[Bearhawk LSA]

Hello all,

I am looking to convert a small desktop CNC to machine some small parts for a product I designed. My parts are roughly 1.5" square and are machined from custom aluminum extrusions I had made for me. I cut the pieces off the raw extrusion bar and then do supplemental machining. One part is easy, but the other would require a soft jaw. I am currently having the parts made by a friend with a full machine shop, but to cut costs down I want to run them myself at my leisure. I will likely run them in a linear fashion where I run one operation on all parts then change tools and run the next.

At the moment I am looking at the G0704 mill but I am open to other suggestions as I don't know enough of what out there that is comparable. I would also be open to stepping up to the next size mill but would want to pick one that has an existing upgrade kit I can buy. I am capable of designing my own as I work in the linear motion industry but I don't have the time and would rather have a kit to get to cutting chips sooner. I would like, to go from mill to cnc in 2 months project time.
I have seen many different G0704 kits and curious which one is the best? Also I plan to convert to ballscrews. If i had the money I would get a Tormach or if I had the space I would get a used VMC with Capitol equipment prices being so low now.

I design everything in solidworks but none of my parts require 3D surface interpolation and I am curious what programs I need to program in to output to the machine. I just found delcam and am curious if it can make a program that works with the interface of a converted mill?

Best regards,

Marc

[AVRnj]

Some of the more popular kits are by a company called cncfusion.com

I used their X2 kit for my mini mill. I am not crazy about the lovejoy couplers they use as I think they introduce too much backlash, but you can upgrade the couplers to a "zero backlash" coupler.

They have an X2 kit, an X3 kit, and a BF20/G0704 kit

Hoss sells a DVD and plans for the G0704 which I plan to use for my next conversion. I know many have used his plans, but you will need to machine your own parts to use this, but I think it's pretty basic machining depending on which phase conversion you want.

For the G0704 there is also a kit by a guy name Billy who sells on ebay if you search for G0704 kit, which is supposed to be very good, you need to get the balls crews separate but that kit is designed to be used with ebay chinese ballscrews.

For software I personally do my design in something called Openscad, which allows me to export DXF files.

I then import the DXF files into Cut2D which is the cheaper of the Vectric CAM programs, which creates my tool paths, which I run on Mach3 which actually interfaces with my converted CNC machine. I think that is a pretty standard setup although many use LinuxCNC as well which is free and runs only on a Linux box.

[Spk64]

If you are using Solidworks. Hsmxpress is a nice free program. Only does 2.5d which should work nicely for you. I have been using it for a while and seems to work well.


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[gothman]

I know this is someone else's thread ..... I am new to this forum ........ but does anyone make/sell an X2 mini mill conversion kit (X Y Z ball screws and Nema 23 motor mounts)? I am looking for either well known 'plans' or a 'kit'. Preferably a kit or plans with the Z Axis screw that is located in the middle/front of the vertical column.

I like the CNC fusion kit except the Z Axis ball-screw and nut mount, because it is off to the side and covers the gib screws. I tried to ask for a price on everything (X Y Z) except the Z axis 'motor/nut mounts' and have not gotten a response. So I am assuming they are not interested in selling that configuration.

I tried contacting Thompson Machine but the email I sent was returned. The Thompson kit looked very good except it seems he no longer makes them?

Looks like a great and busy Forum!!

Any help or info will be much appreciated.
Thanks!

[hoss2006]

I know this is someone else's thread ..... I am new to this forum ........ but does anyone make/sell an X2 mini mill conversion kit (X Y Z ball screws and Nema 23 motor mounts)? I am looking for either well known 'plans' or a 'kit'. Preferably a kit or plans with the Z Axis screw that is located in the middle/front of the vertical column.

I like the CNC fusion kit except the Z Axis ball-screw and nut mount, because it is off to the side and covers the gib screws. I tried to ask for a price on everything (X Y Z) except the Z axis 'motor/nut mounts' and have not gotten a response. So I am assuming they are not interested in selling that configuration.

I tried contacting Thompson Machine but the email I sent was returned. The Thompson kit looked very good except it seems he no longer makes them?

Looks like a great and busy Forum!!

Any help or info will be much appreciated.
Thanks!

If you want to DIY there are free plans here.
Hossmachine_Cnc Conversion
Hoss

[gothman]

Thank you for posting hoss2006! That site has an incredible amount of information !! I did a quick peruse and it seems one orders a single 43" ball screw then cut/machine three pieces to fit. All good there. As for the zero lash couplers .... it mentions;

"McMaster Carr part #'s 59985K2 (2 ea.) @ 1/4 bore and (2 ea.) @ 5/16 bore, 59985K62 (2 ea.)"

