LowRider2 CNC - One Year Later (Overview and modifications)

One year living with the LowRider2 CNC has been a great success!
In this video, I share my experience with the machine and talk about the existing and new modifications I made to improve the performance
And every time you hear the word ''screw'' just imagine I said ''bolt''.. :D
Feel free to express your thoughts about the project - you can share it down in the comment section!
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CAD and STL files - www.thingiverse.com/karliszal...
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[@kortt]

Thanks for sharing. My LR2 is working good now after a bit of a learning curve. I used your belt tensioners, endstops and 4 wheel Y plate on mine and they work excellent. Thanks for providing them! Cheers!

[@KarlisZalitis]

I'm very happy that my modifications work for you!

[@AndrewReuter]

Great timing for this video! My kit and tubing showed up this week, and I have about 2 days left worth of printing (not counting new parts from this video). Lots of higher priority stuff to get done first, but glad to have this jump start on some of the problems I’ll likely be facing. And glad to hear you’re still happy with the machine; excited on this end to get started! Thanks for your work!

[@KarlisZalitis]

Hey Andrew, great to hear from you! Wish you a successful and fun build :)

[@cantsitstill9056]

Thanks for sharing Kārlis. I think some of your issues could be related to the height of the design. In some ways your rider is not that low :) Also I see your collet sticking out from under the plate pretty far. In my recent aluminum milling experiments I found a lot of difference in vibration in cutting 10mm plate at the lowest possible height vs. cutting sides of 50x50 tube. The reason I went with transparent acrylic router plate was to be able to see what is happening there since there's barely any clearance between my router plate and material using 3mm endmills. Priekā!

[@gizmobowen]

Thank you for following up with all the additional modifications and also how the machine has been working for you. I didn't quite understand how your X-cube was connected until I realized that the spindle is connecting the two plates. I was thinking that maybe you could add a threaded rod in each corner between the plates that could also connect them and not put the load on the spindle. I have an MPCNC and I found your channel because I was hoping someone had done something like you did to that system. I really like the double x-axis tubing and wish the MPCNC had something similar. Very nice system and I'm glad it is working so well for you.

[@KarlisZalitis]

The threaded rods are really good idea! And it's easy to implement - might try it out! The new MPCNC primo seems to be more rigid but also it uses a LOT of 3D filament - it keeps me from upgrading my MPCNC. Maybe one of these lockdown days I will draw in CAD the parts needed for MPCNC that could be machined on a CNC..

[@DormantIdeasNIQ]

one thing I learned... if the collet is damaged, or worn, or there is debris in the collet area and inside the router shaft... it causes bits to drop

[@bwuest]

The LED light modification makes a lot of sense! I use Octoprint for my 3D printer but I hadn't thought about using it for my CNC.

[@KarlisZalitis]

Yup, I use the Octoprint for jog control, manual G command input (for homing the axis) and program storage. The Raspberry is connected to a wireless network router, that helps me avoid the usage of USB sticks or SD cards. Also, I can use my phone with the Octoprint app to do the jogging just like with a dedicated jog controller

[@glimps84]

@@KarlisZalitis Did you think about usgin CNC.js?

[@KarlisZalitis]

Have not tried it but looks cool! I will give it a shot, thanks for suggestion :)

[@frederickwood9116]

“Can’t sit still” has just released a video where he uses his almost standard kit to mill aluminum section to replace the z tube connections. He seems to be aiming for aluminum milling precision/rigidity as standard. Thanks for sharing your updates. I’m still not started with my build. Life takes its own twists and turns I guess.

[@KarlisZalitis]

Yeah, I just saw it - I'm amazed how he managed to cut the aluminum, some voodoo action :D

[@DormantIdeasNIQ]

You are a gem! thank you for posting this!!! I wonder if CNCing the failing 3Dprinted parts out of wood(as are some of the brackets) would work! I don't know if it's a camera effect but the gantry appears to sag ... in the middle. I have a list of questions that I was going to pass to V1engineering and other players. You have answered all of them, especially the accuracy of the wheels subject to dust invasion. Job done. It is good to know the negatives as they cut on the hype and let one know what to do upfront if to purchase such equipment! YOU ROCK! ...subscribed. indeed.

[@KarlisZalitis]

Thanks bro :)

[@KarlisZalitis]

About the X gantry - must be a camera FX, in real life I have approximately 0.1mm deviation between sides and middle

[@DormantIdeasNIQ]

@@KarlisZalitis ok... thank you!

