[cd_edwards]

too bad they don't ship to Canada.. No exporting like McMaster-Carr

[cd_edwards]

got out to the shop tonite.. Thought i would check to make sure the Grizzly clamping set I purchased would fit my table. nope.. just a hair too wide on the tnuts. good thing I know somebody with a milling machine to take the hair off. so, the Kc20VS from King Industrial's 1/2" T-slot is either metric or grizzly can't measure. Good thing Amazon has free shipping
Also got my 3 test indicators I won on ebay. they are Fowler 52-560-100's which I got 3 of for $115. These are the dual metric/inch two sided indicators. First one I opened, when I moved the pin, it would not re-center at all. Little bit of play in the end as well. So I got out another one and tried moving the pin. It would re-center each and every time. These are supposed to be brand new surplus so I messaged the person to see what they are gonna do about this.

[hoss2006]

Here's the video for the Skycraft Surplus treadmill motor, runs quiet.
Hoss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=774qZ9D-W6c

[JodyCaldwell]

Hello Everyone,


For better or worse, I joined the G0704 owners club this morning. Well, at least I have submitted my application by placing my order with Grizzly.

I'm a computer programmer by trade, but I've always been fascinated by machine work and especially CNC. I don't know what it is about watching metal go from rough and dull to smooth and shiny but I just love it. I started out looking at videos of 3d printing, but I was naturally drawn to the videos by John Grimsmo, Tubelcain, Ox-tools and of course Hoss! After months of watching these you-tube videos, I started looking into what it would take to make a CNC machine of my own. Being a computer guy, my first step was to setup an old PC with LinuxCNC and started playing with that.

I started out looking at the X2 mill from Harbor Freight. Then I ran across Hoss' site and the G0704. Like others have said, the never ending desire for the biggest mill possible led me from one to another for a while. I saw the G0705 which was only about 100 dollars more but is a much heavier machine. For a while, I thought about getting one of those. My research into which would be the better mill led me to this forum and the original thread about Hoss's G0704. After reading all 78 pages of that thread, I decided to take the plunge and go with the G0704.

So, I placed the order... I was a little put off by what I consider to be a delivery scam with the extra charge for 'lift-gate' service. At first, I thought, I'll just pay it and be done with it it. Then I started reading all the fine print about having to be accessible to tractor trailers and possible 'extra' charges for difficult access etc... Now, there have been several time when I have ordered car engines from Jasper Engines and they had no trouble at all delivering to my house and putting the engine on my carport without any special regulations or 'lift-gate' fee, but I got the idea that this delivery was going to be a big hassle if they do indeed show up with an 18 wheeler to deliver a 300lb box. I decided that I'd just cancel the lift-gate service and pick it up myself from the local carrier. I don't think I should have any trouble getting it into my pickup truck. I had also added about another 200 dollars worth of tools etc to my order but I removed all of that when I noticed that they had added yet another 25 dollars worth of shipping to the bill.

Next, I'm going to order the stepper motors, power supply and controller board and other misc items. I was originally planning to do that first and have the motors turning on the bench under software control before I bought a mill, but once I made up my mind I figured why wait.

And so it begins....

[DogWood]

Welcome to the madness :-)

[hoss2006]

When I had lift gate, zx45, it was a big semi that showed up. The other machines, x2, g0602, g0704 I just met the driver downtown at a parking lot and he helped slide it into the bed of my pickup.
The g0704 crate isn't that difficult to slide around by yourself. g0704.com
Hoss

[JodyCaldwell]

When I had lift gate, zx45, it was a big semi that showed up. The other machines, x2, g0602, g0704 I just met the driver downtown at a parking lot and he helped slide it into the bed of my pickup.
The g0704 crate isn't that difficult to slide around by yourself. g0704.com
Hoss

I remember seeing a video or picture or something of the big semi truck bringing your zx45. It seems kind of crazy that they wouldn't use a smaller box truck to deliver stuff like that. I was tempted to drive up to Muncy to pick it up at the showroom, but it would have been a 3 hour trip each way, and just the gas for my pickup truck would have cost as much or more than the 99 dollar shipping charge. I'm not sure where the local warehouse is that they will be shipping it to, but it said you can make arrangements to pick it up from the carrier once it arrives so I guess I'll try to do that. Or as you said make arrangements to meet them somewhere if they will help transfer it to my truck.

After reading about all the people like yourself that waited for months for back orders, I kind of feel lucky that I got one that was in stock. At least that's what the website said when I placed the order It hasn't been shipped yet, so I guess I could still get the news that it's on back order.

Hey, thanks for all the videos and knowledge that you put out there! I've spent hours watching your videos and combing through your website and these forum threads. A few months ago, I didn't even know what a G0704 was. I've learned so much since then. My thanks to you and all the others on this forum who have helped to make that possible! I'm still trying to get caught up on this monster thread. Only about 400 pages to go.

