MAKER MADE M2, Setting Up

Page 1: ...SETTING UP YOUR M2 AUTOMATED CUTTING MACHINE KIT The official assembly guide by Last Updated 8 12 2020 v1 8 ...

Page 2: ...ps and Safety Warnings Disclaimer Due to the prototyping nature of CNC development during a global pandemic some pictures may vary from the M2 parts in your kit Let us know how this guide can be improved for beginners We love to hear from you This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 3: ...t Sled Stud Mount Suction Cover PVC Elbow 2 Z Axis Motor ETONM Z Axis Motor Power Cable JST XH 6Pin to PH 6Pin Meticulous Z Assembly pre assembled Lanyard 15mm full color die sub 16GB USB Drive with Firmware Software Instructions MM White Sticker Info sheet on FB community Paint marker Spring Router Bit Case 1 4 upcut bit 1 8 downcut bit 2in wide black rubber stripping Quantity 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2...

Page 4: ...xis Motor Mounting Screw X Y Axis Motor Split Lock Mounting Washer Set Screw for Motor Sprocket Set Screw Allen Wrench 3mm Motor Sprocket for Chain Bag F Shoulder Bolt Shoulder Bolt Nut Shoulder Bolt Washer Shoulder Bolt Allen 5mm Bag G Ring To Brace Bolts M3 0 5 Wing Nut Ring Brace Screws Ring To Brace Bolts Allen 2mm Quantity 2 2 2 2 2 12 2 4 4 4 2 2 2 34 8 8 8 2 1 2 4 4 8 1 12 12 24 1 This work...

Page 5: ...5 M2 ASSEMBLY GUIDE BUILDING YOUR FRAME This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 6: ...ilot Holes Top Beam 2 X4 10 2x Leg 2 X4 X4 Footer 1 X6 X8 Support 1 X6 X8 Cut to 93 Waste Board 4 X8 Plywood 314 8 12 4in 32 1 3in 19 45 8in 19 45 8in 8X 1 8 Pilot Holes PURCHASE LIST Name Bricks for sled weight For Legs Top Beam Footer Support Piece Wasteboard 2 x4 x4 Board 1 x6 x7 3 4 Board 2 1 Legs Support Piece CUT LIST We recommend reading this entire section before beginning Top Beam 2 X4 10...

Page 7: ...nd stud and attach first Stud Mount using 2pcs long wood screws in Bag D b Attach Stud Mount using 2 drywall anchors and 2pcs long wood screws in Bag D Step 2 Mount Top Beam to Stud Mounts on wall ASSEMBLY GUIDE Use 8pcs short wood screws in Bag D to attach top beam Step 3 Attach last two Stud Mounts Stud Mounts directly below first Stud Mounts 92 Step 1 Attach Stud Mounts to wall 65 3 4 up from f...

Page 8: ...tud Mounts directly below first Stud Mounts ASSEMBLY GUIDE CONT Step 4 Attach Footer to Legs 304 8mm 2X 228 6mm 9in Step 5 Attach Wasteboard to Legs 63 5mm 2 5in 4pcs long wood screws in Bag D 38 1mm 1 5in 165 1mm 6 5in This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 9: ...6mm 9in Step 5 Attach Wasteboard to Legs 6pcs long wood screws in Bag D screws in Bag D Rest Wasteboard on Footer 234 95mm 9 25in 273 05mm 10 75in 63 5mm 2 5in 4pcs long wood screws in Bag D This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 10: ...mm 2 5in 4pcs long wood screws in Bag D Attach Motor Mounts on top edge of Top Beam flush with edges 342 91mm 13 5in Clamp or Screw Assembly to lower Stud Mounts 2pcs long wood screws in Bag D Motor Mounts This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 11: ...s and ensure the motor shaft is on the outside edge on each side as shown in picture STEP 4 Attach Motor Sprocket by inserting the grub screw into the sprocket hole aligning with the flat side of the motor shaft and tightening with Allen wrench to prevent slipping STEP 5 Plug 6 pin motor wire into motor connection will only seat in one direction STEP 6 Repeat for other side Bag E Bag E This work i...

Page 12: ... to remove the DUE and mount it without its case or modify the case to plug in the MicroUSB into the covered hole We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding here s a video of the quick fix With Case Without case notice how the DUE written on the board is upside down that is the orientation for these instructions STEP 1 Using included screws mount Control Board in its case...