[@TenTwennyDollaBills]

Kārlis , would love to see a video on methods you practice to measure precision, accuracy and the overall squareness of your LowRider2.

[@TenTwennyDollaBills]

And then how you would calibrate with your build.

[@KarlisZalitis]

Coming soon!

[@TenTwennyDollaBills]

@@KarlisZalitis Much appreciated sir, I very much enjoy your builds and insights.

[@KarlisZalitis]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@DormantIdeasNIQ]

@Karlis --- PERHAPS an answer to the undesirable plunging... I have given up on the Lowrider... and I am now leaning towards the Onefinity. ...but as I was visiting the V1engineering site after pointing out your video to them to see if they would include these mods when I purchase, I ran into this: "...your Z motor current is up too high, which causes the motors to melt your pla and if the drivers overheat they shut off, which is causing the Z to drop..."

[@sallerc]

Thanks for sharing, interesting to see your improvements. Are you running Marlin on the MKS Board BTW?

[@KarlisZalitis]

Glad you like my work :) Yes, I'm running Marlin - it is more or less stock version that I got from V1 engineering, just added the support for end stops and tweaked the speeds for rapids

[@KevinNguyen-zn4vv]

Use a torque wrench to tighten the belts. There's also an android app that measures the hertz of the belt. That way, the belt tensions would be close to each other.

[@yusefweb3693]

Me too i have that problem of pla, i hope to finish my lowrider 2 today I planning to make that parts in wood to upgrade my machine, nice job

[@KarlisZalitis]

Thanks :) If you succeed, I would love to see the wood part upgrade! Good luck :)

[@yusefweb3693]

@@KarlisZalitis yeah I think I will put a video here, keep going!!

[@SpudicusMaximus]

Have you guys thought about using a different plastic? ABS/PETG/POLY?

[@KarlisZalitis]

PETG performed poorly, when I used it to build MPCNC. I guess ABS and PC would be much better choices, but at the moment I do not have a printer that can print those parts, but I will upgrade my setup soon

[@yusefweb3693]

@@KarlisZalitis I’m still working on wood parts, I tested aluminum parts but since I don’t have a drill press, the holes are not perfect so now I’m working on a drill press and test on wood parts, Hope next weekend to finish it, it starts to taking a lot of time!

[@tomreijtenbach7154]

Nice video! I had the same issue with the Z-axis crashing into my workpiece and it broke one of my cutters. It put me off the project for a couple weeks because I could not figure out what was going on. Could you please make a video about a solution if you come across one? I am using an SKR with 2209's.

[@KarlisZalitis]

Hey Tom! From your description I understood that the Z axis loosing steps, is that right? It could be your lead screws - maybe the pitch is too coarse (I am using a 4mm lead 2mm pitch 8mm diameter Double start thread screw). It's possible, that the Z steppers are under-driven, have you checked the motor current? Also, there might be a faulty connections to the Z motors, loosing power intermittently and causing the skipping. It also could be just some overseen friction - many possibilities there

[@joshua43214]

Your gcode problem is almost for sure being caused by RFI from your phase convertor. Those things (especially the cheap Chinese ones) can be a serious problem for any kind of signal wires. You will need to ensure it is properly grounded, and you will need to use properly shielded signal wires.

[@KarlisZalitis]

Good info! RFI really could be an issue with my machine

[@sasha.djordjevic3071]

Excellent job you have done so far. My solution to PLA weakness: usually when strength needed and is applicable, I print parts hollow without top layer and later fill them with mixture of epoxy resin and glass fibers, result is unbelievable strength and rigid almost as steel (Sometimes only epoxy). Other thought is to fill tubes with something( may be quartz sand) to avoid springiness if it not not to heavy then. And did you try to cut aluminum?

[@KarlisZalitis]

Hey :) The idea about epoxy is really good! Have you experienced some shrinking when filling printed parts? About aluminum - I have tried a little, but my machine seems to lack rigidity. I have a video where you can see me try to cut it with both Lowrider and MPCNC

[@ronwalker3000]

Thanks for all this - I have just started to build the LR2, (unfortunately I have to source parts from scratch as the kits are not available). I would like to use your extra wheel Y plate you desiged but notice it appears to be made from considerably thicker material than the original (1/2" - 12mm). Also, As I am making the to imperial size, what adjustment would I need to make to the Y plate? Regards, Ron.