[hoss2006]

A backorder shouldn't happen, they've been caught up for quite a while now with the g0704.
Happy reading.
Hoss

[COMachineist]

Just ordered 2 of these motors for my drill press and my lathe. It will be nice to have variable speed on both.
Thanks Hoss, for your report and heads up
CH

[hoss2006]

No problem, should be a good little motor for a number of projects.
Hoss

[Connor]

Question about oil groves.

I see lots of people doing one shot oilers and milling oil slots. What's unclear is if they're doing everything on the saddle, or the base too. Hoss I know you did the top of the base and the top of the saddle. Has anyone done the bottom of the saddle instead of the base? Since I only have the one machine, I could easily take the saddle to a friends house and have him help me milling the oil groves and oil ports when I do the mill work for the ball screws. Any advantage or disadvantage to milling only the saddle?

Thanks, Billy

[hoss2006]

I didn't put grooves in the base, just both sides of the saddle.
Hoss

[Connor]

I didn't put grooves in the base, just both sides of the saddle. Hoss

Then I stand corrected. I thought you did the top of the base for some reason.

[cowanrg]

Question about oil groves.

I see lots of people doing one shot oilers and milling oil slots. What's unclear is if they're doing everything on the saddle, or the base too. Hoss I know you did the top of the base and the top of the saddle. Has anyone done the bottom of the saddle instead of the base? Since I only have the one machine, I could easily take the saddle to a friends house and have him help me milling the oil groves and oil ports when I do the mill work for the ball screws. Any advantage or disadvantage to milling only the saddle?

Thanks, Billy

As Hoss said, you only do the saddle. It's easier to just isolate the saddle as the 'moving part' and oil all the surfaces that touch it. So you oil all those surfaces, and all the things that slide against it will be lubricated. plus, you can mount your manifold on the saddle, leaving only one piece that's moving around. If you mounted stuff to the table and to the base, you'd need to worry about the tubing more.

[hoss2006]

Then I stand corrected. I thought you did the top of the base for some reason.

yeah this is the bottom of the saddle.
Projects
Hoss

[JodyCaldwell]

Here's the video for the Skycraft Surplus treadmill motor, runs quiet.
Hoss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=774qZ9D-W6c

Hey Hoss,

I ordered one of those. I don't know what I will do with it, but as you said, for 27 bucks it's too good to pass up!
Jody

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

[Hypnotoad]

I'm on the fence about the G0704. My only concern is that I'm going to want a belt drive conversion ASAP, and I don't have access to a lathe. I wish the people making CNC conversion kits would make a belt drive kit too. I'm not in it for speed or power, I just want to make sure I don't break a gear and get stuck high and dry waiting for a replacement. The Sieg SX3 comes belt driven out of the box but I'd rather have the G0704. Technically for the price of the SX3 I could buy a G0704 and a lathe, but I'm not up to learning about lathes yet, I don't even know what to do with a mill.

Can the belt drive pieces be made with a 3-axis CNC mill? Could I convert my G0704 to CNC and make the belt drive kit and just hope I don't do anything dumb and break a gear? I'm pretty sure the V-belt version is a no-go on a 3-axis mill but I don't have a clear idea what the other versions look like.

[manton]

I worried about that as well when I first bought mine, so I ordered a replacement set of gears just in case. It usually takes awhile for Grizzly to get these in stock, so I figured it would be cheap insurance to get a set in. I've had the mill for 1.5 years now, and am still on the original set of gears. If you are careful when changing gears between high and low, and make sure it is fully engaged, I suspect you won't have any trouble, unless you really push it hard.

[rs4race]

I'm on the fence about the G0704. My only concern is that I'm going to want a belt drive conversion ASAP, and I don't have access to a lathe. I wish the people making CNC conversion kits would make a belt drive kit too. I'm not in it for speed or power, I just want to make sure I don't break a gear and get stuck high and dry waiting for a replacement. The Sieg SX3 comes belt driven out of the box but I'd rather have the G0704. Technically for the price of the SX3 I could buy a G0704 and a lathe, but I'm not up to learning about lathes yet, I don't even know what to do with a mill.

Can the belt drive pieces be made with a 3-axis CNC mill? Could I convert my G0704 to CNC and make the belt drive kit and just hope I don't do anything dumb and break a gear? I'm pretty sure the V-belt version is a no-go on a 3-axis mill but I don't have a clear idea what the other versions look like.

I did a belt drive conversion on mine and used my g0704 to modify the gears. No lathe necessary. You can run the stock gears for awhile though. I only did the belt conversion for more speed, the gears are still good and had a lot of hours on them. If gears are what your worried about grab an extra when you buy the mill I assume its pretty cheap.

[diyengineer]

bit.ly

I see someone is already trying to sell these 1000w motors on eBay for $100 now!