Gantry – x carriage

Items you need for this step:

1x carriage extrusion
230mm or 35mm M5 flat head screw
29mm aluminium spacers
2smooth idlers
8v wheel assemblies (see previous step of how you assemble them out of 2 bearings, a v wheel shell and precision shim):
4button head cap screws M5 25mm
4button head cap screws M5 30mm
8M5 flat washers
10nylon insert lock nuts M5
2nylon insert lock nuts M4
2button head cap screw M4 10mm
1drag chain bracket
1stepper motor
4socket head cap screw M5 10mm

 

same as x carve instructions

For the X carriage, you need to start with 30mm / 35mm M5 flat head screws (some kits are supplied with 30mm screws, some with 35mm screws), that you will need to attach the smooth idlers at the inside (and just like with the gantry plates, a 9mm spacer will sit between the smooth idlers and the X carriage extrusion). You will use the two holes that have specifically the space for angled shape of the flat head screw:

And tighten them with M5 nylon insert lock nuts.

Then you will attach the four top wheels, again with 25mm M5 button head screws:

And just like you did with the gantry plates, a flat washer between the wheel and the X carriage extrusion:

And tighten the M5 nylon insert lock nuts:

And the four bottom wheels are just like with the gantry plates, again with 30mm M5 button head screws, and with sliding an eccentric spacer over the screw at the outside:

(Again, do not forget to place an M5 flat washer between the x carriage extrusion and the wheels!)

Then you’ll attach the drag chain bracket with the M4 10mm screws (and M4 lock nuts at the other side), and you attach the stepper motor with M5 10mm socket head screws:

If you bought the optional limit switches, then this is also a good time to attach the X axis limit switch to the x carriage (the switch for the X axis). Pictures of this step will follow later, meanwhile the instructions in the video or on this website can be used for this: http://x-carve-instructions.inventables.com/500mm/step2b/7homeswitch/