[@KarlisZalitis]

Hey Ron! The thicker Y-plate should not be an issue - I just used a bit longer bolts to attach the printed parts. Good luck with your build!

[@12madcow]

What size spindle are you running, having trouble finding a mount for our 65mm spindle for my lowrider2.. will most likely end up running more pipes across like you have, as there is to much flex..

[@KarlisZalitis]

I'm using 1.5kW air cooled spilnde - the diameter of the motor is the same as used in Ryan's original design

[@joesmoe71]

I wonder if you could reprint some of the parts that keep failing then use them to make some plaster of Paris molds to recreate them out of something sturdier like epoxy resin? Look up "lost PLA casting" and you'll find a number of videos on how to do this, a lot of the videos are about using the molds to cast aluminum parts but there's no reason they couldn't be used for resin parts too.

[@KarlisZalitis]

Hey! Thanks for suggestion! I might try this in the future

[@jeffhagel3970]

For the piece that is breaking is it possible to print it vertically so the layer lines are not running with the screw ? would this increase the strength on it's stress point?

[@KarlisZalitis]

It should have the most strength when printed like it is now - changing directions might cause layer separation above the clamping bolt

[@PaulDominguez]

Thanks for sharing. For the 3D printed parts, have you thought about PETG or maybe ASA filament instead of PLA? At least according to CNC Kitchen on youtube seem to have better thermal and don't snap.

[@KarlisZalitis]

Ideally I would print the parts from ASA, but my printer is not suited for heated enclosure that is needed for successful ASA and ABS prints.. I have tried to print the parts from PETG for my MPCNC but still had the cracking issue. I might invest in a new 3D printer that isn't made partly from PLA itself :D

[@willalexander6834]

You can also try a PLA+ variant. You can get some that have strength improvements while also being slightly flexible so should not crack as easily. Note, PLA+ is just a name for PLA with additives, so not all are the same.

[@KarlisZalitis]

I have not had any experience with PLA+ but this sounds interesting. I will give it a shot, thanks for suggestion!

[@guidosarducci209]

If PETG is cracking too there may be a problem with your 3D printer. For more stiffness you might try Atomic carbon fiber PETG. But it seems like either the plastic parts are in a situation that stresses them too much for plastic to be used, or there's a layer adhesion issue (if they are fracturing along layer lines), or maybe there's a model or slicing issue. It could also be that the nozzle or hot end isn't putting out enough plastic (clogged, maybe) or the feeder is slipping. Any of those things can cause the parts to be weak due to underextrusion.

[@kwaaaa]

Sorry, I came across the LowRider project recently, but why add a groove track instead of a side wheel to keep lateral stabillity?

[@KarlisZalitis]

Hey! The main reason - its easy and can be done without making any new parts or modifying old ones. Also, the weight of the gantry helps it to push it into the groove and make it more stable

[@unclezeds]

I HAD SOME ISSUES WITH PLA delaminating on a printed clamp. As a quick fix it brushed an ABS Slurry (about house paint consistency ) over the entire piece. I still haven’t reprinted the clamp and it is still holding strong. You might want to try that on your PLA axis before remaking them.

[@KarlisZalitis]

Hmm, interesting! How did you make the ABS slurry? Did you just melt some down and applied it? Did it stick well? I might try this :)

[@unclezeds]

@@KarlisZalitis Get some bits of ABS filament and dissolve it in Acetone. The more ABS the thicker it is. As a thin mix you can also brush a coat on your build plate to make ABS stick like 💩 to a blanket. I leave the brush to dry with the slurry still on it as the next time I have to use it, I just mix the jar with the stiff brush and it softens ready for use again.

[@KarlisZalitis]

Cool, thanks 😊

[@bjaurelio]

You mention some issues with PLA. Have you tried using PETG instead to see if you get better results?

[@KarlisZalitis]

I had the corners printed in PETG for my MPCNC but it was the same result - almost all of the corners cracked. I guess it depends on filament brand, ambient temperature, tightening torque for the dress and so on. So I would not say that PETG has a distinct advantage

[@aleksandrpalianichka2392]

Еще вопрос. Я насчитал 6 моторов. А драверов 5? Х-ось 2 мотора с одного дравера?

[@ismaelrodriguezsilva1588]

I am receiving all the parts for building mine. I choose to build the original one and then upgrade it and learn in the way. The electronics will be a skr 1.3. I think i will print a upgraded belt tensioner since you said its very important. Just a question, what about the wiring gauge? Thank you very much for the video!

