[mrpackethead]

Ok, so i'm a nutter, i'm going to convert an SX3, and to be honest i dont' know much about milling or stuff. But how hard can it be..

[diyengineer]

Ok, so i'm a nutter, i'm going to convert an SX3, and to be honest i dont' know much about milling or stuff. But how hard can it be..

hahah! Well said. That's how the addiction begins! haha You can never have enough machines! lol

[Topdecking]

Join the club!
Step 1: "I'm going to do A, shouldn't be that"
Step 2: "I just need one or two other things to do it"
Step 3: ....
Step 4: "Okay I own a CNC mill and lathe, half a machine shop, and thousands of dollars in tooling, now I can do A properly"

[diyengineer]

Step 5: I forgot about B.
Step 6: Start process over from step 1.

hahaha

[mrpackethead]

Step 5: I forgot about B.
Step 6: Start process over from step 1.

hahaha

Machines required = Machines already acquired + 1.

[Crevice Reamer]

Hi MPH. Welcome to the SX3 fraternity.

Start here:
Page 2

And then here:
http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/machin...ly%20Guide.pdf

CR.

[mrpackethead]

Build Detail

(1) I've bought a Seig SX3 from machinerywarehouse in NZ https://machineryhouse.co.nz/M153 $NZ2100
(2) I've bought the Deluxe Conversion kit from CNC Fusion CNC Fusion $USD969
(3) I've bought a Mach3 licence from ArtSoft ArtSoft USA - Purchase $USD 175.00

UPDATE: the following stuff from Automation technology who finally replied. They have a bunch of differnet email address..


(4) An ethernet based SmoothStepper with a breakout board, ( High-Torque Stepper Motor, Stepper Motor, Driver, Stepper Motor kit, DC Servo Motor, DC Servo Motor kit, Stepper Motor Power Supply, CNC Router, Spindle, and other Components. Automation Technology Inc ) USD$219
(5) 2 x NEMA23 and 1x NEMA34 steppers USD $260
(6) 2 x KL-5056 Stepper Drivers and 1 x KL8060 Stepper SDriver ( High-Torque Stepper Motor, Stepper Motor, Driver, Stepper Motor kit, DC Servo Motor, DC Servo Motor kit, Stepper Motor Power Supply, CNC Router, Spindle, and other Components. Automation Technology Inc ) @$250.

[mrpackethead]

First delivery arrived. Looks like i need to do a pretty serious clean down first, its really covered in a lot of grease!

[diyengineer]

Nice!!!

[luis.gm]

Welcome aboard!

Let the show begin!!

lg

[mrpackethead]

Well, update, and i appreicate its some weeks since i posted;

(1) All the parts have arrived now, and it was at least 60 minutes spent unpacking them, checking them over and placing them carefully on a cleared shelf for all parts. How much plastic wrap do you really need!

(2) Last night i removed the X and Y axis, and the bed. I could'nt figure out how to get the Z axis out, the video instructions on teh cncfusion web site are really terrible. Theres a couple of locating pins at the bottom that are preventing me from getting it out, but that will be another days efforts.

[mrpackethead]

Well, got the Z axis out eventually. That was quite some effort The top end bearing came out of its housing so, i ended up having to press it back in. also the grub screws that were holding the Mitre gear on the Z axis hand wheel was burred! Urgh. Getting that gear out was impssible, so i ended up cutting the shaft with a dremmel cut off wheel ( or 4 ), Forutnatly we dont' need that bit again!!

So new Z axis screw, bearings and motor mount on, and it seems to drive up and and down nicely, all fitted without too much hassle. I did'nt use the suggested method for putting the motor mounts on, i did one side at a time, so, there were always two bolts still holding it to the base. It was a wee bit fiddly, putting the mounting back together...

Next annoying thing was finding that the grub screws for the drive pulleys are imperial, and i only have metric tools. Everything on this machine so far has been metric..





I do have a problem now, though. This is the Super X3, and it has more electronics in the back cover, than the X3 does.. I'm going to have to move a few things around because i cant' get the back cover on now, with the stepper motor there. If the stepper motor had been able to run from below, it woudl ahve fitted nicely.. Will have to think a bit about this, as i will have to do some "metal work" to make this fit!

