Traming shapeoko 3 w HDZ 4.0

CNC Machines Shapeoko
1

I recently noticed that my shapeoko is way out of tram on the left-right axis: I’ts off by 1/8" over 8 inches.

I’ve been looking for tramming instructions / videos, so far to no avail.
All I could find is in this doc: https://docs.carbide3d.com/assembly/HDZ4_0/HDZ4_0.pdf
which says "65mm or 80mm Spindle Mounts: There should be no need to tram the motor left/right, as it is precision milled. "

Well, I do have a need to tram left-right. How do I do it?

Thanks.

picture below, so people can see what I have.

PXL_20210630_001905667
PXL_20210630_0019056673024×4032 1.37 MB

2

To confirm — there is 1/8" of difference over the full sweep of the spindle square which you have made.

Please work from large – small — loosen all the nuts and fasteners and belts to start, then tighten them as you work through each bullet point below:

  • verify that the table is level
  • level the endplates using the leveling feet
  • verify that the Y-axis rails are level and parallel — shim as necessary to achieve that
  • verify that the X-axis gantry is level and at right angles to the Y-axis rails and plum — again, shim as necessary to arrive at that
  • verify that the HDZ is level and plumb

then tension the belts and review everything.

Once the structure of the machine is level tram the spoilboard:

or

3

Thanks Will. You can see my “gauge” in the picture. It touches the board on the left swing, and has a 1/8" gap on the right. It’s a 8" radius, so probably more accurate to describe as 1/8" over 16 inches.

I will re-check the levels as suggested, as i have nothing else to do, but I’d like to understand why this would help. The board I am testing with my “gauge” has just been fully surfaced. I did it left to right so there are no scallops. it’s perfectly smooth. Even if the machine was not level or the gantries were not level, the board should relatively be level with the gantry. So, how would it help to re-level everything? (other than it’s good hygiene and something to do regularly).

Forgot to mention that the sides of the 65mm mount are as square to the board as I can see with my machinist square. From this, I am guessing that the spindle is not sitting straight in the mount. So what I’m looking for is a way to tilt the mount to compensate for this. Yes, I could try to put shims between the mount and the spindle, but I shouldn’t have to.

meanwhile will also try to rotate, or try another spindle if I find one that fits.

Thanks.

jm.

4

I have a 3 xxl with hdz. I got some 123 setup blocks from Amazon. Remove router and use setup blocks to level mount to table. Then flatten waste board and if necessary re level mount and flatten again. If mount needs front to back use alum foil doubled up to level front to back.

5

Is he tramming to a board and not the waste board?

6

Mine had a manufacturing defect which caused a similar problem.

Check the holes in the grey anodized aluminum plate that the eccentric nuts feed through You might find that they were “repaired” (airquotes mine) after anodizing and aren’t round. This condition causes the shoulder to not bottom out and subsequent tightening just cinches the whole assembly out of square.

I would start there, but that may not be your issue at all.

7

So if you partially loosen the screws of the mount, doesn’t it grant you a little bit of wiggle to adjust left/right tramming?

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Ahum. It’s only mildly embarrassing, but yes, it does.

I have no idea why I didn’t even try…

Thanks :slight_smile:

1 Like
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