[SatanKlawz]

I bet you if you bought a new car and had an accident you would try to return it to the dealership because the manual didnt state that you needed to slow down when approaching an intersection......

[knudsen]

SatanKlawz? OK, whatever...

Nate, I would suggest looking over the build threads of others' and see what pitfalls they have run into. There are a lot of well documented build threads here, and if you look through them, you're likely to learn what fits and what hits on your mill. There are tone of completed builds on x2's. I don't do CNC yet, so I can't give you any tried and true answers, so you should probably read up on what's worked for others with their x2's. Search for x2, and I think you will find many completed x2 builds and tones of info. Maybe you can figure out what the best sources for the parts are. Then I can just copy your build-up :rainfro:

adding in: I think you'll find there are plenty of brackets and couplers and such to make along the way. If you read through some x2 builds, you might find some good shortcuts and avoid repeating others' pitfalls.

[nateman_doo]

I have been looking at all the things Hoss has done to his and I have been staring at it for close to 2 weeks and its still incredible. It would be cool if there was a sticky thread that had all the X2 worklogs instead of sifting through hundreds of pages of threads. My internet connection stinks at work.

[nateman_doo]

I bet you if you bought a new car and had an accident you would try to return it to the dealership because the manual didnt state that you needed to slow down when approaching an intersection......

of course? doesn't everyone?

[knudsen]

I have been looking at all the things Hoss has done to his and I have been staring at it for close to 2 weeks and its still incredible. It would be cool if there was a sticky thread that had all the X2 worklogs instead of sifting through hundreds of pages of threads. My internet connection stinks at work.

You know, that's a really good idea, a sticky with links to all the build threads. It could be self-served, you know, just sticky a new thread called Build Threads or such, and everyone can post a sticky to their thread when they start a build, if they want.

[nateman_doo]

You know, that's a really good idea, a sticky with links to all the build threads. It could be self-served, you know, just sticky a new thread called Build Threads or such, and everyone can post a sticky to their thread when they start a build, if they want.

I would call it ALL THINGS X2. There are hundreds of threads to sift through, and its killing my productivity at work :P looking through all of them. Maybe I will take a swing at it tomorrow?

Yea right, who am I kidding?! I can't take my eyes off of Hoss's machine. I am trying to read and figure everything out. Like taking a drink of water from a fire hose.

[Crevice Reamer]

X2 teardown:
http://crevicereamer.com/Page_7.html

Some of this basic CNC info might be helpful to you:
http://crevicereamer.com/Page_2.html

This is what I recommend for electronics:
http://crevicereamer.com/Page_11.html

Get it all from Keling.

CR.

[nateman_doo]

very helpful crevice.

I have been trying to figure out how to extend the Y axis, and after looking at lots of mods, I have to ask...

Other then it being fun, and challenging, Why not just buy a bigger table? I found a Palmgren Compound Milling Table 18 5/8 X 6 with 12x8" of travel.

Bear with me if its a stupid question since I am super new. I really don't need to do anything more then have 12"x12" of X/Y travel. The Z axis is a non-issue since I don't mill anything close to the capacity of the Z axis.

I would assume all the mods for the CNC can be performed on this table as well right?

[photomankc]

Each full rotation is 0.008"? No thank you! My God, you be cranking that handle till your grandkids were born to make a part.


EDIT: Never mind. Just a typo on the specs. The Palmgren website says 2mm per revolution so approx 0.079". That would be hell to deal with as a manual milling table, but I guess to the CNC machine not too much trouble. I'm guissing getting it mounted well to the column would be non-trivial.

[hoss2006]

I have been trying to figure out how to extend the Y axis, and after looking at lots of mods, I have to ask...

Other then it being fun, and challenging, Why not just buy a bigger table? I found a Palmgren Compound Milling Table 18 5/8 X 6 with 12x8" of travel.

Bear with me if its a stupid question since I am super new. I really don't need to do anything more then have 12"x12" of X/Y travel. The Z axis is a non-issue since I don't mill anything close to the capacity of the Z axis.

I would assume all the mods for the CNC can be performed on this table as well right?

If you're thinking of going that route, don't spend $255, here's the same table for $92.
http://cgi.ebay.com/HEAVY-COMPOUND-C...QQcmdZViewItem

Zipsnipe used one similar (they are sold all over) to build this mill.
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18992

I cover that and others travel increases here.
http://www.hossmachine.info/X2_Travel_Increases.html
More food for thought.
Hoss

[nateman_doo]

Thanks hoss! reading all that too.

On a side note, why is this forums layout Bass Ackwards? When I go to a thread, I have to go to the last page, and scroll all the way to the bottom. Then click the page before that, scroll all the way to the bottom etc...

