Question Undocumented assembly steps, wheezes and advice

If you have any advice on a specific point for those about to embark on building a Stepcraft, please add to this thread. If related to specific machine please cite, likewise if possible quote stepcraft part-numbers from the assembly manual, with a photograph if helpful.

Here's mine:

Parts #90/#38 (Clamping system - grey powder-coated channel with M5 threaded holes qty 10)

The powder-coating on these two (#90) parts had migrated into the threads as supplied, and had to be gently and carefully reamed out with an M5x0.8mm tap before use, to clean out the threads before use. Caution, most tap sets also contain an M5 0.9mm tap, so have a care to select the correct (0.8mm) one. Great care should be taken that the tap is correctly aligned so as not to cut a new, "cross-threaded" hole. If unused to using taps, then suggest you use a light engineering firm to do the job. Winding the screws (#38) into each of the holes with a suitable allen-key might have worked to clear them of excess powder-coat, but I lacked the courage to try it!

Great idea for a thread. Some users have suggested something similar previously. Here are forum links to specific advice I have posted here:

Spindle/Bed Tramming (Levelling)

https://www.stepcraft-systems.com/en/forum/assembly-and-maintenance/3367-spindle-bed-tramming-840-supports#42414

Motor Set Screws Vibrating Loose

https://www.stepcraft-systems.com/en/forum/assembly-and-maintenance/3642-x-motor-set-screws-vibrating-loose-during-tuning

Track Roller Tightening Tip

https://www.stepcraft-systems.com/en/forum/assembly-and-maintenance/4260-track-roller-tightening-tip

Y Axis Mechanical Tuning/Excess Powder Coat in Bearing Rebates

https://www.stepcraft-systems.com/en/forum/operation/3841-stepcraft-840-won-t-move#40734

https://www.stepcraft-systems.com/en/forum/assembly-and-maintenance/3777-stepcraft-is-an-unbaked-product-and-i-hate-it#39996

https://www.stepcraft-systems.com/en/forum/operation/3176-clicking-noise-x-y-axes#40100

Y Axis Gantry Alignment

https://www.stepcraft-systems.com/en/forum/assembly-and-maintenance/3942-y-axis-screws-out-of-sync#41943

One more from me:

If you're getting router and the LED lighting set, be sure not to start building the router until you've got the LED set, this is because - as far as I understand it - the wiring for the LED cables needs to be routed through the same tiny hose as all the x/y cabling (imho - there simply isn't room for both sets of cables!). Unless of course you have an enclosure, whereupon one could simply route the cables under the router and put the LED's on the under-surface of the enclosure "ceiling"; if indeed the cables are long enough! Moreover the instructions invite you to drill a 4mm hole through the gantry side to route the cable!

Upshot, the LED lighting set appears somewhat ill-though-out, and certainly purchasers should be warned about the logical point at which this thing can practically fit it to a router - ie not try retrofitting it to an extant machine.