[Gary Salisbury]

Hello. My name is Gary and I'm a Re-engineering Addict.

I think I may have a problem. I see things and constantly try to re-engineer them to be better. Usually it is something that could be easier to do or work better or resolve a problem. My current dilemma is my Laguna IQ CNC Router.

1. To use the router, I have to turn on the power. No problem.
2. Then I have to turn on the water at another location. Could be more convenient.
3. Then I have to turn on the dust collector at yet another location. This too could be more convenient.
4. Then I turn on the spindle when ready to cut. No problem.
5. I am going to add gantry LED lights so those need to be turned on.

The LAGUNA IQ uses a 3-wire 30 amp 220VAC service (2 hots and a ground) and there are no accessory plugs on the back of the control box. In order to have 120VAC, I need a neutral wire so the power cable would have to be changed over to a 4-wire cable. (2 hots, ground, and neutral) A NEMA L1430P plug on a 4-wire #10 cable. Home Depot sells the plugs for $25 and 6' of #10 4 conductor is $28 = $53. However, you can buy a NEMA L1430 extension cord off Amazon for $25 and cut odd the receptacle.

Once the new cable is installed, I will install 4 120VAC receptacles, each controlled by a switch on the dashboard with an indicator light. I think I would like to keep the switches all the same so I will buy 4 more from Laguna unless I find them elsewhere. I only have a need for 3 receptacles but will install a 4th as a spare for some unknown future accessory. Laser anyone?

I was thinking of of adding a couple of volt and amp meters; one for 220VAC and one for 120VAC. Then I got tho thinking, maybe it would be good to also monitor the spindle temperature with an alarm if it goes over a certain number of degrees.

So that is my idea of how to make it better. What do you think? :smile:

 

[Herb Stoops]

My solutions is to wire up that "EM" switch to the other 5 buttons and push it once to turn it on and push it again to shut every thing down. Done.

Herb

 

[difalkner]

No, you don't always want them all on or off at the same time, Herb. I think it would be pretty good, Gary, and save you some steps. My preference, and the way I wired ours, is to have a separate 120V supply and cable. Now in some cases that might cause some grounding issues but both of mine are grounded in the same breaker panel on the same grounding bar.

You can certainly do it the way you're proposing but just make sure if you ever sell the machine that nobody thinks that's a 3 phase plug and wipes out everything the first time they plug it in.

David

 

[ger21]

I'd wire the water pump so it comes on/off when you power up the system, so you can't ever forget.

 

[difalkner]

I have my water pump coming on with the spindle via a signal from the VFD and running 100 seconds after the spindle is shut down to assist with cooling. Then I have a manual switch setting that allows me to run the water pump independent of the spindle for changing the water, checking the system, in case the spindle ever gets too warm (in three years it has never gotten much over 100°), etc.

David

 

[Gary Salisbury]

No, you don't always want them all on or off at the same time, Herb. I think it would be pretty good, Gary, and save you some steps. My preference, and the way I wired ours, is to have a separate 120V supply and cable. Now in some cases that might cause some grounding issues but both of mine are grounded in the same breaker panel on the same grounding bar.

You can certainly do it the way you're proposing but just make sure if you ever sell the machine that nobody thinks that's a 3 phase plug and wipes out everything the first time they plug it in.

David

Thanks, Dave. The Nema L1430 isn't a 3 phase plug and won't plug into a 3 phase receptacle so I don't really have that worry there. After 13 years in the Navy as an electrician, I saw my fair share of 3 phase power.

The entire purpose of converting the existing power plug is to avoid the very problem you speak of. To me, this is the cleanest and most professional approach. All my power is in conduit under the concrete slab of my woodshop and there is only room for a single receptacle in the box so it has to be this or nothing.

 

[MEBCWD]

Gary I think I would wire it where the water pump and LED lighting comes on at power-up. I would also have the dust collector come on when the spindle on button is used along with a delay for the dust collector to get up to speed then it triggers the spindle on. I'd wait on the Spare button to add the relay later because you don't know what kind of load you will need for the new component, You can go ahead and add the button but wait on the relay.

Actually, You don't want the dust collector on just because the spindle is on so I would just add the relay without the switch for the dust collector and program the on signal into the post-processor file along with a delay so it gets up to speed.

