[ger21]

There might be a default speed in your controller software, or it might be using the max speed you have the motors set to.

[IJ.]

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[Kookaburra]

No worries IJ,

e-mail me your stl file and we will go through it.

[IJ.]

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[IJ.]

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[IJ.]

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[Cold Fusion]

Very nice IJ! Have you done any work that would approach the limit of the machine as far as ridigity? I am very curious as to how well this type of mill preforms.

PS, still battling my drivers. The people here have given me some suggestions and I can't wait to try them out tomorrow in hopes that one wll fix my problem.

[IJ.]

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[Cold Fusion]

I would love to get a knee mill similar to yours and retrofit it in the future. Ebay is not a bad place to pick them up used. I've seen suitable ones go for just over a a grand, with tooling.

Maybe I missed this in the thread but have you been able to get a good reading on the accuracy?

[IJ.]

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[daytrader]

Great thread! I'm about to finalize the purchase of a used Bridgeport clone this week, with the hopes of converting to CNC.

IJ, you said you still have complete manual control if you ever want it. How would you manually move the quill? Or can you only move the knee when in "manual" mode?

Also, what is the long travel of the table? What was the travel before the conversion? And what is the table size of your mill? I'm looking at a 9x42 mill (only size in my area), and I will need every last bit of the 30 inch travel for the work I want to do with it. I am figuring I will have to make some sort of extension about 12 inches long that is of a smaller cross section than the table, so that the stepper/servo will not hit the knee and limit the travel.

Finally, could you have mounted the servo for your Y axis so that the motor pointed inwards? That should have given you more room for your legs when standing in front of the machine. Was there a reason you chose to do it like you did?

Thanks,

Nick

[IJ.]

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[RJ.]

Nick,

Attached is an image of my Y-axis motor mount in progress. As IJ said, facing the motor inward makes the belt pretty long.

Regards,
Rick

[svenakela]

But it shouldn't really matter if the belt is long, does it? I mean, they are usually steel inforced or similar.

Cheers,
Sven

[IJ.]

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[daytrader]

I'm glad you still have your finger

I did not quite understand your answer for manual Z axis control. Are you saying you can still move the quill using the original lever if you reinstall it? Wouldn't you have to disengage the ballscrew in order to do that?

Thanks,

Nick

[IJ.]

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[IJ.]

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[IJ.]

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[DareBee]

Great job IJ! beautiful workmanship.

I have just spent the last 1.5 hours reading this thread (I should be programming ).
I'm kinda of a mechanical freak myself. I love to build stuff from my own ideas (original or not) as it is very satisfying when complete.
I am also a business man and need to make profit to stay in business.
Brings me to the question of money.
How much did all this cost? The retrofit not the base machine.
How many hours have you logged to get to the point of making chips?
Would you do this again or buy a working CNC next time?

Thanks for thread and great documentation.