EShapeoko 1.3 Assembly: X carriage
For this step, you will need the fourth motor plate, the rear X motor plate with the motor and idlers attached from two steps ago, and the remaining parts in Pack 5.
Take a deep breath...
| Item | Part Number | Part Description | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | EM-S5-70 | M5 70mm cap screw | 2 |
| 2 | EM-S5-90 | M5 90mm cap screw | 6 |
| 3 | EM-W5 | M5 washer (form A) | 48 |
| 4 | EM-MES | Eccentric spacer | 6 |
| 5 | EM-W5B | M5 washer (form B) | 8 |
| 6 | Assembled V-wheel | 12 | |
| 7 | EM-D5-16b | M5 25.4mm aluminium spacer | 12 |
| or | |||
| EM-D5-16a | M5 25.4mm spacer (thick) | ||
| 8 | EM-D5-04b | M5 6.35mm aluminium spacer | 2 |
| or | |||
| EM-D5-04a | M5 6.35mm nylon spacer (thick) | ||
| 9 | EM-LMP | Motor plate | 1 |
| 10 | EM-N5 | M5 hex nut | 8 |
| 11 | Assembled rear X motor plate | 1 | |
Part 5 (shown in orange) is EM-W5B (form B M5 washer), which is thinner (0.75 mm) than the regular washers (0.95 mm). The thinner washers are packed in a separate bag, because they are otherwise hard to tell apart (they are not painted orange in real life). It is important to get the spacing of the X V-wheels exactly right, to match the distance between the Vs of the MakerSlide, so please be careful to use the correct washers.
To assemble this, it's easiest to do the front plate first, one bolt at a time, following the top exploded drawing. Temporarily add a nut to hold those parts together. Do all eight bolts, then lay the plate down, Z V-wheels down. Remove the nuts. Offer the rear motor plate (the one with the motor and idlers), and lower it on the bolts, guiding them into the correct holes. Finish by adding the eccentric spacers, washers and nuts on the back of the carriage.
For reference, here's what goes on each bolt (two of each, eight total):
- A. Fixed X V-wheels (red)
- 70 mm screw • washer • front plate • thin washer • V-wheel • washer • washer • long spacer • thin washer • washer • V-wheel • washer • rear plate • washer • nut;
- B. Adjustable X V-wheels (blue)
- 90 mm screw • washer • eccentric spacer • front plate • thin washer • V-wheel • washer • washer • long spacer • thin washer • washer • V-wheel • washer • rear plate • eccentric spacer • washer • nut;
- C. Fixed Z V-wheels (yellow)
- 90 mm screw • washer • V-wheel • washer • short spacer • washer • front plate • washer • long spacer • long spacer • washer • rear plate • washer • nut;
- D. Adjustable Z V-wheels (purple)
- 90 mm screw • washer • V-wheel • washer • washer • eccentric spacer • front plate • washer • long spacer • long spacer • washer • rear plate • washer • nut.
Or, in table form:
| Z V-wheels | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed | Adjustable | ||
| C | D | ||
| 90 mm screw | 90 mm screw | ||
| X V-wheels | washer | washer | |
| Fixed | Adjustable | V-wheel | V-wheel |
| A | B | ||
| 90 mm screw | washer | washer | |
| washer | short spacer | washer | |
| 70 mm screw | eccentric spacer | eccentric spacer | |
| washer | washer | ||
| front plate | |||
| thin washer | thin washer | washer | washer |
| V-wheel | V-wheel | long spacer | long spacer |
| washer | washer | ||
| washer | washer | ||
| long spacer | long spacer | ||
| long spacer | long spacer | ||
| thin washer | thin washer | ||
| washer | washer | ||
| V-wheel | V-wheel | ||
| washer | washer | washer | washer |
| rear plate | |||
| washer | eccentric spacer | washer | washer |
| nut | nut | nut | |
| washer | |||
| nut | |||
Note that what goes between the two plates is the same for bolts A and B, and also for bolts C and D.
If you have limit switches, now is a good time to install them for the X axis. It will be more difficult later, with the carriage riding on the rail.
Insert the assembled dual X rail as shown, with the single T-slot on the front rail at the bottom and the one on the back rail at the top (this is marginally better at supporting a heavy spindle than the opposite configuration). Adjust the X eccentric spacers until they V-wheels grip the MakerSlide firmly, but the carriage still slides smoothly. Tighten the X V-wheel screws, re-adjusting the eccentric spacers in the process. Leave the X rail in for the next step.
Insert the Z rail as shown (the orientation of the T-slot is not important). Adjust the Z eccentric spacers so that the V-wheels grip the MakerSlide firmly, but the Z rail still slides smoothly. Tighten the Z V-wheel screws, re-adjusting the eccentric spacers as necessary. Remove the Z rail for now.
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- Previous step: X rail
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