Chapter 06 — Z axis (and Chapter 06b — Gantry squaring)

Time: 3.5–5.0 h hands-on for Part A, first build · Sessions: 9 × ~30 min · Steps: 42

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Before — end of Ch 05: the gantry, on the bench

After — end of Ch 06: gantry on the Z joints, Z belts run

What this chapter builds — orange is new, grey is what you already built. The gantry is in the machine at last, hanging on the four Z joints - you built it over Chapters 04 and 05, so it is grey here. New this chapter: the Z joints themselves, closed around the carriages, and the four Z belts run from drive to idler. CAD Z belts are cut for the 250. Chapter 06 gives the 350 length.

StartBefore you start

Step 06.1Confirm the starting state

Step 06.2Learn the four names

Step 06.3Seat an M5 nut in each Z bearing block

Step 06.4Cut the four Z belts

Step 06.5Lay the first belt end under the gantry corner

Step 06.6Fit the lower belt clip

Step 06.7Fit the Z bearing block

Step 06.8Repeat at all four corners

Step 06.9Fit the four lower Z joints to the Z carriages

Step 06.10Park the four lower joints at a matched heightwith a helper

Step 06.11Turn the gantry over and stage the liftwith a helper

Step 06.12Two-person lift: tilt the gantry into the framewith a helper

Step 06.13Set the gantry down onto the lower jointswith a helper

Step 06.14Bolt the first Z joint together

Step 06.15Repeat at the other three joints

Step 06.16Extend all four Z idlerswith a helper

Step 06.17Loosen the four top belt clamps

Step 06.18Route the first belt down and around the Z drive

Step 06.19Take the belt up and over the Z idler

Step 06.20Clamp the second end and pull it tightwith a helper

Step 06.21Trim, fold and tie the excess

Step 06.22Do the other three Z belts

Step 06.23Even the four belts by handwith a helper

Step 06.24Square the gantry to the A/B drives and lock the X axis

Step 06.25Release the gantry and check it moves freelywith a helper

Step 06.26Close out the mechanical Z axis

Checkpoint 06Tick before moving on

Step 06b.1Raise the stepper idle timeout

Step 06b.2Home and level

Step 06b.3Set the Z belts to 140 Hzwith a helper

Step 06b.4Park the gantry in the middle

Step 06b.5Disable only the A and B motors

Step 06b.6Release the A/B belt tension completely

Step 06b.7Confirm access to the Z and XY joints (the side panels are not on yet)

Step 06b.8Unscrew and drop the lower Z jointswith a helper

Step 06b.9Partially loosen the X/Y joints

Step 06b.10Partially loosen the A/B joints and the front idlers

Step 06b.11Level the gantry onto the Z jointswith a helper

Step 06b.12Retighten everything except the X/Y joints

Step 06b.13Reinstall the lower Z joints, lightly

Step 06b.14De-rack the gantry, then tighten the X/Y joints

Step 06b.15Re-tension the A/B belts to 110 Hz (provisional, cold)with a helper

Step 06b.16Hand off: RESTART, then back to Ch 13 Step 13.35 — panels (Ch 11 Part B) and Ch 14's final tension and hot lock-in come after

Checkpoint 06bTick before moving on

Gather per session — what to lay out before each bench segment.

• Steps 06.1–06.4 · ~30 min — Fasteners, Tools & Misc box: M5 hex nut ×4 · Printed parts: z_joint_upper_x4 ×4 (bin 06-Z-joints) · Tools and consumables: Gates 2GT open belt, 9 mm wide, four lengths of about 1400 mm; masking tape
• Steps 06.5–06.8 · ~40 min — Fasteners, Tools & Misc box: M3×30 SHCS ×4; M5×30 BHCS ×4 · Printed parts: [a]_z_belt_clip_lower_x4 ×4 (bin 06-Z-joints) · Already on the bench: one cut Z belt; one Z bearing block with its M5 nut; the other three cut Z belts; the other three Z bearing blocks
• Steps 06.9–06.10 · ~25 min — Fasteners, Tools & Misc box: M3×20 SHCS ×16 · The Z rails: Rubber rail stopper ×4 · Printed parts: z_joint_lower_x4 ×4 (bin 06-Z-joints) · Already on the bench: the four z_rail_stop_x4 on the rail tops, if fitted (bin 02-Z0, 02-Z1, 02-Z2, 02-Z3)
• Steps 06.11–06.15 · ~45 min — Fasteners, Tools & Misc box: M5×40 SHCS ×4 · Tools and consumables: a towel over the bed; long zip tie, only without the rubber stoppers ×4 · Already on the bench: the gantry
• Steps 06.16–06.21 · ~40 min — Tools and consumables: zip tie, 3×150 mm ×1 · Already on the bench: one Z belt, first end clamped; the same Z belt; the upper belt clip on this corner; the two M5×16 BHCS on top of this corner
• Step 06.22 · ~30 min — Tools and consumables: zip tie, 3×150 mm ×3 · Already on the bench: the other three Z belts
• Steps 06.23–06.25 · ~35 min — nothing to lay out
• Step 06.26 · ~15 min — Set out for later steps: z_chain_bottom_anchor ×1 (bin 10-chains); z_chain_guide ×1 (bin 10-chains); [a]_z_chain_retainer_bracket_x2 ×2 (bin 10-chains); drag chain 10×15 R28 ×1
• Steps 06b.1–06b.16 — Already on the bench: the four Z-joint M5×40 SHCS

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