CNC Mill #2 update

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JimGlass
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Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2003 8:33 pm
Location: 40 Miles West of Chicago/near DeKalb
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CNC Mill #2 update

Post by JimGlass »

Hi;

Just showing a progress report on my second CNC milling machine. I'm using 550 oz/in steppers and Gecko drives with an Axuss control board. Hope to have this puppy making chips in 2 weeks. Waiting on the board for the most part.

Travel in the x axis is 24" and 14" in the y axix. The z axis has square gibs for more ragidity. Notice the head is mounted to a moveable ram for even more capacity. The "Z" stepper is just out of the picture. All that is left is intalling the feed screws and paint the column.
Jim Image
Image Still need to order the couplings for steppers to feed screw.
Tool & Die Maker/Electrician, Retired 2007

So much to learn and so little time.

www.outbackmachineshop.com
John_Stevenson
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Joined: Sun Dec 22, 2002 9:51 am
Location: Nottingham, England.

Re: CNC Mill #2 update

Post by John_Stevenson »

Jim, What's an Axxus control board ?

John S.
JimGlass
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Re: axxus board

Post by JimGlass »

Hi John;
Are you up early or up late???

www.members.shaw.ca/axxus
Here is a link is Axxus Technology. To begin with, I thought the Gecko dirver board would connect to same way as The Xylotex board. As you know, the Xylotex board offers a cable that connects the board directly to the printer port. Gecko driver boards are not set up like that. I researched this all last week. At the CNC Zone message board, someone suggested using the Axxus control board. The printer port connects to the control board and up to 4 driver boards connect to it. It was a simple way to connect the Gecko drivers to the printer port. There may have been cheaper ways to achieve this but not simpler, in my opinion.
I have know idea how to connect printer port wires to the Gecko drivers.

A guy named Dean makes the contol boards in Canada for $60/US. I spoke with by phone and ordered a board plus another board with 2 relays that connects. I figure if I make life easier and learn something at rhe same time it will be money well spent. These expenses come out of my business account anyway so they are all tax deductible.

Here is another board for $200 that works the same as the Axxus board but has input and output terminals.

http://pico-systems.com/univstep.html

Let's keep in touch becuase I may need help wiring all this stuff up.
Jim
Tool & Die Maker/Electrician, Retired 2007

So much to learn and so little time.

www.outbackmachineshop.com
12L14
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Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2012 2:56 pm
Location: Beyul

Re: CNC Mill #2 update

Post by 12L14 »

Hi Jim.

I know i'm diggin' decade old topic, but do you remember any spindle construction details - like bearings type in headstock, collets, motour etc.?
Tool&die maker since yesterday ;)
JimGlass
Posts: 2281
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Location: 40 Miles West of Chicago/near DeKalb
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Re: CNC Mill #2 update

Post by JimGlass »

You dug deep to find this project. I built that mill in 2002. By the way don't ever build a machine
using shafts and linear bearings. It will not be rigid enough to machine metals..

Here is a link to the last milling machine I built. It has dovetail ways, thrust bearings and ball screws. It has been very useful and limited only by the 1/2 spindle horse power. There are pics of the spindle:

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jglass/ ... c=1&page=1


Image

The spindles I make start out with a 3/4 or 1" shank DA collet chuck. This way I can run different
tools with different shanks. I can't make a collet chuck when I can buy one on Ebay.

Then I use R12 or larger double seal bearings for the collet chucks to rotate in. The collet chucks are then retained between two R series bearings with locking collars or snap rings. It is quite simple and components can be found on Ebay. These are light duty spindles but the bench top machines I have built are low horse power so these spindles work fine.

A heavy duty spindle would probably use tapered bearings with a locking system to adjust end play.
Never made one of those.
Jim
Tool & Die Maker/Electrician, Retired 2007

So much to learn and so little time.

www.outbackmachineshop.com
MariaPinto
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Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2015 6:07 am

Re: CNC Mill #2 update

Post by MariaPinto »

Nice progress. Keep up the great work. :)
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