Page 13: ...ase STEP 2b If mounting without case mount Control Shield to DUE board Line up the pins as shown and be careful they don t bend Top View Bottom View This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 14: ...ttach left motor into far right port STEP 4 Attach right motor into far left port This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 15: ...control wire to remaining port STEP 6 Plug in power into top Control Shield top power port This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 16: ...ped or screwed to the Wasteboard Stud Mounts on the top Always clamp or screw the material you re cutting to the Wasteboard Stud Mounts so it doesn t move This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 17: ... to the pitfalls of the global pandemic the pictures in this section will unfortunately be different from your M2 kit We ll be posting an updated version as soon as we can and appreciate your understanding We recommend reading this entire section before beginning ASSEMBLING YOUR M2 This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license La...

Page 18: ...s but the ACTUAL screw is a button head 1 FINISH Z AXIS ASSEMBLY Button Head Screw M4 0 7x16mm In this photo is a fully assembled Z axis assembly Follow the instructions to complete on your own Bag H This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 19: ...ad Screw M5 0 8x8mm Bag with Belt STEP 3 Attach gear to motor ensure one grub screw is on flat side of motor shaft Make sure to use 2 grub screws when mounting Grub Screw Set Screw M5 0 8x8mm Bag with Belt This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 20: ...ush with top of screw and lined up with Z motor gear you just installed Make sure to use 2 grub screws when mounting Grub Screw Set Screw M4 0 7x5mm STEP 5 Loop belt around gears This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 21: ... tight Use your other hand to tighten the Z Axis Motor Bracket screws Important Be sure that your belt is tight If the belt is loose your M2 will not move properly This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 22: ...rotate freely Repeat with other chain guide 2 MOUNTING SLED BRACKETS Shoulder bolt Ring bearing Washer Washer Nut TOP VIEW SIDE VIEW TOP VIEW SIDE VIEW L Brackets Ring Bracket STEP 2 Mount L Brackets to Ring by lining up L brackets as shown with rectangular brackets on ring Insert bolts from inside of ring bracket out through L brackets two per bracket and secure with nuts using an Allen wrench to...

Page 23: ...ng on sled centered around router Each L bracket has six small holes insert a small screw through each to tighten Bag G Wood Screws 6 x3 8 This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 24: ...sled slot STEP 5 Attach router mount to Z Axis Assembly with 4pcs of M5x8mm Button Head Screws Allen Wrench from Bag E This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 25: ...ntil router is centered Note These bolts fasten with a T nut A T nut works by being specially designed to turn sideways when being tightened This fastens parts to aluminum extrusions as seen in this image This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 26: ...re Assembly is tightly attached to the frame STEP 3 Mount bricks to sled to keep sled flush with its cutting surface Insert bolts through pre drilled holes from bottom of sled through to the top Place bricks between bolts and place metal brick retainers over bolts secure with wingnuts Bag C This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International l...

Page 27: ...lling cord from bottom of waste board to attach STEP 5 Attach PVC Dust Collection Elbow under Z Axis motor This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 28: ...he following instructions are to install the chains on a 4 x8 frame STEP 1 Use enclosed nails to attach end of chains to Top Beam On each side of top beam measure 14 35cm in and 1 2 5cm up from bottom and attach one of the chains 4 MOUNT CHAINS STEP 2 Drape chains over top of sprockets so they can loop toward the center Bag A This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommerci...

Page 29: ...e Motor Sprocket for Chain in loop and attach Quick Link STEP 4 Attach spring and tighten quick link with link nut facing away from beam Bag A Bag B This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 30: ... Stretch out spring and attach end to open quick link tighten quick link Warning Be careful when handling chains they can snap back causing damage to self and surroundings This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 31: ...tension on the opposite chain to a length of 20 or less from the nail to the spring You can pull the chain away from the spring and lock onto the top of the motor for the tension to hold When you have enough slack in the chain thread through the opposite Carriage Mount and attach with a cotter pin Let go of the sled and it should rest against plywood or MDF Your M2 is ready to calibrate Warning Be...

Page 32: ...e your M2 you will need a digital file CAM compter aided manufacturing software to create the Gcode program the M2 will follow and a machine control application to send the Gcode to the M2 This quick tutorial will show you how to use CNCjs a machine control software and Easel a Gcode generator with a digital SVG file GET A DIGITAL SVG FILE 1 Digital file You must have a digital file to CNC with th...

