First background. I have had for many years now a Stepcraft 2 300. I really like it, but it's starting to wear out and I'd like to have something much more rigid. I've used it to cut wood and plastics where it performs very well. It also works for aluminium if the depth of cut is low enough, but there are severe vibrations. I've also tried to mill steel but it doesn't work.
I've looked at the available options, but there seems to be no machines which would be equally small but much more rigid.
That's why I'm now designing a machine to build myself. I've thinking of following requirements.
- Working space (XYZ): 300x400x150mm
- Fixed gantry
- Rigid enough to mill aluminum with ease and some steel with shallow depth of cut
- Profile linear rails and ball screws
- Stepper motors
The working space is a bit bigger than in the old mill. I'm only making a bit bigger machine to make it more rigid.
For now I have two questions about the design.
I have a Kress 800 FME spindle for the Stepcraft. Could it be used in the new machine as well or should i buy a new one? The Kress seems to be quite well made but I don't want that the rigidity of the machine is wasted by light spindle.
How to make the table? I like T-slots but cutting them in a solid piece of steel would not be an easy job to do.
Primarily I'm building a rigid machine. I don't care if it ends up being solid steel and weighing several hundred kilograms if it just is rigid.
I've considered using epoxy granite but I'm not willing to go that route.
I have access to a machine shop with lathes, mills, welding equipment etc. so building the machine is not a problem.