CNC Mill conversion... It's begun!

[docsrcrepair]

I've been thinking of doing this to my mill..only problem I would have to key the head onto the upright column. But beings I am a machine repairman I think I could come up with something.. Keep up the good work.
I take it that your just running off a encoder and not a scale?

[outcastrc]

Not even sure what a scale is.

[IKke]

Stepper motors are usually driven without a encoder or scale. This is because stepper motors can be positioned(turned) quite precisely.

[outcastrc]

Wow, 4 months have already gone by and I haven't been able to touch the mill. (father'n'law had a bad case of cancer and recently passed) I'll be starting back up on this project soon and if everything goes according to plan will also be starting up a new build thread. This time a Prusa Mendel 3d Printer. It will compliment the mill and the cad'ing I learn will aply to both. Will be interesting to see just what RC objects I can make with that.

[BiLLy bOb]

im sorry to hear about your loss. I just went through the exact same thing with my father.

[RCP57]

I'm trying to decide between a mill like yours and top tech BF30. The top tech has a DRO installed and is almost twice the price. I would like to convert either machine to cnc later on but for the price difference I could almost cnc the king mill now. Have you done much machining with your mill? Do you wish it was a little bigger? The BF30 has its benefits but it might be a waist of money for building RC parts and the very odd steel piece. Do you know what the conversion cost over and above the mill?

Sorry to hear about your father inlaw.

Thanks Reg

[outcastrc]

Originally Posted by RCP57

I'm trying to decide between a mill like yours and top tech BF30. The top tech has a DRO installed and is almost twice the price. I would like to convert either machine to cnc later on but for the price difference I could almost cnc the king mill now. Have you done much machining with your mill? Do you wish it was a little bigger? The BF30 has its benefits but it might be a waist of money for building RC parts and the very odd steel piece. Do you know what the conversion cost over and above the mill?

Sorry to hear about your father inlaw.

Thanks Reg

Good questions.... The mill seems more then strong enough for any aluminium you'd care to throw at it. One of the things I am finding frustrating right now is the mill can only do about 2600 rpm. which you need to compensate for by going slower then you could at a higher rpm. The mill is capable of moving so much faster then I can currently push it. You can bump up the speed on it at a cost of torque but then you have to replace the bearings. I think we are going to try to at least get it to hit 5000 rpm. 10000 would be nice but then I think it would need a new motor and controller to do that.

There's more then enough room on the X and Z, Y could be a little bigger but I don't plan on making anything so large that it should be a problem.

Realistically I think there is about 1500 into the basic conversion itself on top of the mill cost.

I made these this weekend to swap my stock rc lawnmower wheels for turf and field tires. Still have to do a little more work before they can bolt to the mower.

[Madda]

Is direct drive better or belt drive?

[outcastrc]

Originally Posted by Madda

Is direct drive better or belt drive?

I can say that direct drive is simple and with large enough steppers they easily power the mill. So personally I don't see a reason to make it more complicated with a belt drive unless you go with a smaller system. The one area that I could see it is to put the Y stepper in the rear tucked away to keep the mill against a wall. The direct drive stepper system is quite deep and a belt system can change that to a much shallower depth.

[Madda]

Okay, direct drive seems good enough for me.
What do you think, are the nema 23 570oz/in motors minimum to use or 425oz should be fine too? Of course the Z would get the nema 34.
Was it hard to get all the electronics working? I'm afraid of all that electronics in CNC...
What is the accuracy you are getting when cutting aluminium? Have you tried milling stainless steel and steel?

[outcastrc]

The 570's don't cost much more then the 425's so it only makes sense to get them. I don't think the Z actually needs a nema 34 for the power personally but the size of the motor fits the mounting design so well so I wouldn't bother with a nema 23 on the Z.

If you haven't already check out Keling. They seemed the best bang for the buck when we ordered.

http://www.kelinginc.com/

[outcastrc]

With Rag updating his thread I thought I would do the same. This project has been plugging along over the last year. Slow progress and a lot of expenses. This machines currently had it's drive train replaced. Where the stock mill runs a 1hp motor, the new motor is a 2.8hp. Where the stock mill maxes out at around 2600rpm if you push it. The new one will hit around 9500rpm. It's about to get a full ball screw treatment to replace the acme screws and a powered drawbar. As well a custom stand to allow full flood coolant, electronics and tool storage.

I bought another mill so we could each have one sitting in both of our garages and it's been getting the same treatment.

[outcastrc]

Swapping in the ball screws was a pretty daunting task. First a lot of parts had to be cut. As there are now two machines to convert we cut two of everything. Once that was all done it started going back together.

[toyranosaur]

You make GIGANTIC parts!! (I've been into R/C for too long....) So, you say "We" and mention Rag- Are you guys located close to each other? I know you're in Canuckistan & Rag is in AK, so thought.....

I still remember your using the little craft-cutter-thing! So impressive, taking on a project like this.....

Sorry to hear about your Dad-in-law Mate. Keep pluggin', Chris REC

[outcastrc]

Originally Posted by toyranosaur

You make GIGANTIC parts!! (I've been into R/C for too long....) So, you say "We" and mention Rag- Are you guys located close to each other? I know you're in Canuckistan & Rag is in AK, so thought.....

I still remember your using the little craft-cutter-thing! So impressive, taking on a project like this.....

Sorry to hear about your Dad-in-law Mate. Keep pluggin', Chris REC

Eventually the goal is to start making RC parts again...

I have a buddy in town and we are building the exact same machines. That way we are helping each other get there. It helps when we have to take one apart to work on or upgrade that we always have a 2nd machine to use as a backup.