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IndustryArena Forum > MetalWorking Machines > Benchtop Machines > Dave's MD001 CNC conversion
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Posts
    34

    Dave's MD001 CNC conversion

    Hello everyone,

    I recently purchased an MD001 benchtop mill from Machine Tools Warehouse. Been busy for the last few months building parts for the CNC conversion.

    I've already purchased some major components - 25mm x 5mm pitch ballscrews from linearmotionbearings (ebay), 7304 angular contact bearings on the fixed end of the ballscrews, as well as 400W ac servos + drivers from DMM Tech.

    Still need to purchase belts and timing pullies, I'm thinking SDP/SI for those, aiming for a 2.25:1 or 2.5:1 ratio.

    As well, a breakout board....up in the air at this point, will most likely get the PoKeys board for extra inputs and the MPG wheel so I can probably get a fairly basic I/O breakout breakout board.

    I'm going to star out with Mach 3 for control software but I'm curious about the USBCNC system, might dabble in that once I'm running.

    I'll post some pics in the next couple of posts and hopefully keep this log updated every couple days, If you don't hear from me for a long stretch I'm probly hanging out in the shop.

    Cheers,
    -Dave
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails DSC01807.jpg   DSC01794.jpg   DSC01812.jpg  

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Posts
    34
    Here's some shots of the stand...

    its mostly 3" square tube, legs are 1/8" wall cross pieces are 1/4" wall, its a heavy beast ~200Lbs.

    Special thanks to my dad for help with the welding.

    Unfortunately I didnt have the camera with me while we built it but heres the finished product
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails DSC01816.jpg   DSC01818.jpg   DSC01858.jpg   DSC01859.jpg  


  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Posts
    34
    Milling some clearance for the ballnut blocks under the table.

    Worked well with 2 vises, had to remove the moveable jaw to fit the table
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails DSC01820.jpg   DSC01814.jpg   DSC01813.jpg   DSC01815.jpg  


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Posts
    34
    The ballnut block for the x axis. It still needs to be bored out to ~1.5"dia to fit the ballnuts, I was going to do all 3 blocks when I get a boring head.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails DSC01841.jpg   DSC01842.jpg   DSC01843.jpg  

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Posts
    34
    machined the saddle for the ballnut blocks and oil grooves for the lube system.

    Limit Switch can be seen in the last photo, I'm using proxy switches, 2 for + and - limits and a separate one for homing. I'm pretty sure mach can just use the - limit switch during the homing routine, but I've never setup switches before so I'm covered just in case I need it.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails DSC01838.jpg   DSC01839.jpg   DSC01840.jpg   DSC01845.jpg  


  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Posts
    34
    Here is the Y axis ballnut mounting
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails DSC01846.jpg   DSC01847.jpg   DSC01848.jpg  

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Posts
    34
    Z axis ballnut mount
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails DSC01853.jpg   DSC01854.jpg   DSC01855.jpg   DSC01856.jpg  

    DSC01857.jpg  

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Posts
    34
    X axis free end bearing mount, and the fixed end which still needs to be bored like the other blocks.

    The fixed end block will house some 7304 angular contact bearings, as well as provide a mount for the motor/belt housing which has not been made yet.

    Cheers,
    -Dave
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails DSC01849.jpg   DSC01851.jpg   DSC01852.jpg  

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Posts
    53
    looks sweet man, where in canada are you from?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Posts
    34
    Hi i'm from Kitchener Ontario. And yourself?
    Cheers, Dave

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Posts
    40
    Nice work. Looks really heavy duty and rugged. Hope you keep your build updated, it looks very interesting.
    Ron

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    605
    It looks like all of the ballnut blocks have interlocking features to constrain them from rotating, is that true or do they have a couple degrees of motion? Getting everything all lined up and running without binding typically requires some rotational freedom unless everything is perfectly square - more square than simply machining everything "square".

    The build looks pretty heavy duty and is coming along nicely.
    PM-45 CNC conversion built/run/sold.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Posts
    34
    jid2.....The x and y are constrained side to side but can move a it axially, i indicated the ways before machining the mounting pockets on the saddle, my hope is when I crash there is a it of give in the axial direction. The fit is size on size so there is no slop.

