Maintenance of lead screws are a pain, especially when they are exposed to dust. Swapping out a lead screw nut can be time consuming, whereas on a belt driven machine we're talking minutes. Ball screws are the solution if you want best of both worlds, accuracy grades are an issue though.
Our industrial filling and label machines while all servo just use wire reinforced belts ,they can’t do as tight a bend radius but don’t stretch and run very fast ,as much as 80 500 mm cycles per minute
Not related to this topic but I could not find anywhere yo write it: you should consider drilling a simetrical hole for the wire feed of the z limit switch within the plate described at step 2.3.3 of the mechanical guide- x Acme nut blocks. Apparently I mounted the plate the other way arround and I can't feed the wire as per the instructions unless I undoo about 12 hours of installation. Either adjust the instruction to attract attention to this item or drill a symmetrical whole so it does not matter if the plate is mounted the other way arround.
Hi! Great machine. In case of longer than 1000mm router. Would be possible to replace the belt axis with a thicker lead screw? Like 12mm one should handle the extra 500mm no problem. Maybe you can give it as option. At the end you will need only to make two extra holes on the gantry to allow to mount a different locking nut type for the 12mm or make a 12mm of the one you have now.
Thank you its made up my mind, one thing i don't know if you have a video but it might help some people more is to explain the difference between a lead and a C beam, As I understand it the C beam has a moveable bed and the lead does not but what i don't know which is more accurate with the lead screws? Im looking at a 1050 but I don't know whether to go for a C beam or lead .... I don't know what is better....
Hi, for that size Machine i would go for a Lead Screw Driven WorkBee CNC Machine: ooznest.co.uk/product/workbee-cnc-full-kit/#size-colour A C-Beam Machine style machine would be too much weight moving the bed.
@@ooznest Thanks for that , I still don't understand the difference though between a moveable bed and a fully moveable X gantry , what is the difference? Is the moveable bed more accurate or less than a fixed bed? Sorry this is the only thing holding me up... I did post a question to facebook about this. Thank you....
You don't want a lead screw for anything outside of a Z bed riser. Ball screws are what you want since they don't have a lash issue that will cause slop like a lead screw will.
@@elsunshine9976 Yeah but you get what you pay for. 0 lash comes with a price, but who want's slop in a precision machine? And length isn't an issue, but you will pay for them as you said. Our local makerspace is building a 9'x5' CNC machine that uses two full 8' length ball screws on the Y axis
Hi, thanks for your comment. All our machines have undergone a redesign and now are screw drive including the 1500x1500mm machine. Lead screws are more than adequate for a machine in this price range, and you get get an accuracy of 0.15mm or better.
Hi there, this would depend on the size of the material, but any of our machines would be fine to start with. Just to note, while the machines are capable of engraving slate, they cannot cut it and are not built to engrave materials like slate day in day out. If you would like more information, make sure to email us at sales@ooznest.co.uk and one of our team can give you more of a recommendation :)
Great video bro. Why are the belts so thin? Surely u could use a bigger pulley system and heavier belts for the bigger work area machines?? I've been looking at trying to build my own but I'm now of the mind that my 1st one needs to be a purchase from a reputable seller like yourselves.. I have no idea about electronics and the last thing I wanna do is burn my wee shop down mate.. LMAO..
Either really, they both use the same parts and plates so would be the same upgrade. If you haven't got the machine already and you plan to upgrade get the belt drive as it is cheaper.
You could use a different screw to increase the speed on a screw drive, but you wouldn't really need to, as you will find you wouldn't want to cut a higher speeds.
@@ooznest yes, but in here its difficult to find high speed lead screw, so now i decided to change my lead screw to belt drive...,im curious how to get optimum speed stepper motor without losing torsion....,
I wish this was available in a Shapeoko style form factor (bigger X than Y configuration) for the pre-made kits. If I read the offers on the shop page correctly, the offered kits are either square or Y is larger than X. I know Y is stronger due to the dual motors so it makes sense to some degree, but workshop sizes and ergonomics are a thing as well.
@@ooznest That would be awesome. I don't know how flexible you are in terms of cutting profiles to size, but since you know all the offsets, it wouldn't probably be too hard and make this a configurable thing where you either enter the outer dimensions or the size of the cutting area and have a script generate the parts list? Only parts that would change would be some profile lengths and the leadscrews (belt works in any case). Doable? :)
@@mhe0815 Yes it isn't hard to add extra sizes. We can't do the complete custom solution though, as it would slow down production too much having to keep making unique sizes, we struggle to keep up as it is :)
@@ooznest Glad business is going well for you, well deserved! But having similar size steps like the existing models just with X being larger than Y should work just as well. So happy that somebody actually uses Duet in this way. David Crocker sure salutes you.
Can lead screw whip be compensated for by reducing motor speed, or does the problem rapidly get worse on longer than 1000 mm? Could a mid length screw support be designed that allows the cart to pass?
Why did you started selling the 1500x1500 in only screw drive option? I'm interested in buying a CNC of such dimensions but I'm afraid the screw drive wouldn't be great overtime. Did you maybe find a solution to minimize the sag?
Oh nevermind, I just saw the description. So I guess now I could expect a decent precision and reliability from the biggest option. May I know, out of curiosity, what kind of system did you find to reduce whip?
Hi, GRBL isn't as advanced as Mach3, however is more more simple, and runs off USB. Saying that GRBL is perfect for a machine of this type, and has more than enough capability
@@davexb6595 Hi a 1500mm thread is too long, as it will sag under its own weight. So when it spins, it will whip and your machines accuracy will be compromised.
@@ooznest What is the limiting factor here? Motor torque coping with the inertia of the moving mass (which would be vastly similar between screw vs belt driven) or the rigidity of the frame/gantry? I would like to later mount a proper spindle instead of a router and these usually exceed 3kg.
Can you do aluminum with the belt?
You can, but screw drive would be best
Maintenance of lead screws are a pain, especially when they are exposed to dust. Swapping out a lead screw nut can be time consuming, whereas on a belt driven machine we're talking minutes.
Ball screws are the solution if you want best of both worlds, accuracy grades are an issue though.
Can you have screw drive on the x-axis and belt drive on the longer y-axis?
Hope you enjoyed the video. If you have any questions please ask below.
Ooznest will i go for screw driven for 1500mm ?
Try looking at the Bell Everman drive. belt drive has zero stretch.
Our industrial filling and label machines while all servo just use wire reinforced belts ,they can’t do as tight a bend radius but don’t stretch and run very fast ,as much as 80 500 mm cycles per minute
belt drive good for lasers and plasma ,screw or helirack for anything else
Not related to this topic but I could not find anywhere yo write it: you should consider drilling a simetrical hole for the wire feed of the z limit switch within the plate described at step 2.3.3 of the mechanical guide- x Acme nut blocks. Apparently I mounted the plate the other way arround and I can't feed the wire as per the instructions unless I undoo about 12 hours of installation. Either adjust the instruction to attract attention to this item or drill a symmetrical whole so it does not matter if the plate is mounted the other way arround.
Hi! Great machine. In case of longer than 1000mm router. Would be possible to replace the belt axis with a thicker lead screw? Like 12mm one should handle the extra 500mm no problem. Maybe you can give it as option. At the end you will need only to make two extra holes on the gantry to allow to mount a different locking nut type for the 12mm or make a 12mm of the one you have now.
That is a good idea! Thanks for the suggestion.
@@ooznest you are welcome! :-)
for super high precision 0.0..mm moves would you suggest belt or drive
Screw drive would be our recommendation.
Belt drive is good enough, you can not achieve such an accuracy with their frames unfortunately as it will twist and bend if serious cut are made.
Long acme thread. 10 Pitch per cm How about it?
what is the best for 3D printer? X Y Z ?
Hi, neither, we would recommend getting a 3D Printer
Thank you its made up my mind, one thing i don't know if you have a video but it might help some people more is to explain the difference between a lead and a C beam, As I understand it the C beam has a moveable bed and the lead does not but what i don't know which is more accurate with the lead screws? Im looking at a 1050 but I don't know whether to go for a C beam or lead .... I don't know what is better....
Hi, for that size Machine i would go for a Lead Screw Driven WorkBee CNC Machine: ooznest.co.uk/product/workbee-cnc-full-kit/#size-colour
A C-Beam Machine style machine would be too much weight moving the bed.
