4. My Makermade CNC Adventure: Adding the Electronics

I was a little apprehensive about setting up the electronics for the Maslow. I’ve been an occasional reader of Make magazine, I’d heard the term Arduino, but I’d never seen one in person. I like to make things, but that’s mostly been rough woodworking, fiber related, or graphic design- nothing with electronics or chips of any sort. But the Maslow designers really made the process easy. I sat down at my kitchen table, laid out all the parts, and was done in about half an hour.

I had a few hiccups, like not realizing I was supposed to open a program once I’d downloaded it, so I tried to make sure the instructions I wrote for the manual spell out details like that.

Tools Needed

• Power Drill
• Screwdrivers
• Safety goggles
• Computer or tablet
• Internet connection

Materials List

• Part #1 AC Power Cable
• Part #2 Arduino with Heat Shield
• Part #4 DC Power Supply
• Part #9 USB Cable
• Part #10 Flash Drive (optional)
• Part #11 X and Y Motor Cables
• Part #12 X and Y Motor Mounts
• Part #13 X and Y Motors
• Hardware Bag #5
• Hardware Bag #6

STEP 1: CONNECT THE MOTORS

• X and Y motor cables, as well as motors, are interchangeable at this point
• Insert one end of a cable into each motor
• Insert other ends into to Ports 1 and 3 on Arduino with yellow wire at bottom as shown
• Port 3 controls left motor Port 1 controls right motor as viewed when facing the Maslow CNC

STEP 2: CONNECT THE POWER SUPPLY

• Plug DC power supply into shield
• Arduino also has a power supply port, plugging power supply into it will not damage it, but will not provide power to motors
• Connect power cable to DC Power Supply
• Plug power cable into surge protected electrical outlet

STEP 3: CONNECT THE USB CABLE

• Plug USB cord into Arduino
• Plug other end into your computer
• USB light will come on to indicate that board is connected and receiving power from your computer

STEP 4: DOWNLOAD THE ARDUINO IDE

• In your browser, navigate to
  https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/Software
• Download latest version of Arduino IDE
• Note: Some users have reported problems with “Windows App” version
• Open zip folder
• Install program on your computer
• Open program

STEP 5: DOWNLOAD MASLOW FIRMWARE

• In your browser, navigate to
  http://github.com/MaslowCNC/Firmware/releases/
• Download latest version of firmware
• Open zip folder
• Install program on your computer

STEP 6: SET UP FIRMWARE

• Click File -> Open
• Select cncctrlv1.ino
• Click Tools -> Board
• Select Arduino/Genuino Mega or Mega 2560
• Click Tools -> Port -> Your Port
• Select port- on Windows, COM3, on Mac and Linux computers dev/tty/
• If unsure, disconnect USB cable from Arduino, check which option disappears
• Open program

STEP 7: ADD FIRMWARE TO ARDUINO

• Click upload button in top left corner
• This uploads firmware to Arduino
• Linux users: if getting timeout or permissions errors, try adding username to dialout group then logging out and back in
• When upload finishes, close Arduino IDE

STEP 8: INSTALL GROUND CONTROL

• Go to the Ground Control page on Git Hub
• Download latest version of Ground Control
• WINDOWS USERS
• Open zip folder
• Click Launch Ground Control” shortcut
• MAC USERS
• Install Ground Control by moving it into your applications folder
• Click icon in applications folder
• Select “Open”
• Linux and Raspberry Pi users:
• Reference instructions on Maslow website

STEP 9: CONNECT GROUND CONTROL TO MASLOW

• In Ground Control, click ACTIONS on top left
• Click PORTS, a list of ports will appear
• Select same  port you used in Step 6
• Click CONNECT

THAT PART’S DONE! YOU’RE NOW READY TO INSTALL THE ELECTRONICS ON THE FRAME. BEFORE PROCEEDING DISCONNECT POWER CABLES, USB CABLES, AND MOTOR CABLES.

STEPS 10-12 TAKE PLACE ON THE TOP BEAM OF THE FRAME, REPEATED ON EACH END

STEP 10: INSTALL MOTOR MOUNTS ON FRAME

• Position motor mounts on beam flush with front and side edges
• Using two screws per slot on base of each motor mount, fasten motor mounts to beam with wood screws

STEP 11: ATTACH MOTORS TO MOUNTS

• Place one motor in each bracket
• Slide lock washers over screws
• Fasten screws through front of motor mount into aligned holes in motor

STEP 12: INSTALL SPROCKETS ON MOTOR SHAFTS

• Insert set screw in hole on side of sprocket
• Screw in slightly with allen wrench
• Place sprocket over motor shaft
• Tighten set screw with allen wrench

STEPS 13-14 TAKE PLACE ON THE BACK OF THE FRAME

STEP 13 ATTACH THE ARDUINO

• Gently remove shield from Arduino
• Position Arduino in center of plywood
• Insert screws through holes
• Slide standoffs over screws
• Screw into plywood
• Re-attach shield

STEP 14 RECONNECT ELECTRONICS

• Attach Arduino to motors with cables
• Connect power supply to Arduino
• Connect USB cord to Arduino
• For more details review electronics setup guide

NEXT STEP: BUILDING THE TEMPORARY SLED

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internation