CarlS

We started with the idea of a bigger size too, but the 4'x8' was a convenient form factor, and was tall enough to hide all the band members behind it. I don't think we tried to hide the sousaphones there. :-) The design would work at any size, though.Wind is an issue, and varies greatly. A surface this large is generally called a sail. If you live in Kansas, then I would not even try these. Here is So Cal, it was not too bad. On breezy days we taped 4 bricks to those middle supports.Good luck!

Thanks! Good Luck!

The servos I used were pretty powerful, so they hold the maze when not in use. For the larger maze, I used counter-weights to balance it out, but I would still like to re-work that one to use servo arms or gears for more leverage and balance when off.

Thanks!

Very nice! I just finished a similar one, but wanted mine to be stand-alone: https://www.instructables.com/id/WiFi-Mesh-Synchronized-LED-Bars/ I was not aware of the mcLightning library - looks great!

Thanks!

Rimshot please :-) Thanks!

An inverted bucket bot? :-) You can also have a flexible mount at the top and use contact switches around the edges to detect when an obstacle is hit.

Thanks!

Thanks!

Thanks - glad it was helpful.Those steppers sound good. I have used lower current / lower torque ones on a mobile robot and they were great. I used the Adafruit motor driver board and AccelStepper library.Your definition of racking is correct. I am surprised the one rod does not work since it mechanically connects the sides (well, through the belts in my setup). Make sure the screws are tight and belts fairly tight - not slipping at all. Are you using two motors or one on that axis? If it's two, they may not be moving exactly together. I only use one motor. You could extend that long shaft and put the motor right on that one. If you have a high acceleration on the motor, that could also be an issue - would require a stronger frame. But, yes, you should be able to put a long sha...

Thanks - glad it was helpful.Those steppers sound good. I have used lower current / lower torque ones on a mobile robot and they were great. I used the Adafruit motor driver board and AccelStepper library.Your definition of racking is correct. I am surprised the one rod does not work since it mechanically connects the sides (well, through the belts in my setup). Make sure the screws are tight and belts fairly tight - not slipping at all. Are you using two motors or one on that axis? If it's two, they may not be moving exactly together. I only use one motor. You could extend that long shaft and put the motor right on that one. If you have a high acceleration on the motor, that could also be an issue - would require a stronger frame. But, yes, you should be able to put a long shaft on both ends.Yes, for multiple screws, a custom bracket from angle aluminum or printed may work, and yes, it might be less adjustable. I have not tried that approach.Good luck!

It's my own fault for giving him some tidbits :-)

Nice project. Yes, those linear bearings can be expensive, so a lot of projects use v-groove rollers now. The T-Slot version I also published is another approach, albeit more expensive. It is a lot more relaible, though.

I think most CNC type applications assume there are no obstacles in the workspace - avoiding those would clearly change the drawing. There are numerous vector conversion programs - maybe you can go from an intermediate format like gcode?

Looks nice - the base cabinets definitley give you more surface space for the printer etc.

Thanks!

Great info - thanks!

The cabinets fit inside the frames, so I just used a few drywall screws from the sides to connect the cabinets to the frames. Be careful on the placement so the screws don't go into the cabinets.

Nice!

Thanks. I do not think this approach would be suitable for very high precision positioning. Using stepper motors would help, as well as making sure everything is well tuned. But, there are many XY table hardware options out there that may be more reliable. I have not used them, so cannot make any recommendations. Good luck!

Looks great! All set for tyhat new TV! :-)

Cool - glad to hear it! I am waiting for the fluorescent tubes to fail in my garage :-)