Im going to attempt a build log as per request.
Background. A few years ago I was interested in watercooling computers. Not wanting to buy already made stuff, I wanted to design them and make them. So I got interested in CNC. I purchased the MAXNC 15 OL machine with the shallow promises from the company that the machine is stout enought to machine copper. Well guess what... it will machine copper. If you take shallow cuts and run a VERY SLOW feed. not what they told me. Anyways. So I was bound and determined. I setout learning the machine and cad. A friend of mine that works at a machine shop was a valuable resource to me. And still is. While learning the machine the driver control box took a dump. Maxnc wanted $375 for a new one. and it was under 6 months old. So we found a guy that did a board level repair. it works again. I kept throwing belts. It was a problem. Finally we traced the prroblem to the cheesy flimsy motor mount system. We machined a newer more rigid mount. Belt problem solved. Well a few months of 9 IPM rapids later I was getting used to this machine, then the control box takes a dump again. And the spindle speed control know. To fix the spindle speed i got a router speed control know and wired it up. Also put a light switch in the box with the speed controller so I could instantly kill the power to the spindle in case of E stops. Works great. So now that takes us to the dead driver. Called up MAXNC again. $50 an hour to diagnose and a 6 month lead time, or again the same $375 to replace the box. BS. I will no longer deal with them at all! NEVER, NA DA! Did some researching and came across the ZYLOTEX company and product. price was perfect so I ordered the 4 axis driver, 24V power supply and cooling fan. Still way under the $375 replacment cost from CRAPNC. Got it all wired up, asked questions, drove Jeff bonkers with emails im sure. but alas It was up and working again. The OEM powermax II 114OZ steppers I thought were under powered. But I did get a 15 IPM max rapids with just the Xylotex driver. After much talk with Jeff from Xylotex he told me that with his kit and his 269 OZ steppers that people were getting 40 or better IPM on their Taig and sherline products. I was hooked, I ordered 3 of the 269 steppers and Mach 3 while I was at it. That is when the big trouble started. After installing the 269`s I could not get past 18 IPM due to resonce in the steppers. missed steps, sounded horrable everything. now its back to driving Jeff mad again with emails. i will say this, EVERY SINGLE EMAIL I SENT WAS ANSWERED. he seemed to think some of the problem was due to the solid couplers that the maxnc came fitted with. So I set out to design and make some flex couplers. and well that is where I am now... ill post some pics now......... More to come.
The machine with just the Xylotex driver installed. Stock motors
The Xylotex driver board setup in an old Curcuit breaker box
Here are the flex couplers that we made.
Installing on the X axis
This pic shows my home made 4th axis for machine wax. Also not the beefy dove tailed Spindle motor mount.