Top Cover:
I got used to running my N3 without a dust collection hose. When I received my N4 I ran it through a couple of shakedown cuts. Unlike the N3, the N4 has a large opening at the top (about 17" x 3"). This was designed to allow passage of a dust collector hose. …but if you don’t have one (yet), then dust will go absolutely everywhere. (Ask me how I know)
In any case, I worked up a two-tiered solution to help minimize the dust problem while I worked out a dedicated dust collection solution. (I think a proper dust collection solution will require a stiffer hose than the Rockler solution most are using. The hose will want to be stiff so it maintains an arc coming out of the top of the case or it will drag across the opening and cover. Maybe also a support structure to help maintain/optimize the alignment. Maybe even a rigid 3D printed duct from the dust shoe up and out of the case. Stay tuned…)
Anyway, Tier 1 is simply a slotted cover which allows full movement of the spindle yet reduces the opening to a minimized slot area.
Tier 2 is the addition of a rotating cam panel that pivots as the spindle moves to close off the rest of the unoccupied parts of the slot. (You can use Tier 1 without Tier 2 if that is all you want/need).
The lower “slotted” panel is laser cut from 3/16" acrylic as that matches the height of the lip created by the sides of the enclosure pretty closely. You can cut the upper “Cam” plate from even thinner acrylic (1/16") if you want to reduce the weight and friction (although there isn’t much to begin with). (Take a file/sandpaper to the upper/lower edges on the Tier 1 and Tier 2 “slots” such that the corrugated wrap on the spindle cable doesn’t drag on it. Maybe also the corners at the outside of the cam so it doesn’t snag on the sides of the enclosure. You can also wrap the corrugated wrap with electrical tape to help smooth that surface as well.) The pivot is 3d printed and should be centered on center line about 136mm back from the rear edge of the slot. Here are the files required to make this top baffle. [The Top Baffle has been updated to incorporate a couple of lightening holes]:
Top Baffle.dxf (661.8 KB) [*Updated]
Top Baffle Pivot.stl (208.8 KB)
BitZero Holder:
No big deal, but a holder for the BitZero is a nice thing to keep stuff organized. To hold the magnetic probe ground, I have little adhesive-backed metal disks specifically designed to attach magnets. However, a little washer with double sided tape on the back would work just as well. Here is the 3D print file for the BitZero holder:
BitZero Holder.stl (1.8 MB)
Remote Pendant:
Its nice not have to be jumping back/forth to the keyboard to jog the N4 (or N3). I’ve tested several generic keypads to use as a remote pendant and found that you really want a remote that doesn’t simply “generate a keystroke”. If all your remote keypad does is generate a key each time it is tapped (or generate that key over-and-over if it is held, you will spend your time tappety-tapping to move your spindle. (Unfortunately, this is how most remote keypads with wheels/knobs function).
What you really want is a keypad that fully emulates a keyboard. One that issues “Key Down” for a particular key when pressed and then “Key Up” when released. This will make your jogging motions nice, smooth, and controllable (just like the Carbide Motion interface when used with an actual keyboard). It also nice if the keypad supports custom images on each key.
I found this great little keypad for less than $50 at Amazon. It supports “Key Down” and “Key Up” (via the “Super HotKey” assignment) and also lets you make nice custom images for each key. It works great!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F59WH24Y
Here is the collection of key images I created for the keys you see in the photo:
VSD Keys for Nomad.zip (22.9 KB)
Rolling Table
I use a rolling tables for a bunch of machines in my shop (inc Two CNC Routers, Three Galvo Lasers, a Sublimation Printer, a Vinyl Cutter, a Soldering/Rework Station, and a Heat Press Station). My rolling work table for the N4 is set up so that all I have to plug in is ONE Power Cable and ONE USB cable when I roll it up next to my PC workstation. (These tables used to be less than $150 but, you know, “tariffs”…)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B1U8VCM
I use a little power strip mounted on the side of the table such that I only need to toggle 1 power switch (on the strip) to turn everything on. This includes both the N4 and a little USB 2.0 hub.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XXNHDW6
A little USB 2.0 hub is also attached to the back of the table to take a single USB feed from the PC and split it to be used both by the N4 and the Remote Keypad. As the N4 and the Keypad both only use USB 2.0, you really don’t want to use a USB 3.0 hub for this. USB 3.0 will be much more finicky in the long run (and 3.0 is subject to and generates higher frequency interference). Go with USB 2.0. Its simpler, cheaper, and more reliable.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000T9S4CI
Threadable Spoilboard (Clamping)
Here is the layout I use to laser cut a Threadable Spoilboard from 1/8” PressBoard. These inexpensive boards are great for clamping stuff directly to the table as all threaded table holes are accessible while also providing 1/8” of protection.