@@ooznest Thanks for that , I still don't understand the difference though between a moveable bed and a fully moveable X gantry , what is the difference? Is the moveable bed more accurate or less than a fixed bed? Sorry this is the only thing holding me up... I did post a question to facebook about this. Thank you....
Can this mill some mild steel?
Hey, i am afraid we don't recommend the WorkBee for mild steel.
Can i still mill some aluminum with a belt drive system having 1000x1500mm? What is your most preferred size, i like the body to be rigid
What if the leadscrew was bigger would it work? Is there a rack system with this machine too?
You don't want a lead screw for anything outside of a Z bed riser. Ball screws are what you want since they don't have a lash issue that will cause slop like a lead screw will.
@@Tuffenough4u but what if i need the machine to be longer? Ball screws are expensive n havent seen that long
@@elsunshine9976 Yeah but you get what you pay for. 0 lash comes with a price, but who want's slop in a precision machine?
And length isn't an issue, but you will pay for them as you said. Our local makerspace is building a 9'x5' CNC machine that uses two full 8' length ball screws on the Y axis
Hi, thanks for your comment. All our machines have undergone a redesign and now are screw drive including the 1500x1500mm machine. Lead screws are more than adequate for a machine in this price range, and you get get an accuracy of 0.15mm or better.
@@ooznest do you sell longer dimensions? Like 2 meters or above?
Does the traverse speed of the timing belt version make a difference in cutting time on large panels?
Not really, your tools path will spend most their time cutting, and this speed would be similar, if not lower than a screw drive.
Hi, you mention cutting aluminium, can it also machine brass?
I can't see why not :)
On a belt drive machine, is there a noticeable reduction in the accuracy the bigger the machine is because of the elasticity of the belts?
Hi, thanks for the question. Yes that is correct
What size machine would you recommend for max size project of 700mm?
Hi, it would be our 750x1000mm Screw drive here: ooznest.co.uk/product/workbee-cnc-full-kit/
What software works best with this? I have fusion 360.
@@pugmad1981 Yes Fusion360 or the Software by Vectric: www.vectric.com/
hi i am thinking about purchasing a workbee, what size machine would you recommend to start out on? main material i will be using is slate
Hi there, this would depend on the size of the material, but any of our machines would be fine to start with. Just to note, while the machines are capable of engraving slate, they cannot cut it and are not built to engrave materials like slate day in day out. If you would like more information, make sure to email us at sales@ooznest.co.uk and one of our team can give you more of a recommendation :)
Great video bro. Why are the belts so thin? Surely u could use a bigger pulley system and heavier belts for the bigger work area machines?? I've been looking at trying to build my own but I'm now of the mind that my 1st one needs to be a purchase from a reputable seller like yourselves..
I have no idea about electronics and the last thing I wanna do is burn my wee shop down mate.. LMAO..
Hi, all our machines are screw drive, even for the biggest size, 1500x1500mm.
will there be a ballscrew option
hi do you have a showroom in england anywhere??
Hi venrice, if you want to book an appointment come to our office to see a machine cutting you can email us at 'sales@ooznest.co.uk' - Thanks
@@ooznest that's great , I'll be in touch after Xmas ,thanks
If I want to upgrade the machine to rack and pinion, which system much easier version, belt or screw?
Either really, they both use the same parts and plates so would be the same upgrade. If you haven't got the machine already and you plan to upgrade get the belt drive as it is cheaper.
How big the max belt size can I change with current aluminum profile size? 3M or 5M pitch,?
@@kabadaluk It is a 5mm wide belt max. 3mm Pitch.
What is rack and pinion?
For wood with a strong grain would you recommend the screw drive to avoid the tool jumping?
I would always advice the screw over the belt for hardwoods, and aluminium work :)
screw drive is more strong torsion,,,but its more slow then belt drive,,,how increase speed for the screw drive?
You could use a different screw to increase the speed on a screw drive, but you wouldn't really need to, as you will find you wouldn't want to cut a higher speeds.
@@ooznest yes, but in here its difficult to find high speed lead screw, so now i decided to change my lead screw to belt drive...,im curious how to get optimum speed stepper motor without losing torsion....,
I wish this was available in a Shapeoko style form factor (bigger X than Y configuration) for the pre-made kits. If I read the offers on the shop page correctly, the offered kits are either square or Y is larger than X. I know Y is stronger due to the dual motors so it makes sense to some degree, but workshop sizes and ergonomics are a thing as well.
