically.
  2. Carefully feed the limit switch wires through the hole in the idler end linking board.
  3. Bundle limit switch wires together.
    To provide strain relief for the limit switch wires, bundle them together with a small wire tie on the inside of the idler end assembly.
Completed end with base plate.
Completed end with base plate.

Navigation[edit | edit source]

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Authors Jerry Anzalone
License CC-BY-SA-3.0
Language English (en)
Related 0 subpages, 22 pages link here
Impact 615 page views
Created July 1, 2014 by Jerry Anzalone
Modified July 7, 2022 by Kathy Nativi
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