Spoil Board (Threadable).dxf (775.9 KB)
Spoilboard (Tape)
Here is the layout I use to cut a spoilboard for mounting projects with double sided tape. I have lots of left over Melamine so that is typically what I use.
I do a dimensional cut on my table saw and then mount the board to my N4 worktable using double sided tape. I then run a job to cut the holes and counter sinks – but NOT all the way through and just stopping a MM or two before the bottom of my spoilboard for safety. I finish the through holes (now that I have them located) using a drill press. I then mount the spoilboard back into the N4 (with M6 Cap Screws) and run a 0.5mm surfacing job (slightly oversized) to take off the Melamine and level the surface. (I also run this job any time the spoilboard needs to be resurfaced.)
Note that there are two different layouts here. One is fully symmetrical (and 10mm shorter on one side) and the other covers the full worktable. You may need to use the “symmetrical” spoilboard if your N4 is unable to zero (Bitzero) the left edge of your worktable as it was shipped from the factory (a solution for this follows):
Spoil Board (Full).dxf (732.8 KB)
Spoil Board (Symmetrical).dxf (732.8 KB)
End Stops
Much to my surprise, when trying to set up a surfacing job for my “full size” spoilboard, I found that the N4 (as shipped from the factory) would not BitZero anything aligned with the left edge of the worktable. The probing bit (and carriage), simply wouldn’t travel far enough to the left to make contact with the left edge of the centering hole in BitZero. The carriage would simply crash into the end stops before the bit would make contact. The carriage was physically limited in leftmost travel so it could never reach the outside of the BitZero hole. “Someone” designed the left-most end stops just a couple of MM too far to the right. (Maybe they put the center of the left side end stops where their right edge should have been?) Bummer!
I talked with Support about this at detail. Ultimately their solution was to effectively disable the end stops (a safety feature). They wanted me to move two of the cap screws on the left side ball screw housing out of the way of the end stops. These are what make contact with the end stops. (Curiously, their in house “customer test” N4 already had this done – unlike the units being shipped).
If I did this, then the carriage could effectively crash into the left wall of the enclosure as there would no longer be anything to make contact with the end stops. It also would also place the mounting points on the ball screw housing off center. My thought was, if we are going to render the end stops non-functional, why not just remove them without unnecessarily compromising the ball screw housing in the process? I was not happy about disabling the end stops in any case.
A quick solution was to simply move the left edge of my spoil board a little bit to the right. Moving it 10mm makes the board “symmetrical” so that is what I chose as a quick solution.
…but I found a more permanent solution. My BitZero needed only a couple more mm of gantry travel. Just about the width of the top lip on the end stop cap screws. (Hint, Hint). I found by replacing the left side end stops with simple 20mm threaded studs (thereby eliminating the added width of the cap), I could run my BitZero properly on the left corner of my work table – even with the 1/8” probing bit – just as it should have been designed in the first place. These new end stop “studs” allowed me to use BitZero on the left edge of my worktable while still preventing the gantry from colliding with the right side of the enclosure (just barely).
By my measure, the threaded cavity is about 12.5mm deep. That leaves about 7.5 mm protruding if these 20mm studs are run all the way in. The original heads on the cap screws are 6mm tall. My testing indicates the additional 1.5 mm is not an issue. Visual examination also seems to confirm this.
In the photo above you will see these studs with a little slot I had cut so I could work them with a straight bladed screwdriver. The product link I provided below is for 20mm M6 set screws (with a hex cavity) which would is even more perfect (as you don’t have to cut a slot). My replacements will be arriving tomorrow…
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DKYR9QQQ
Note that you will want to test your own N4 as a couple of MM of difference would make all the difference.
- Remove anything you have on your worktable and make sure it is clean.
- Put your 1/8” probing bit into the spindle
- Position your BitZero on the left front corner of your worktable
- Use Carbide Motion to drop the probing bit into the center of the BitZero hole (exactly like you would to start a probing operation)
- Turn off your N4 (to disable the steppers)
- Manually rotate the lead screw to move your gantry all the way to the left until it hits the end stops
- Does the probing pin contact the left side of the BitZero hole? (Mine was off by about 2-3mm)
- You MIGHT have better luck with the ¼” inch probing bit – but it SHOULD have been designed to work with either in any case
Wrenches
Anyone else get these ridiculous wrenches with their N4? I don’t know how much torque you need on your spindle nut, but these are way over sized for my needs. Its like someone needed 16mm and 22mm wrenches in a hurry and they ran out to Harbor Freight…
These are the type wrenches that should have been provided:
