CNC milling machine retrofit

[Ian Dalziel]

Cheers Jason,
I did look at a smaller mill......but i needed a heavier duty machine to perform what i want to do.....now i've got the cnc sussed i'm going to build a cnc router.....just starting to save again for all the bits required....knock a fair old hole in the pocket....work commitments have got in the road of finishing the z axis but wont be too long till i get home and finish it.

regards

Ian

 

[ProShop]

Absolutely fantastic.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Ian

I'm looking forward to seeing the next installment.

Cheers
Neil

 

[Jake]

I did look at a smaller mill......but i needed a heavier duty machine to perform what i want to do.....

I'm intrigued as to what you are going to make on this.

Jake

 

[Ian Dalziel]

Again work commitments has held back progress but I’ve had a good few days at it and managed to almost finish the Z axis….just needs the guards made and painted to blend in with the rest of the machine.
I fitted a flange bearing, which has a 35mm id I then turned the timing pulley to suit and inserted into flange. The ballscrew nut is fitted onto the timing pulley so when the motor turns it turns the bearing instead of the ballscrew…..works nice….
I made a flange which bolts onto the quill….there was a flange there originally so it was an ideal place to bolt the plate………..you can see from the pictures that I have 4 little lugs on the plate….these are for attaching my router body as I need to cnc rout some small bits and pieces and I also want to be able to engrave…..i will update this as soon as I have it made………

Ian

 

[Chris Knight]

Ian,
Not sure if I understand this now - is the bottom plate from the screw to the quill the thing that drives the vertical motion or is it a sensor?. It the former, there would seem to be some enormous cantilever forces that could rack the system?

BTW the workshop is starting to look just a leeetle bit crowded now..

 

[jasonB]

I was thinking the same chris, it looks like there could be a risk of flexing where the plate joins the screwed shaft.

I'm also worried what the shop will look like once the CNC is if full swing with the coolant pump on, soluble oil & swarf all over the place :lol:

Jason

 

[Ian Dalziel]

Chris...Jason,
Yes that is what pulls the quill up and down.......the ballscrew doesnt rotate the bearing does. When i first thought about it this way i thought maybe the same but the plate is 10mm thick and i bought some 16mm thick but it feels absolutly solid with the 10mm i cannot deflect it iin any way but the proof will be in the pudding once it starts cutting.....the force is still in the quill the ballscrew is more of a guide. The quill on the mill runs lovely up and down on bearings so i gave it a go here...if it doesnt work its back to the drawing board.

I have made up perpex guards for the front and sides of it....if its too messy the machine goes.... no mercy.....I realised the size was getting cramped so it will be getting moved slightly once i have cleared out some other equipement....messy shop....never..

Ian

 

[JFC]

There isnt a speck of dust in your workshop ! How do you do that ?