Square Z

[gpari]

I'll put this in a new thread, as the other is getting pretty long.

I don't have a PRS, I have a PRT Alpha. So I don't know the actual procedure for adjusting the z-axis on the PRS, BUT, here is a thread that shows a tool that EVERY shopbot owner should have.

http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/messages/7/15337.html

First, you should get the z axis "close" to square, by whatever means you can, squares, levels, etc...

Then you surface your table top. If the z is not square, there will be little ramped ridges on the surface. Put the dial indicator in. The trick is to only measure off the same relative heights of the ridges in the table (peaks, low spots, middle of the ramp, whatever suits your fancy).

Rinse and Repeat until you're satisfied.

Good Luck

[ed_lang]

Centuriontools.com has a tool that you chuck into the collet and you can use a dial indicator to check square, runout etc...

[richards]

There's a bigger problem lurking in the background when we talk about setting up and adjusting the Z-axis. That problem is verifying that the master rail for the Z-axis is perpendicular to both the X-axis and to the Y-axis and that the minor/slave rail is parallel to the master rail before adjusting the router/spindle to be perpendicular to the X-axis and to the Y-axis.

A few minutes spent with your favorite CAD program will show you what would happen if the Z-axis were not perpendicular to the table top before making the router/spindle perpendicular to the table top. Cutting the path of the hypotenuse of a right-angle triangle is not the way we want our Z-axis to function.

[andre]

The PRS has no adjustment for the Z which I find a bit unusual. The simplest method would be to make the harnes that holds the router or spindle adjustable 2 ways. They have to make an allowance for variables like mishaped routers or just bad assembly of the harness. Mine was significantly out of square up and down the y and I had to shim and adjust the way the router was held in the harness itself to get things some what square. Up and down the x was easier and was accomplished by loosening the harness and slipping some shims in behind until it was square. I hope shob Bot addresses this and fixes it because its a major pain deal with.