X-Carve Control Box

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75 likes

1714 downloads 42 comments

Project by

Martin Barfoed

General Information

I have made a control box for the X-Carve with connectors so it can be detached from the machine.
The front and back is milled in 3mm aluminum, the top/bottom is 3mm plastic.
All has been milled using the X-Carve.
Sides are 20×60mm profile.

Project License

Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)

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Material		Description	Price
	Button Head Cap Screw	Length: 8mm, Quantity: 10, Thread Size: M3	$2.49
	Button Head Cap Screw	Length: 12mm, Quantity: 10, Thread Size: M5
	E-Stop Button	Type: Latching pushbutton
	Panel Connector (×4)	Pins: 4, Diameter: 16mm
	Panel Connector	Pins: 2, Diameter: 16mm
	Power Entry Module	Connector Type: IEC60320,, Mounting Style: Bolt Flange
	Pre-Assembly T-Slot Nuts Packs of 10 each	Pre-Assembly T-Slot Nuts Packs of 10 each - 25281-05 (x10)
	USB Bulkhead Cables	End 1: USB B Female (Bulkhead), End 2: USB B Male (Cable), Length (approx): 30cm
This project's Bill of Materials is not complete. Add to Cart			$2.49 from Inventables

File	Description	Unit Price
Controlbox-top X-CARVE1.skp	Top plate as SketchUp	$0
Controlbox X-CARVE.skp	Front/back as SketchUp	$0
Controlbox-top X-CARVE.dxf	Top as DXF	$0
Controlbox X-CARVE.dxf	Front/back as DXF	$0
Wiring of X-Carve.pdf		$0
Download Zip		$0 from Inventables

Carve the front and back
Put the Control Box together

Carve the front and back

60 minutes

Using 3mm aluminum cut the front and back.

The engraving of the X-Carve loge was done to a depth of 0.5mm. The small letters was engraved to 0.3mm depth.

Bits used are:
3mm, 2 flute upcut designed for aluminum
2mm, 2 flute upcut designed for aluminum
60 dg V-bit

Use ethanol as coolant

Put the Control Box together

180 minutes

Cut the side profiles 300mm long and cut M5 threads
Cut top and bottom plates 300×260mm
Mill the top plate fan hole using 1/8 in upcut bit.
Drill the top/bottom plate mounting holes.
Assemble the box. Remember to put the T-nuts in to the slots before closing the ends with the front/back plate.
Mount PSU, Arduino, connectors and relay
Connect all wires

Test that all works again.

I like your design. Looking forward to making something similar.
Christopher McCoy

Handsome control box - Question - do you need the relay if you're not connecting spindle, and or probe?
Todd Neale

Thanks for the encouragement! The relay it only needed it you want to switch on/off the spindle automatically (via the g-code). If you turn the spindle on/off manually you do not need it. The probe is separate and does not have anything to do with the relay.
Martin Barfoed

Excellent - Straightforward and clean in design & functionality! Russ from Coral Springs, Florida, USA
Russell Holt

Hey Martin, awesome looking control box. Would you mind sending me your wiring diagram? I'd like to try and replicate this type of unit for my X-Carve. Mainly I'm confused with the 24V connector on the gShield, as I have the 48V PSU and spindle to match. What pugs into it etc Thanks,
John Hunter

Hi John I have added a diagram under the file section. The max voltage of the gSheild is 30V so you may need a step down if you want to power it from the same PSU as your spindle.
Martin Barfoed

Thanks a lot Martin, that helps me out a ton.
John Hunter

I would like to build this but ......how do i use the digital files and get it into easel?
Steve Knop

Hi Steve I did not use Easel for this project but V Carve so I didn't make an .svg file. However, I did post a .dxf file and I think you can find an online converter.
Martin Barfoed

Could you post your wiring schematic?
Domenick Salvemini

You can find it in the "Digital Files section"
Martin Barfoed

What was the CAD-program you used? How to connect X-carve to it?
Tony Lehto

Hi Tony I used SketchUp (free CAD program) to make the drawing. Next I exported the drawing as a .dxf file and took the file into V-Carve. Using V-Carve to make the G-Code. The G-Code was send to the X-Carve using Universal-GCode-Sender.
Martin Barfoed

If you think V-Carve is too expensive, you can consider CamBam. I will shortly publish a video on programs for X-Carve and other small CNC machines on my YouTube Channel. Maybe you will find it useful. Good luck, Martin
Martin Barfoed

Here you go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syvZL4lhpjc
Martin Barfoed

Thanks!
Tony Lehto

Hello Martin - Thank you for the efforts to bring us a super project to make.
Isaac Neuman