    The ballnut blocks will have clearance holes and will "find" their home once the ballscrews are in, then I'll tighten them down. We'll find out how it works.

    The Z is constrained axially just because of the weight on it, it can slide side to side a bit, again I'll let it find its home once the ballscrews are in and then tighten everything down.

    Your build is looking very nice as well, thanks for the comments

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    605
    Cool - I think you should be able to file in any needed rotation to get things aligned. That's my plan for the z-axis. You will have a pretty stout setup for sure. Seems like you are one of the only guys to use steel for the mounts.
    PM-45 CNC conversion built/run/sold.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Posts
    6
    Nice thread Dave, looking forward to the day it makes some parts!

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Posts
    525
    That looks great! Are you cutting out the column cross brace so the Z axis can go down lower to the table?
    Kelly
    www.finescale360.com

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Posts
    34
    Hi Kelly,

    I won't be cutting out the column cross brace, I'm thinking most of my work will be done in the vise so I'm not too concerned about getting the z so low.

    If I need to machine something bolted right down on the table I may have to leave the quill hanging out a bit or possibly prop the work upon a plate/123 blocks.

    -Dave

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Posts
    34
    Made some more progress on the mill, the y axis bearing block and spacer.

    The bearing block still needs to be bored out for the angular contact bearings and oil seal. The spacer block is dowelled to the block, its purpose it to move the bearings out further so I can get a little overtravel on the y axis.

    The block will then be slit on the bandsaw so I can clamp the bearings in place with 2 cross bolts. I made a witness mark with a slitting saw so I'll have something to follow when on the bandsaw.....I didn't have much luck with the slitting saw, it was pretty flimsy, good thing I had my safety glasses on when it stalled
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 20120122_162508.jpg   20120122_162517.jpg   20120122_162523.jpg   20120122_162525.jpg  

    20120122_162539.jpg  

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Posts
    34
    A side note here...in the process of squaring all my blocks I found I had a hard time using a square and checking for a gap, so I made this little device to hold an indicator.

    The commercially available device is known as a squar ol, basically consists of a base with a radius at the front, a vertical shaft and an indicator clamp. you can see one here

    To use this, first set the indicator to a point as close to the top of the block as possible for best accuracy.

    Then take a block of known squareness (usually a master square or cylindrical square) and roll the unit along the face of the block to find the high spot of the reading, I have an adjustable arm on mine to set the indicator to zero @ the high spot.

    Then take the block you want to measure and roll the unit along the face of the block in a similar fashion. The deviation from zero is the out-of-square-value.

    Here is a post from thetoolanddieguy using one. His procedure is a bit different, one thing you must verify with his method is parallelism of 2 faces before starting. I often use this method since I don't own a master square, it works very well, as Phil states, divide the indicator reading by 2 when you check one face, rotate the block 180deg, and check another face.

    As you can see from my pics, the 123 block I checked has 0.001 TIR so its 0.0005 out of square per side.

    Hope this was helpful, I found this little gem invaluable for getting my blocks square.

    -Dave
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 20120122_162544.jpg   20120122_162635.jpg   20120122_162558.jpg   20120122_162607.jpg  

    20120122_162617.jpg  

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Posts
    34
    Started on the readout install llast night. I want to have a readout to "watch" over the machine for at least the first little while to make sure its doing what it should.

    The x axis scale will be the easiset to install so I started with it.

    I made some small aluminum T-nuts to bolt the scale to the slot in front of the table. Then I drilled and tapped 2 M4 holes for the reader head to bolt to the saddle.

    The unit I bought (from the drostore on ebay) came with some aluminium covers for each scale. Unfortunately the x axis scale position I chose causes it to sit up above the table surface so I'll have to modify it/make my own. In the meantime I drilled and tapped some holes into the front of the table for whatever cover I come up with.

    Thats all for tonight, hopefully get some more stuff done on the weekend.

    Thanks for viewing,
    -Dave
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 20120125_195559.jpg   20120125_195607.jpg   20120125_195621.jpg   20120125_202041.jpg  

    20120125_212317.jpg  

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