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29/11/2008 by peter.
To machine the various square orifices required for the USB port and the LCD display I need to use my rebuilt Boxford. One problem, the software was still buggy and I haven’t written anything to generate control codes to give it. Simple solution, write a manual controller. That took all of 2 days of spare time to add all the features I wanted and with this I set about making the rectangular hole for the LCD. After much standing and watching the machine produce fine swarf as it slowly ploughed through the metal I had a nice rectangular hole. I de-clamped the box to admire my work when I realised I hadn’t drilled the display mounting holes which would be a lot easier under numeric control. Unfortunately while edge finding the rectangular cut-out, I crashed the machine into the top corner of said orifice (hit “End” instead of “Page up”) then I got the holes slightly in the wrong place but that’s one reason why I will make 2 of them. The first to screw up one and second so that I can test new code and features on my own one before sending the updates of to a beta tester.
The other minor annoyance is the lack of M2.5 nuts to fit the M2.5 LCD retaining bolts. For reasons of stupidity, I ordered M2 nuts. Well it will have to wait until I have a few more bits to order. There’s no point in paying postage on only one tiny bag of nuts.
Anyhoo. Piccies of the box so far
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08/11/2008 by peter.
With about 99% of the parts now arrived I have commenced the construction. The first part to be completed is the measurement head. “Why such a small part?” you may ask, well it is simple, I need to cut out a rectangular hole for the LCD and that requires me to find the clamping screws for the CNC mill which I have ever so carefully put somewhere safe. Once I find them then I can cut that out along with the hole for the USB port.
This is what I have so far. A box with a pressure transducer in one side and an M8 4 pin industrial connector in the other.
Onwards!!!
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