Page 33: ...r file and cut tab in the dialog box to choose how deep the M2 will cut If your SVG is split into multiple parts or isolatable you can select different parts of your file to cut different depths This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 34: ... size to save it in the Gcode 5 Resize move Once your model is selected you can also resize it by dragging the small gray boxes around your file See section 8 for instructions on homing your file to 0 0 This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 35: ...d select your bit There are preset bits for the X carve but the best way to change it for the M2 is to scroll to the bottom of the tab and manually type in your bit size This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 36: ...both equal zero millimeters 0 0 You can arrange your file to start based on where you home your M2 Either select and move all the parts of your file or click the shape tab in the dialog box after selecting your model Click the bubble in the five part matrix to choose where your M2 will start The bottom corner of the grid is 0 0 and will correspond with where you set 0 0 home in your Machine Contro...

Page 37: ...se them again we suggest naming the file with the bit size and thickness of the material Click untitled in the menu bar to change the name This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 38: ...ate your Gcode to cut click Machine Advanced to bring up the Gcode menu Then click Generate g code This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 39: ... Application You can leave the other default setting alone until you become more comfortable with your M2 You finished exporting and are ready for the next stage This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 40: ...ing to move when you only told it to move 1 inch USING A MACHINE CONTROL APPLICATION 1 DOWNLOAD You need a machine control application also known as a Gcode sender We suggest our Makerverse for your M2 and many other CNC machines It s based off the open source CNCjs software Download it for your Windows Mac or Linux computer here https makermade com m2 resources 2 OPEN MAKERVERSE Click allow progr...

Page 41: ...rt the next time you login 5 CONNECT M2 Click Open Leave Connect automatically selected for Makerverse to connect to your M2 automatically the next time you use it This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 42: ...o 472 5 for Easel input 102 472 5 in the console and press enter These commands will only have to be entered once 7 UNLOCK Because the M2 is an omni directional CNC without endstops the Alarm is active and must be unlocked Click the yellow Unlock button in the top right corner to start the calibration process The console will confirm the machine is unlocked This work is licensed under the creative...

Page 43: ...d the distance from your Wasteboard must be entered into CNCjs Measure from the 8 o clock position on your left motor and the 4 o clock position on your right motor From the red circled portions in this image This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 44: ...ur M2 for future use 9 MACHINE SETTINGS MEASURE WORKSPACE Before the M2 will work properly the workspace dimensions must be entered Measure the size of your workspace and press enter The standard 4x8 values are default Configuratin will be set after your first cut This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 20...

Page 45: ... chains to the center of your wasteboard using the X X Y and Y jog commands on the right NOTE Home must be set before you attempt to jog If you try to jog before setting home the sled will continuiously move in the direction you clicked until you unplug the DUE Board from power This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last U...

Page 46: ...units to 1mm and click the Z until your bit is barely touching the surface of the material you want to cut Click the Home in the Z Axis position to set the new Z height on your M2 You are now ready to load your Gcode into CNCjs and start cutting your project The home position must be set on your M2 before you can CNC To home move the M2 sled and chains to the center of your wasteboard using the X ...

Page 47: ...splays the paths of the Gcode you loaded You already set the dimensions and depths in Easel for the M2 so it s ready to start We recommend a one foot or one meter square as your first test cut for calibration This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 12 2020 Version 1 8 ...

Page 48: ...ut your project We recommend running the first cut with the router off to ensure everything is running properly When your M2 is cutting for the first time be close to the power source to stop all opperation if something goes awry After your first test cut you will measure and compare the real values to the values of your Gcode for scaling described in step 16 This work is licensed under the creati...

Page 49: ...ojects instead of resetting home every time you are cutting a new project This will save time and calibration headaches For example to use every part of your 4 x8 material you can set different work positions each time you cut with your M2 Then you could cut the same project out of different sections of your material To set the work position jog the M2 to the position on your material where you wa...

Page 50: ... to start making projects on the M2 Happy making 16 MEASURE CUTS AND SCALING After your first cut measure from the center of the cuts across the X and Y Axis and compare it to your Gcode file Enter the X values in the X Scaling Then enter the Y values in the Y Scaling This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4 0 International license Last Updated 8 1...

Page 51: ...n also securely attach it to the Wasteboard using screws Always raise the Z Height to 3mm above your print surface before you turn on your router and run your M2 Never leave your M2 unattended while in operation Always pause your M2 before stopping your M2 in CNCjs Click here to check out updates on our FAQ section This work is licensed under the creative commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDeriva...

Page 52: ...opped or has completed the project It s a good idea to make sure you re behind the waste board when you declamp materials as they can fall to the ground on your foot Nobody wants that When installing the frame we recommend a friend help connect the spring and each person wear safety goggles during stretching The chain can snap back causing damage to self and surroundings This work is licensed unde...