Hey, thanks for the suggestion. We will look into if we can add this as an option.
@@ooznest That would be awesome. I don't know how flexible you are in terms of cutting profiles to size, but since you know all the offsets, it wouldn't probably be too hard and make this a configurable thing where you either enter the outer dimensions or the size of the cutting area and have a script generate the parts list? Only parts that would change would be some profile lengths and the leadscrews (belt works in any case). Doable? :)
@@mhe0815 Yes it isn't hard to add extra sizes. We can't do the complete custom solution though, as it would slow down production too much having to keep making unique sizes, we struggle to keep up as it is :)
@@ooznest Glad business is going well for you, well deserved! But having similar size steps like the existing models just with X being larger than Y should work just as well. So happy that somebody actually uses Duet in this way. David Crocker sure salutes you.
@@mhe0815 Thanks for your suggestion on this. It will be an option soon :)
Does this machine come with good controller and customer support like a shapeoko.
Hi, it comes with one of the best controllers about at the moment, the Duet 2. We also have very good customer support :)
Can lead screw whip be compensated for by reducing motor speed, or does the problem rapidly get worse on longer than 1000 mm? Could a mid length screw support be designed that allows the cart to pass?
We have now removed the belt version, and stock a 1500mm screw drive. We have developed a better assembly system to remove whip.
@@ooznest That sounds great! How soon will the mechanical kit for the 1000mmx1500mm and the new instructions will be available on your site?
@@ooznest what speed will the new system run at? I need approx 200ipm/5000mm/m for Plasma
@@moorejl57 The mechanical kit is available now. The instructions will be finished in around 3 weeks.
@@mattmills1407 We are going to still advertise a limit of 2500mm/min. However i have seen other users go up to 8000mm/min
Hi, i make cnc hot wire foam cutter with screw, But i need bigger size of machine. What advantage is if i use belt insted of screw drive?
Use belt on a hot wire cutter. There is no load on the hot wire since the heat should create a curf in front of the wire.
@@CiaranWhelan What Ciaran said :)
Why did you started selling the 1500x1500 in only screw drive option? I'm interested in buying a CNC of such dimensions but I'm afraid the screw drive wouldn't be great overtime. Did you maybe find a solution to minimize the sag?
Oh nevermind, I just saw the description. So I guess now I could expect a decent precision and reliability from the biggest option. May I know, out of curiosity, what kind of system did you find to reduce whip?
@@ExploreModding Hi, yes all machines are now screw driven at is superior over belts. To reduce whip in the large screw, it is tensioned.
what is difference between grbl vs mach3?
TIA
Hi, GRBL isn't as advanced as Mach3, however is more more simple, and runs off USB. Saying that GRBL is perfect for a machine of this type, and has more than enough capability
thank you very much Mr. Ryan, for the input
how about workbee @ aliexpress is it original or generic?
Hi, the aliexpress one is a copy. We make ours in the UK. Welcome to come down and take a look :)
Thanks for the video. I didn't understand why you couldn't used the threaded rod on a 1500mm Y axis.
@@davexb6595 Hi a 1500mm thread is too long, as it will sag under its own weight. So when it spins, it will whip and your machines accuracy will be compromised.
Can workbee withstand a larger dewalt dw618 router.
The maximum router weight we recommend is 3kg. This may be enough for that unit. You would also need a mount for it as i don't think ours would fit.
@@ooznest What is the limiting factor here? Motor torque coping with the inertia of the moving mass (which would be vastly similar between screw vs belt driven) or the rigidity of the frame/gantry? I would like to later mount a proper spindle instead of a router and these usually exceed 3kg.
The volume of your videos is always very low :-(
But the content is good :-)
Thank you for the feedback! We've invested in some new audio equipment which should fix any issues with sound being too quiet.
What is the realistic accuracy for screwdrive that you can have, with screw less then 0.1mm ( something like 0.5) shouldnt be impossible.
Oh yeaaaa baby.. lay that thick bloke accent on me!
Wot abowt tha motahs?