So a quick question to clarify: ....... the 1/4" bore denoted in the quote above, is that 1/4" dimension for the stepper motor end or the ball screw end?

for reference .... my Nema 23 motor shafts are 8mm or 5/16" on the mounting flange side.

[hoss2006]

Yeah the oldhams are the way to go instead of the solids, 1/4 inch is for the stepper shaft.
Hoss

[gothman]

Thanks again for the clarification hoss. ..... so I will go with 5/16" on both ends for the couplings .... and go with 'flex' couplings over the solids (in the previously posted drawing).

Here is the McMaster Carr page for the oldham flex couplings:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/120/1197/=qesydr

Since the oldhams are the most reasonably priced for my budget ....... those will be put into my parts list.

Which discs do you recommend for the oldhams? The Nylon or Acetal?

Acetal Discs—Stand up to high twisting forces. Temp. range is –10° to +150° F.

Nylon Discs—Have excellent vibration and shock absorption. Temp. range is –10° to +130° F.

[hoss2006]

Uh you'll need one end with a 1/4 inch bore to fit the stepper shaft most likely, most nema 23 steppers have a 1/4 inch shaft.
Acetal discs would be better.
Hoss

[Fastest1]

You wont have any issues with the 1/4" coupling.

I would recommend Billy's aka BD Tools kit (on ebay). Though CNC Fusion does make a kit. I am still trying to figure out why it took them a few years to do so.

[hoss2006]

You wont have any issues with the 1/4" coupling.

I would recommend Billy's aka BD Tools kit (on ebay). Though CNC Fusion does make a kit. I am still trying to figure out why it took them a few years to do so.

bdtools makes an X2 kit?
Hoss

[AVRnj]

bdtools makes an X2 kit?
Hoss

Ive never seen that, I have seen the G0704 kit and the G0602 kit.

[Fastest1]

Isnt the OP looking at a G0704?

[hoss2006]

The OP isn't asking the recent questions.
Hoss

[hoss2006]

Ive never seen that, I have seen the G0704 kit and the G0602 kit.

Me neither, I've seen some say he has a 7x lathe kit too but have never seen that either, might just be confusion with cncfusion.
Hoss

[doorknob]

Me neither, I've seen some say he has a 7x lathe kit too but have never seen that either, might just be confusion with cncfusion.
Hoss

bdtools does occasionally list his 7x lathe conversion kit on eBay (I bought one), although I haven't seen it there recently.

[hoss2006]

How about that, too bad someone doesn't share a build showing it, would be nice to see.
Hoss

[doorknob]

How about that, too bad someone doesn't share a build showing it, would be nice to see.
Hoss

I'm not nearly as industrious or quick-on-the-draw as you are, Hoss so patience is the watchword.

My plan is (was) to first extend the bed of my 7x10 lathe to make it a 7x14 and then do the conversion. I will get there "real soon now". Pretty much every day I trip over the bed extension in its box. I really ought to work on it, if only to get the darn box out of the way.

But since the time when I bought my kit (my understanding is that) bdtools changed it (by replacing the acme screw and nut with a ballscrew), so what I have may already be obsolete. I've been meaning to drop him a note to see what it would take to upgrade my kit (assuming that the rest of the kit has not changed) - maybe this discussion will spur me to do that.

[doorknob]

I sent a note and asked whether he is still making the 7x mini lathe cnc conversion kit - my response from bdtools:

"I have since quit selling or making that kit all together"

[gothman]

For some reason the Nema 23 Motors I purchased have a 5/16" drive shaft (or 8mm?). Maybe because they are the 425" oz. torque size? None the less, to accommodate this Nema 23 5/16" shaft, I will go with 5/16" on both ends of the flex coupler. I will go with the Acetal discs as recommended by hoss too.

Ive never seen that, I have seen the G0704 kit and the G0602 kit.

I agree .... I have only seen this G0704 kit as well

CNC Conversion Kit for Grizzly G0704 Manual Mill | eBay

I like the fusion kit excepting their Z Axis configuration which is located to the side of the vertical column. I can't help to think it would be exerting lateral loads during actuation. Not to mention it covers at least one of the Z Axis gib screws.

Thanks again for the great info guys, I will keep reading the hoss site and try to wrap my head around the process ..... needless to say I will probably have more questions before moving forward .......