 

[difalkner]

Gary I think I would wire it where the water pump and LED lighting comes on at power-up. I would also have the dust collector come on when the spindle on button is used along with a delay for the dust collector to get up to speed then it triggers the spindle on. I'd wait on the Spare button to add the relay later because you don't know what kind of load you will need for the new component, You can go ahead and add the button but wait on the relay.

Actually, You don't want the dust collector on just because the spindle is on so I would just add the relay without the switch for the dust collector and program the on signal into the post-processor file along with a delay so it gets up to speed.

Ditto on not running the DC automatically with the spindle. When I video I rarely use the dust shoe and DC. Also, when I use small bits I don't use the DC, many times I don't use it when I engrave or V-carve.

LED on with power is ok but I personally would never want the water pump running just because the machine is powered up. I would rather have it like I mentioned earlier, automatic when the spindle is running. There are many, many times when I finish a job that I leave the machine powered up for an hour or two before I get back to cutting something else. Also plenty of times when it's powered up just to move the gantry around, do maintenance, show someone how it moves, etc. and I don't need water for any of that.

Worse thing to me about the pump running for hours without being needed is that I'm not always near when it's just sitting there but still powered up. I may be sitting at the computer working on a design and I've been lucky to not have any leaks but I would sure hate to have the pump running with 5 gallons in the reservoir just pumping away on the machine and whatever else might be in its path, plus additional wear and tear on the pump. Nope, not for me - when the spindle runs only or if I turn it on manually.

My $0.02 :grin:

David

 

[Gary Salisbury]

Just playing around with some different dashboard designs here to see what a maximum potential layout would be. I'm not sure I like this design as much as the previous. The red LED displays are amp meters

What am I missing?
Water temperature?
Water flow?
220 voltage?
110 voltage?

 

[Gary Salisbury]

I like this design better as it takes in all possible features.

 

[Gary Salisbury]

I'd wire the water pump so it comes on/off when you power up the system, so you can't ever forget.

Or maybe an interlock so you can't turn the spindle on unless the water is on? That might be hard to do since the spindle is 220VAC and the water is 110VAC. You would have to do an interlock relay.

 

[UglySign]

Then after things pan out, add a lil ooomf!

 

[difalkner]

LOL! Yep, that'll do it! :laugh2:

David

 

[Gary Salisbury]

Then after things pan out, add a lil ooomf!

That's funny because I was thinking about adding a 6-speed gear shift to the dashboard as a joke so the NOS button would really have made that work well.:grin:

 

[Gary Salisbury]

Here is another version that has been simplified with Yusco illuminated 22mm latching push buttons. No need for separate illuminated lamps. (You can order these off eBay in any voltage, any configuration, any color. The red is a 220VAC latching DPST, the blue is a 110vac latching DPST, the green is a 110vac latching DPST, the yellow is a 110vac latching DPST, the white is a 110vac latching DPST.)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Yuco-22mm-...a=1&pg=2510209&_trksid=p2510209.c100903.m5276

I'm thinking I would like to see the voltage and amperage below each switch so there would be no need to have to mentally link the switch and meter together.

 

[difalkner]

I like the bells and whistles of the bottom version!

David

 

[Gary Salisbury]

Thanks, Dave. I think I am getting close in my design. I found the actual font Laguna used in their logo and used it for my labeling. I added some artwork to group the items together so it is easier to understand. ie: this button goes with this meter and it is for this function. (Something I learned in an Industrial Design class many years ago.)

I am thinking of using the CNC router to cut out the meter and switch holes. I don't know if it would work to do the lettering and art work though. Maybe if I used that aluminum clad PVC sign material? For the meters and switches, cut all the way through the material. For the lettering and artwork, just cut away the aluminum exposing the white PVC beneath. What do you think?

 

[UglySign]

How about some Engraving stock?
There are other companies also, not just Rowmark



There's a vast assortment of colors & thicknesses.
These can be a little more expensive though.
But for a one-off such as that wouldn't be bad.
We have Satin Black w/ White Core that has a
light brush grain in it. Have to find the stock#
to that. The Ultra Mattes are neat, engraved reverse
and paint filled from behind leaving a nice smooth
matte top surface.
Engraving thru the alum surface may leave an edge.

 

[difalkner]

That's really clean and professional looking, Gary. I had the trophy shop I do work for engrave my plates simply because it was quick and easy. I had thought about doing them myself but I was eager to finish the CNC and work on other things.

David

 

[TimPa]

nice job Gary!