I have never seen any other forum on the planet do this. We read from left to right, not the other way. Is there a setting that will turn this back into normal?

[Crevice Reamer]

On a side note, why is this forums layout Bass Ackwards? When I go to a thread, I have to go to the last page, and scroll all the way to the bottom. Then click the page before that, scroll all the way to the bottom etc...

I have never seen any other forum on the planet do this. We read from left to right, not the other way. Is there a setting that will turn this back into normal?

Go to the column "Last post." Click on the arrow to right of the poster's name and you will be taken to the last post of the thread.

There are also custom options available in "UserCP"

CR.

[nateman_doo]

Yea, "Last post" is what I was clicking. Other forms your main post is page one, and all replies go to page 1, then 2, then 3. Here the main post is the last page.

[knudsen]

Maybe need to change "Thread display mode" to linear: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/faq.ph...thread_display

See "Thread Display Options " under CP|Edit Options

[nateman_doo]

omg SOOOOO much better!!!!!!!!!


Thanks!

[knudsen]

hehe no problem, Nate. I just looked around in the CP and saw the setting. Glad it fixed your troubles. I think we just found the "easy button." That must have sucked reading the forums backasswards.

[nateman_doo]

oh I couldn't believe the default setting was bassackwards! God this forum just became that much more enjoyable to read and sift through. Now, back on topic...

If I get these items... I am up and running?
Belt Drive Conversion Kit:
http://www.littlemachineshop.com/pro...ory=1687114045
$129.95

Motors, power, controller:
http://www.kelinginc.net/ThreeXCNCPackage2.html
$377.24

Axis ballscrew kit:
http://www.cncfusion.com/minimill1.html Mini-Mill Kit #4
$559

+ Computer & software?

I am reading ZipSnipes thread, and thinking I could use that milling table. I just have to "attach" the Z column with black magic & voodoo to that new base and its up and running. There are plenty of scrap metal around my job that can be used, and I have a mig welder at home.

[Crevice Reamer]

oh I couldn't believe the default setting was bassackwards! God this forum just became that much more enjoyable to read and sift through. Now, back on topic...

If I get these items... I am up and running?
Belt Drive Conversion Kit:
http://www.littlemachineshop.com/pro...ory=1687114045
$129.95

Motors, power, controller:
http://www.kelinginc.net/ThreeXCNCPackage2.html
$377.24

Axis ballscrew kit:
http://www.cncfusion.com/minimill1.html Mini-Mill Kit #4
$559

+ Computer & software?

I am reading ZipSnipes thread, and thinking I could use that milling table. I just have to "attach" the Z column with black magic & voodoo to that new base and its up and running. There are plenty of scrap metal around my job that can be used, and I have a mig welder at home.

The CNCFusion kit won't fit that cross slide, although Michael WILL probably offer it in size for LMS SX2L.

I can see you have made up your mind, but I would be doing you a disservice if I didn't try once more:

You get MUCH more value, power and ease of installation for just a few dollars more in the electronics I recommended for you. After you add a spindle speed control card and cable connectors, (Which come WITH the G540) the cost is about equal. For the same money, why not get the best? Optoisolation, resonance dampning, full step speed morphing, vampire reliability, $70 worth of free future 4th axis driver and Gecko bulletproof warranty.

You are now already spending as much as the SX2L would cost, but will not have as much mill after a lot of extra labor and time. LMS will have them back in stock shortly. Why spend a bunch of money and still have basically an X2?

There's a REASON why the LMS SX2L is back ordered. It represents the future of X2, offers much more value and everybody wants one.

It's not too late to return the HF mill for full refund. You could then either hold out for the SX2L or, since you obviously need a larger mill, just get the much more capable Grizzly G0704 for a little more:
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Dril...th-Stand/G0704

CR.

[nateman_doo]

I haven't made up my mind on much of anything aside from having the HF mill already.

After reading the thread that hoss pointed too (ZipSnipes mill) I want to purchase the table, and mount the X2's Z column to a base.

[nateman_doo]

WOW this cracked me UP!!

At OnlineMetals, we all failed shop class. Multiple times. As a matter of fact, our employment applications specifically ask to see people's grades for their high school shop classes. If they're too high, they go into the rejected pile. We're also not engineers, and cannot make any specific recommendations about the suitability of a given alloy, temper, or shape for your project or application.

All technical data is for comparison purposes only and is NOT FOR DESIGN. It has been compiled from sources we believe to be accurate but cannot guarantee. This ends the part of the website that our pointy-headed lawyers made us put in.