[@KarlisZalitis]

Hey, glad you liked the video :) I am using 0,75mm^2 or 18AWG

[@ismaelrodriguezsilva1588]

@@KarlisZalitis thank you. I will use standard 0.75 mm electrical wire since it is cheap and easy to find here

[@tca3899]

hello, great what kind of CAM software are you using ?

[@KarlisZalitis]

Hey :) I'm using Estlcam - it's a simple and quite powerful tool and real easy to use

[@tca3899]

@@KarlisZalitis thanks.

[@aleksandrpalianichka2392]

Доброго дня Kārlis. Судя по локации вы понимаете русский.))) Если нет прошу прощения. Меня интересует параметр шпинделя? И как выдерживает нагрузки? Если не сложно на примере изделия. Фреза, подачи,обороты, матерьял? Мои сыновья тоже пробуют себя в ЧПУ, им нравится. Мы делаем первые шаги, и были бы рады знакомству. Сейчас как раз выбираем концепцию для третьего станка, и ваш вариант уже попадался на просторах сети и кажется интересным. Спасибо. С уважением Александр.

[@KarlisZalitis]

Hey! My russian is not that good, but google translate saves the day! I am using a 1.5kW air cooled spindle and mainly cutting plywood and other softer materials. Typical feeds and speeds for plywood are arround 30mm/s at 3mm depth of cut, using a 6mm double flute endmills. It is not the fastest or sturdiest machine, but it works for my needs. Regarding the stepper motor count,you are correct - I am using one driver for both X steppers. This is a great and relatively cheap learning project and I can guarantee you will have a lot of fun building the machine :) Also, be sure to check out some of my CNC project files (link is in description) for some ideas what to make when the machine is operational.

[@namocrafts1101]

Nice video again brother . Am using skr with TMC6150 drive . Also am using the spindle u using witch is 2.2 kw spindle . But the Z axis it’s heavy with this spindle and it’s little chattering when it’s going up . I raised the amps on the drive but still am having the same issue . When I take the spindle off , it work perfectly but when I put it back in it can’t lift the weight . Could u please list the lead screw link so I can buy the same one u have ? I know I asked u this issue in other video u have . But if u could list where to buy the lead screw ? Also u mentioned in my comment last video to change the axis_step_per_unit for the Z axis. Did u change something else ?

[@KarlisZalitis]

Hey Dan :) I am using lead screws with 4mm lead (the distance traveled in one revolution), 2mm pitch (distance between threads), 8mm diameter Double-start thread. And I have a 1.5kW spindle, not the 2.2kW one, so it is possible that my spindle is a bit lighter..

[@KarlisZalitis]

The exact listing for the lead screws is not available any more but you should be able to find the right ones by entering the key words I wrote previously. And yep, have not changed anything else ir regards of Z steps

[@namocrafts1101]

@@KarlisZalitis is this the right one T8 Lead Screw Dia 8MM Pitch 1mm Lead 1mm Length 100mm-800mm with Copper Nut THSL-700-8D 3D Printer Part (300mm) www.amazon.com/dp/B019ML86X0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_Jiq8FbBYZRBEC

[@namocrafts1101]

@@KarlisZalitis sorry I meant 1.5kw spindle not 2.2. So the leads screw that comes with V1 kit is not the same one u using now ? Which is m8 and 2mm pitch ?

[@namocrafts1101]

@@KarlisZalitis this is the one that comes with the low rider kit ibb.co/Nn1LpLt

[@ismaelrodriguezsilva1588]

Hey! Where is your video of you improving it with new steel parts? You removed it?

[@KarlisZalitis]

Hey :) Have not done any steel upgrades (yet) - must have been another channel

[@ismaelrodriguezsilva1588]

@@KarlisZalitis haha sorry man. I thought it was you. Waiting for a metal upgrades then!

[@seanchinery]

why not add some brushes as way wipes?

[@KarlisZalitis]

Good idea! I just recently saw the solution on the V1 Engineering forum, goingo to try it myself

[@RinksRides]

I think it is time to build one of this version for my work (custom/restoration of auto's). For 50W CO2 laser, router for plywood, and attachment for handheld 40A Plasma torch for sheet metals up to 10mm (probably the most use). Thank you for the detailed videos. Also, I could not figure out the setting in my video editor to adjust the spindle size to 1KW, am I doing something wrong?

[@KarlisZalitis]

Hey! I did not quite get the question, what do you mean by adjusting spindle size through a video editor? :?