SIEG X2L CNC By new member.

I am a new member here. Just joined today in fact.

I am not a professional, all of this is just for fun... playing, tinkering and entertainment during Covid19 Isolation.

I have recently bought a Australian Sheraton Type A lathe... It is amazing condition, almost like new and considering it is about 50 years old, works like new. I added a DRO to it without issues. (Some pictures attached).

So my skills are better than basic, but certainly not professional.

So I then went a step further and bought a brand new Sieg X2L milling machine. (Already wishing I bought a Optimum, as what I want seems to be readily available).

I would like to make it CNC. I have seen heaps of YouTube clips and seen where they mill all the parts individually.

I am not sure my skills are that good.

What I would like to buy is a complete kit, where you get all the instructions, all the bits and pieces, instructions in 1 go.

Am I dreaming ?

I also do not have a understanding of CAD... How are the designs inputted into the mill ? Does it automatically stop, when it needs a cutter change ?

Also seen a lot of software such as Mach3 and others...

I would just have thought this would have been a lot easier.

Ebay sellers, selling stepper motors, others selling designs, others selling metal work.


Very confusing to a newbe here...

Hope someone can assist.

BTW... I am in Melbourne, Australia.

Regards

Mike

I really congratulate you for this new initiative in these times of quarantine, because I tell you that I walk in them from home, I am looking for a way to buy machinery to start producing at home, and I am also new to the site.

Hi Mike.
Welcome to the world of cnc.
Im fairly new myself ( to cnc )and there is a lot to learn. It can be daunting but when you get the hang of it and watching your machine cutting parts its all worth while.
Cant help you with the seig questions as i built my own cnc from scratch.
Down in melb. you have Homman Designs and Ocean controls who can help on the electronics side of things.
I know most people have a budget and often look to the cheap ebay electronics but i believe in spending a bit more and get some decent quality stuff like gecko from Homman or Leadshine from ocean controls ( where i got my steppers and controllers from ).
As far as software for cnc you need 3 things, cad, cam and machine control.
Download fusion 360, its cad and cam in 1 program and free for hobby users.
You draw ( design ) what you want in cad then use cam to oranganise how your parts will be cut. Then send it to your machine control which move your mill to cut the parts.
So 3 lots of learning you have.
As far as machine control you have mentioned mach 3 but there are plenty others.
Look at uccnc, its what I'm using. I started with a mach 3 demo and was going to purchase a license. But Uccnc is newer and works out cheaper and i am relly happy with it.
Anyway hope i haven't put you off.
There is a lot to learn but its good fun and not that hard when you get going especially if you are mechanically minded which sounds like you are.

Ps i used to live in Vic, now in Qld.
You guys have still got tight restrictions going on down there. I don't miss vic 1 bit.
Cheers.

Barry.

Hi Mike - CAD is the steepest learning curve. CAM is linear you do this then this then this then you get a NC file and load it into say UCCNC. I use UCCNC and have played with "open builds" CONTROL which is free and interfaces with blackbox. I was going to use blackbox on the next little machine I make to give it a go...So people I have taught to run my router get through the CAM part real quick.

https://www.makerstore.com.au/product/elec-ob-bbmcs/ In Melbourne...Both are good. UCCNC is a bit more expensive and feels like a professional controller whereas open is a bit more basic but does get the machine working.

But learners get stuck in CAD, its not linear and there is so much to learn and understand. So use say Fusion360 or buy rhino3d or try Freecad. You have to persist as any CNC machine needs a CAD file to start. So research and learn about CNC and persist until you can design things and create an NC file. You can simulate the NC in camotics (free NC simulation software) so you know it will run, then you can move onto designing and building your machine. I'm in NSW near QLD border.. your in good hands in this forum...

Cheers Peter

I've attached something I wrote about the process for someone, may help. Its not the full story its sort of the first chapter in CAD/CAM/CNC to swarf

Quote:

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What I would like to buy is a complete kit, where you get all the instructions, all the bits and pieces, instructions in 1 go.

Am I dreaming ?

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This design has been around a long while.
Link----->https://www.heavymetalcnc.com/x2/
Including delivery and fees possibly a bit pricey in Australia ?

Quote:

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I would like to make it CNC. I have seen heaps of YouTube clips and seen where they mill all the parts individually.

I am not sure my skills are that good.

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You can do this. Worst case you learn by failing but if a good set a drawings can be found you won't fail. Farming out the machining of the ball screws may be a wise choice.
Chinese sellers machine ball screws for peanuts but the Chinese ones I'm aware of are the bulky flange type.