Conversion Info
I am starting my conversion on a 6 month old Grizzly G0463 X3 Manual Mill using CNC Fusion deluxe kit with Heli-cal couplers, keling 381oz and 906oz stepper motors and Gecko G540. Just another copy of the already established combination so well outlined here on CNC Zone.
The Goal
Complete the entire conversion and have it dialed in making parts in less than one month in just a few hours a night and slighly more on the weekends using the knowlege and assistance of the CNC Zone users by bribing them with a photo-filled build thread to waste time viewing at work :cheers:
My Background boring... skip this section
I am a wheelchair technician during the day providing and repairing custom rehab power and manual chairs for the disabled in southern California. I LOVE motorcycles and started making my own parts on a drill press and bandsaw at work last year... until I got frustrated and bought an X3.
With no intent of being a job-shop I immediately had people pushing work on me and have been very fortunate to get in on some great opportunities. To date the mill has paid for itself and a darn good chunk of the tooling, but I am tired of turning hand wheels and staring at dancing digital numbers. I have one client that has a BIG job coming up that needs a CNC so I want to have this done inside of a month to be ready to crank parts out for him.
I am not really interested in a hobby, nor do I desire the overwhelming satisfaction of making things I can just easily buy... "if you want a hobby, build a CNC. If you want to make money- BUY a CNC". yeah, I know. I looked long and hard and have decided that I don't like any of the small CNC mills for the price of around $5K which is what I currently have to invest including coolant, TTS, Tapping head, and if I have enough left a lathe (that will be a whole separate thread)
I really feel like a red-headed-step-child building a X3 in the dawning of the age of g0704, but that is what I have and there are kits available to expedite the process immensely.
The PLAN
ORDERED
CNC Fusion Deluxe Kit
-Heli-cal couplers
-Extend Y to 8" (Crevice Reamer design)
-Extend X to 20"
-Max available on Z
Keling Electronics
-G540 Gecko driver
-381oz steppers on table
-906oz stepper for Z
-12.5v Power supply (4th axis follows shortly)
-MACH3
-(put your boxing gloves on) I also bought the Control box with G540 and power supply installed with fan, e stop and power switch. I know i know. I don't enjoy wiring and know it will cost me several nights of playing around to mount/make it and would rather buy one thats ready to roll.
Homing swithces
-Honeywell Switches from Allied
-a for the sub micro switch for the Z
-30 ft of stepper motor wire
-a few spare connectors
-waterproof key board
-buddy is building my Mach3 machine with dual parallel ports and PS2 connector.
Still NEED: (HELP IF YOU KNOW IM MISSING SOMETHING)
-Monitor ($55 LCD 17" locally from CL)
-TTS package (subtotaled at $1000 last night building my own package including TC Tapping head) but couldn't quite pull the trigger yet.
-I am planning an MPG (Thank you EarTaker!) Looking at 6 axis. It may be silly, but I made sure I have a PS2 port so I can use [ame="http://www.amazon.com/One-Finger-Mouse-USB-Black/dp/B000BSLTIS"]small ball mouse[/ame] in one hand and MPG in the other to zero axis' during set up. Using PS2 on the main mouse allows USB input for this one and both will control mouse independently.
-modify table to create enclosure
-Stuff I am forgetting or not anticipating.
What I don't know
-exactly how to set up spindle control (I have seen people thank HOSS but have not invested time looking for it yet)
-If my counter weight is the best idea. I get .002" nod any time I move down then tighten the lock on the Z. I don't know how much more I can tighten the Gib and it be safe for the stepper. It is already tight by hand. I'm a little worried that all of my codes will have to have either up or down movements to all cuts which seems cheesy.
***Crevice Reamer says you need a Resister only if I don't have the "NEW G540EZ". Is that a standard now or should I grab some resisters?
-A LOT MORE
I am planning to post TONS of pictures to entertain and hopefully bring people back to answer my stupid questions The goal is to have this done in a month... but the cnc fusion and Keling wont be here for two weeks which means I need EVERY thing planned out and parts on hand. I DO NOT MIND buying a few things to prevent having to "make" parts and waste a night or two. Time trumps money, but I don't have enough of either.
Your input will make or break this build as I know only what I have read in the countless build threads and have no practical knowledge per-say.