EMCO F1 CNC mill CONVERSION - beginner!

Hello everyone :wave:,


I am new on the forum and excited to be a new member. I'm happy that I can discuss with you guys, on the topic that interest us all. I am even more happy because I will learn a ton of new knowledge.
Sooo...I've just buy a Emco F1 CNC mill from a local school. It's in good condition, powers on and all the axis move. All the parts are original. I'm new at these branch, so any information how to start this project will be helpful. I want to rebuild it and make a conversion. I want it to be controlled with Mach3. I decide to replace stepper motors with the servo motors, because they have feedback loop and they are more precise. Do you think this idea is OK?? Mybe anybody know what are suitable servo motors for replacements?? I know that servo motors are very expensive so is this replacement the right idea for this hobby machine?? Also do anybody know any supplier with good kits. I have a lot more questions, so any information will be helpful.

I will post pictures of my project, step by step so anybody in the future with the same problem can help with these threat.

So... any pictures (of your already finished projects), informations, documents, manuals, etc, will be veeery helpful.

Thank you to everyone who readsand/or responds.


AV

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Here are some pictures of my little beast as I promised. Yesterday I start to strip it down and for the beginning clean every mess down. I've searching for plate with specs of X,Y,Z drive motors, but I don't find anything useful. Does anybody know specs of these motors?? I need them for research, which servo motors will be the best replacement.

I have one more problem, which is mystery to me. This little machine has 30 tool holders (ISO 30), but I can not find anywhere, what is the standard mark for pull studs (on the picture below).I just know, that the head of the pull studs have thread of M12. Does anybody know standard mark of this pull studs?? It will be OK too, if someone who have these pull studs already at home, measured it for me. I will made them by myself (I have a lathe and a possibility for heat treatment). Any information would be great.

Thank you guys for any informations. I will post more new pictures of my project soon.

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I forgot to mention. I buy this machine without any tool holders. 30 tool holders I already ordered at Garant (Hoffmann group). But there is a ton of different pull studs, so I do not know which one to order. As I already said, the dimensions of pull studs would be great too.

I don't think the pull studs are standard. There is a yahoo group which has some 3d models of the pull stud that might be helpful:

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/emcof1mill

The files section has a few different items related to the pull studs. If that doesn't get you what you need, I can try to measure my tool holders (I'm a bit of a novice)... I've got a PC Mill 50, but it should be the same as your F1. Finally, if you haven't seen it, there is someone selling individual pull studs on ebay:

NEW EMCO F1 PC50 PC55 CNC MILL MACHINE BT30 CAT30 TOOL HOLDER PULL STUD 1/2"-13 | eBay

Those are meant for CAT30/BT30 holders so the thread won't work for your holders (1/2" x 13 vs M12), but if you just wanted one in hand to measure that may be a cheap way to go. Or perhaps contact directly and see if they would send you dimensions or make a version to match your holders.

From information of my friends, any machine have their own shape of pull studs. For example Emco have different shape of pull studs than Hermle machines. As seen on pictures bellow, pull studs are standard. I contact the supplier of tools, and he told me that pull studs of this Emco F1 are problem (the machine is old) and the best way is, that I make pull stud by myself (he knows a few people that have Emco F1 at home and he will try to find dimensions for me). About thread: the Emco is Austrian machine, so I would expected, that this holders have metric thread. This pull stud on ebay with 1/2''x13 thread it's very strange. I think that's for tool holders, made in America. @seanano are you registered in this group on yahoo? If you are, I will very appreciate if you find this models with dimensions for me.
Soo..at first I will wait on supplier. Maybe he will find dimensions from people he knows. If you find dimensions in group on yahoo before my supplier, that will be awesome. In bad case I will buy this pull stud on ebay just for top dimensions (thread it's no mater). When I solve this problem with dimensions, I will post 3D model of this pull stud here, so anybody in the future can help with it.

@seanano, thank you for your reply, I very appreciate that!

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@seanano...I forgot to reply...yes your PC mill 50 have the same tool holders and pull studs, so you can try measure your pull studs with caliper (no problem if you are novice, every dimension will be great :cheers:)
And I will try contact the dealer on ebay for dimensions also :D

I've solve the problem :D..the documentation of Emco pull stud is on attached picture. The documentation is little overdimensioned, but this isn't matter. I hope I have given all the dimensions. In case I did not, let somebody remind me ;). The dimenisons are in milimeters.
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