So I started revamping this project back in August 2018 to make it better. I saw a good deal for a spindle on Amazon and redesigned most of the 3d printed parts. The changes to the parts were to mate the spindle to the machine and increasing the rigidity of the machine.

With that I wanted to add an LCD to display the different states of the machine and the XYZ location of the spindle. So to add that new functionality I changed the controller out to an Arduino Mega (well a chinese cheap knock off because why spend $40 when I can spend $10).

Back in the early days of this project before I decided to get the machine to talk in pseudo G-Code (it will accept the g-code spit out by flatcam no problem, but it doesnt follow all the silly parsing rules that I hate) I had developed an Auto Level method where, much like most other solutions, it maps the surface of the work peice and from there interoplated points between those mapped points. Well I scrapped that once I moved onto the pseudo g-code version. With the new revamped software, I included an M code that will map the surface of the work piece and a few more M codes that control it.

I currently just finished doing some testing of the new machine and circuit and am very happy with the results. I induced an uneven surface with a sophisticated setup of pushing a screw driver under the board on one side to raise the right side of the board. I then mapped the surface and cutout a little "circuit".

My next task is to create the 2 circuit boards, one for the Keypad and LCD, and one for the stepper drivers. The keypad and lcd will have its own fancy enclosure designed and printed out, as will the controller housing for the arduino and stepper drivers.

Below are pictures of the current machine, controller circuitry, the CAD design of the circuit to be etched, and the etched "circuit" with a resistor inserted for scale.