yoram, just for the record, for cutting foamies, marks design is fantastic, and probably would be best to be left alone for that application. the main reason for my mod, is to do sign engraving and when i would do a test cut the material would deflect up. now it will be on solid ground...if you look closely at my first photos you can see the reinforcement beam i installed. one reason was to reinforce the top, and the other was to make the sides more solid and robust. i am working on a pressure roller lid, glue drying as i type this.. i will post update when done. randy.

 

foam lover, i will agree about the mod being sweet and costing $20 bucks, but the sharp mind....well that's questionable, lols. randy.

 

jeff, i cut the 1/4 thick mdf slot thru the top...with a solid base to cut on now, its like night and day. also i have all kinds of ideas brewing in my mind. actually i got a hacker C-50 layin doin nothin that puts out 2300watts of power. always options, randy.

 

Randy that is incredible! Really nice work man. Necessity is the genius of invention and it really shows here. Great job Randy
Mark

 

Looking good Randy!

 

thx 3-d

 

ok fellas, i was gonna do the ghetto hack on the stock lid...but with the new lid having to be a "half lid" i figured it would be to flexible by doing so.....so i just decided to remake out of the same1/2in mdf stock. the photos don't really show, but on the entire mod i used 1/4in dia hardwood dowels, with the titebond glue. the construction is very strong and robust, although it would be better with mark's tabs. i am not finished with it yet, but i wanted to post a update. i gotta get to the hardware store to get some blind nuts for the spring rail mounts...

 

I'm really diggin your mod Randy.
So many possibilitis with this.
You got me thinking now if I want to do this

 

i decided not to buy blind nuts, since i had regular fasteners. i didn't wanna go over the $20 dollar budget, lols. got the spring guides reinstalled on my new half lid. i will make the end caps tomorrow. using the hardware i did, it will take more work to build, as i have to relieve the caps were the nuts are...no biggie. after that all i have is to install hinges, and hold down latches. then the mod will be complete. oh yea, i gotta get some of that shielded wire to wire up the x-axis. shouldn't cost to much, as i just need about 3 feet or so. randy,

 

janbjorn, thanks ...the best thing i ever did to my printer is the pressure roller spring mod. so if you anything do that mod for sure...randy.

 

ok got the lid installed today. the thing locks up like a bank vault...i made it with a 1/8 high lip, and when i made lid, i worked to that dimension its like a light press fit. ther is like zero slop. also i stole mark and trish's idea with the axle collets and installed two of them to trap the pressure roller. went and got the stepper extension wire i needed, probably hook it up tomorrow. also i am going to build up the top cutting deck. i used a .080in before, but i am going to do a 1/8in this time. with the pressure roller spring mod the x-axis roller don't have to protrude outta the top so much. by doing so the work will be flatter with less angle on the cutting surface. when i first built the roller, i made very carefully, and ther is only .005in concentric run out. if the run-out was excessive you could not have minimal roller protrusion. also ther is minimal clearance between the dremel u-bolt and the lid, its very tight...but to a machinist, a .001in gap is like a mile, lols, peace randy.

 

Now we're talikn'.
Looks awesome Randy.
.005 runout on the roller, nice. Man I wish I would have taken more time on that. I know thats why I can't use the 1/8" plate with the fanfold.

 

kwok, i used jb-weld on the aluminum channel. its very popular down here in the ghetto, and being a monkey its a necessity, lols. as far as the dial indicators, cheap ones can be had...ther are a couple different varieties...ya have plunger, vertical, and horizontal styles. i will try to link you the one i would get. randy.

 

some of the fellas were asking about my measurement tools...i found a rather inexpensive indicator on ebay....im sure ther are better deals out ther...
http://cgi.ebay.com/Dial-Test-Indicator-0-40-0-With-Magnetic-Base-New-US_W0QQitemZ110295485953QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item19ae1f8e01&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1205%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

 

i am testing my new mod with the mach-3 write wizard. soon i will be trying other materials, wood, plastic, etc. here is a video of my first test font cuts. randy.