Monday, October 13, 2025
Oops. Disassembling Probe Number Five
Yes, disassemble number five. After smacking it around while investigating the probe height problem in the previous test the tip looks like this:
Well, damn. This is why we do not use micron probes for etching. I used the Probe Assembly Jig to get the probe out by the way, and it makes a decent Probe Disassembly Jig. May as well practice the technique on a damaged one.
This has implications for the previous test, in that it was unlikely I was ploughing the point per se into the marking dye. I have no idea at what stage I stuffed the tip, but I strongly suspect the initial touchdown into the resin-covered touch plate.
I'll make a new probe assembly using one of the acid-etched tips and try that out for resin deposition. Probably should image it after after the first touch and see what it looks like before I try depositing resin. It won't be anything like as accurate, but we'll see what data we can get out of it - particularly with regard to robustness!
The upgrades to the Y axis are done, by the way. I've added an 11mm booster under the tension bands to put more pressure on for anti-backlash. I added an extra band on each side too, though the little hook that they hang on to looks slightly over-stuffed with band.
If that works out, I'll put it on Github. Strange though that the other two axes don't show the problem. The Y axis isn't even the one with the highest loading.