Triquetra CNC Y Axis End Plate

Installation Guide

Use caution when carving thin material with short bits. After installing your new end plates your X axis
Maker Slide will be 1 inch higher than it was originally. While this allows you to carve material that is 1 inch
thicker it also introduces the possibility of your Z axis moving downward too far and coming off of the Z axis
rail with the bottom set of rollers. Always test the travel of your Z axis before starting a project to insure
that it will not come off the rail at the lower end. If you are using a small bit that is short then you may need
to add a secondary waste board on top of your primary waste board to elevate the material being carved so
that the Z axis has enough downward travel available.

To install please follow the below steps:

1. Position the Spindle with the Z axis up close to the upper limit of travel and in the midpoint of the X
axis.
2. Turn the power off to your CNC Machine.
3. Remove the belt tensioning bracket from both ends of each Y Axis Rails and end plates. Slip the belt off
the drive gear teeth so that the X Axis Maker Slide moves freely without engaging the belt.
4. Manually move the X axis maker slide so it is about 2 inches from the forward limit at the front of the
machine.
5. Remove the two bottom screws from all four existing Y Axes end Plates leaving the top two screws
that connect the end plates to the Y axis rails installed to support the Y axis rails.
6. Remove one of the existing end plates from the front of the Machine and attach a new end plate with
two screws to the Y axis rails only. DO NOT tighten; you will need to loosen them for adjustment later
during installation. Just make them slightly snug for now.
7. Repeat step 6 for the other front end plate.
8. Repeat step 5 and 6 for the back Y Axis end plates one at a time.
9. With the Maker Slide still at the Front of the machine, install the two remaining screws to attach the
end plates to the bottom rails on both front corners but do not tighten.
10. Cut a spacer block from a piece of wood that is about 1 inch by 1 inch square and thick enough that it
will slide between the Y axis rail and your waste board at one front corner with end plate screws loose.
(Mark the top with an X to insure you don’t change the orientation of the block when used at other
corners) When in place, the spacer block should support the Y Axis rail and not bind against the Y
Axis end plate mount screws. Place the spacer block between the Y axis rail and the waste board then
securely tighten all four mount screws for that corner only. Remove the spacer block.
11. Repeat step 10 using the same spacer block for the other Y Axis at the front of the machine.
12. With both front Y Axis plates installed and screws securely tightened, move the X Axis Maker slide to
the back of the machine leaving room for the spacer block.
13. Check your machine alignment to insure it is square at all for corners before tightening any of the
back mounting screws.
14. Repeat steps 9 through 11 for both back Y Axis plates one at a time except the X Axis Maker Slide will
be at the back of the machine not the front and using the same spacer block from step 10.
15. Check each corner with the spacer block to insure that the height of the Y Axis rails is the same at all
four corners. If adjustment is necessary be sure to slide the X Axis Maker slide close to the corner that
is being adjusted to maintain proper spacing between left and right Y Axis rails.
16. Check your machine alignment again to insure it is still square at each corner.
17. Move the X Axis Maker Slide back and forth along the Y Axis rails (without the belts engaging the pulley
teeth) to insure a smooth movement with no binding. If there is binding then loosen the mount screws
for one corner closest to the area where binding is found with the spacer block inserted under the Y
axis rail. Move the Maker slide back and forth until binding is relieved and then retighten the end plate
screws. Recheck for binding.
18. This would be a good time to inspect your belts for wear or fraying that indicates impending failure and
replace if needed.
19. Loop the belts back over the drive pulley so that the teeth engage the belt and re-Install the belts
tension brackets. Use a spacer to set the distance of the X Axis Maker slide a few inches back from one
end of the machine before tightening the belt on one side. Then use the same spacer to position the
other end of the X Axis Maker Slide at the same location and tighten that belt. Adjust the belt tension
according to specifications.