Hello Martin, Looks great. I coincidentally bought the same panel connectors in Maplin in the UK and subsequently came across your excellent design. Could you tell me what relay you used please? Thanks, Chris
Chris Byrne

Hi Martin, Ignore my request. I can see the info now that I am looking on a larger screen. Thanks, Chris
Chris Byrne

Got the relay from DX.COM http://www.dx.com/p/keyestudio-single-relay-module-compatible-with-arduino-black-407663#.VnG-3jbSm70
Martin Barfoed

Thanks very much.
Chris Byrne

High Martin, Looking again at your setup - I did not see any fans there. Shouldn't the Arduino and G-Shield have a fan to extract heat ? Thanks.
Isaac Neuman

Hi Isaac, I did not include a fan directly over the grbl shield as it does not get very warm. Current is running through the driver both when the machine is moving and when it’s not. How much depend on the setting of the potentiometer on the shield.
Martin Barfoed

I recommend that you try running your machine and after some time feel how hot, or not, the drivers on grbl shield gets. If the get very hot use a fan – if not you can opt not to use one. I do get some circulation from the PSU fan but the impact on the shield is probably limited. BR; Martin
Martin Barfoed

Thanks for the info Martin.
Isaac Neuman

Hi again Martin In your wiring diagram I have seen you hooked the switches NO. If I want them to be NC - can I just hook them to the same pins or id there something else I need to do to have them NC ? Thanks
Isaac Neuman

Hi Isaac, I would think that will also work. However, you probably will have to invert the input pin. It's $5 you will change.
Martin Barfoed

See this copy/paste from the grbl wiki: $5 - Limit pins invert, bool By default, the limit pins are held normally-high with the Arduino's internal pull-up resistor. When a limit pin is low, Grbl interprets this as triggered. For the opposite behavior, just invert the limit pins by typing $5=1 .
Martin Barfoed

Disable with $5=0 . You may need a power cycle to load the change. NOTE: If you invert your limit pins, you will need an external pull-down resistor wired in to all of the limit pins to prevent overloading the pins with current and frying them.
Martin Barfoed

You can find the wiki here: https://github.com/grbl/grbl/wiki/Configuring-Grbl-v0.9 Br, Martin
Martin Barfoed

Thanks Martin, I will probably stay with the NO option. Many thanks Isaac
Isaac Neuman

Hi Martin. Really liked your video about CAD/CAM programs. I noticed that you didn't include Autodesk Fusion 360 in your review. I find it slightly more professional than Sketchup but was wondering what you think about it, pros and cons. Thanks.
Angel Ars

Hi Angle Ars, Thanks for the encouragement. Actually a few days later I added another video "... Now w Fusion". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNug_IyfZDs
Martin Barfoed

One of the viewers made me aware of Fusion and I took a look. Now I'm more or less only using Fusion - so I can not agree more with you in that it's more professional. Since then I have also made a few videos using Fusion for some simple projects.
Martin Barfoed

Fusion Pro/com: Pro comprehensive, parametric, CAD, CAM and more in one go, super user community and access to help from Fusion employees - even as hobbyist - and more... Con Steeper learning for users not used to parametric CAD (like me). But I think the time invested is well spend. Br, Martin
Martin Barfoed

you would sell me a box
ivan palomo

Quick question what kind of blade did you have on the miter saw when you cut the Aluminum extrusions in that video. Thanks, Eric M
Eric Mogensen

I use this: Festool 493201 Alu saw blade 210x2,4x30 TF72
Martin Barfoed

Hi Martin, i noted that you are using aviation connectors for step motors and limit switches but not grounded through the cable's shield, did you get any interference without ground star point in your control box?
hannozero

You are right , I did not ground and never experienced any problems. The small size and short wiring is probably part of the reason
Martin Barfoed

We have purchased a machine with the exact same set up but a box made of wood, Problem we are having we purchased a Zprobe but have no idea where we need to connect it, Can anyone point me in the right direction?
lee fletcher

Normally the probe is between A5 and GND. I added a wiring diagram to the file section for you ref.
Martin Barfoed

X-Carve Control Box

Project by

General Information

Project License

Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)

Button Head Cap Screw

Button Head Cap Screw

E-Stop Button

Panel Connector (×4)

Panel Connector

Power Entry Module

Pre-Assembly T-Slot Nuts Packs of 10 each

USB Bulkhead Cables

Controlbox-top X-CARVE1.skp

Controlbox X-CARVE.skp

Controlbox-top X-CARVE.dxf

Controlbox X-CARVE.dxf

Wiring of X-Carve.pdf

Carve the front and back

Put the Control Box together