[handlewanker]

Hi, It's hard to comment on "I'd suggest you did it this way" etc when you are working with pre ordained kit components, so it's a case of watch and see what you get up to.....LOL.

Number of questions.....how are you having the Z axis drive......through the quill?

Is the Z axis drive you have just shown only to get the head up or down to height?

If the quill is going to be the Z axis drive for milling and drilling etc what method are you using to drive it?

IE, through the rack and pinion or with an offset bracket and separate stepper motor and ballscrew?

In a build like this with so many "spare parts" that will never be used again, it would be fantastic if a kit had been made that completely did away with the head assembly...total....... right back to the column, and a new aluminium casting for the head supplied (in kit form) that only used the quill as a spindle housing in the new head, driven by a toothed belt at the top.

There would have to be a cast iron back plate to mount it onto the column, using the existing column dovetails for the main Z axis movement, and have longer dovetails in the backplate to ensure stability for Z axis movement.

With that set-up I'd want to have a ballscrew to replace the existing Z Acme screw, and drive it from the top with a direct coupling.

To my mind, that would be the practical way to convert the mill to some semblance of a CNC mode, but maybe the cost factor is another story.

If a new CNC conversion kit were to be considered with a new aluminium casting for the head, it would be really good if the mill could be supplied direct from the manufacturers without the manual head and no electronics in the back and at a huge cost saving too.
Ian.

[mrpackethead]

Hi, It's hard to comment on "I'd suggest you did it this way" etc when you are working with pre ordained kit components, so it's a case of watch and see what you get up to.....LOL.

I had to make some decisions on what seemed reasonable, and had been done previously by others, and didn't cost the world. So far, so good.

Number of questions.....how are you having the Z axis drive......through the quill?

The drive for the Z axis is by moving the head up and down, via the Z axis drive. The quill will remain on it, but will be manual. Maybe one day it could be converted.

If a new CNC conversion kit were to be considered with a new aluminium casting for the head, it would be really good if the mill could be supplied direct from the manufacturers without the manual head and no electronics in the back and at a huge cost saving too.

Go on and do it then.

[mrpackethead]

Y axis installed, and X axis screw connected.. So far so good.. However its been a lot more time consuming and tricky that i had expected. The conversion kit seems good, but the video from CNCfusion for instructions is terrible! Never mind, i've actually quite enjoyed this. I'm not looking for super super precison like some of you guys, i'm just relaly wanting to put holes, ( repeatably ) in cast alloy boxes.

[neilw20]

You will soon get sick of that plastic safety cover, if you don't bust it first.
Consider..
Replace gas strut on X3 - New struts or maybe counter weights?
At least it won't sink and kill a cutter when you power it down.
You could always tighten the Z gib before turning off, but if the power fails while you are running, DOWN it goes. Crunch.

[handlewanker]

Hi, when I worked on the mines we used a twin shoe brake on a drum between a motor and a gearbox with an electro mag to hold it off when the motor was running.

If the power failed, the motor was automatically braked........worm drive gearboxes will back drive under a load......the load was on a conveyor belt and could go to 50 tons or more of gravel going up a slope at 30 degrees....that's a lot of tonnage to drive back if there was nothing stopping the motor from back driving under load.

That won't compensate for the head weight, but would be a safety factor to prevent continuous down drive when the power is off.

It only needs a small brake pad pressing on the screw at the top, or somewhere, with a 12 volt solenoid to keep it off when the motor is powered......the solenoid on a car starter motor Bendix drive might be suitable, but probably power hungry.

Even a hand wound 12 volt solenoid would do the trick, and if the solenoid failed the brake pad would just add a small amount of friction when the screw was rotating with a small LED to indicate if the solenoid was working or not.
Ian.

[mrpackethead]

As it sits right now, with the "power" off, the head doesn't move at all. Should it? I don't see the problem as yet?

Removing safety features from any machinery is like poking a tiger. If we break it, we'll have to replace it. Have you not heard of OHS?

[neilw20]

With a ball screw the head will go down when power is removed once the Z gibs are nice and true (which you need for consistent Z positioning)
40Kg is ideal pressure for a gas strut. 60Kg is too much.

[handlewanker]

Hi, I had to go back to page 1 to look at the Z axis drive.

I think what NeilW is referring to is the inertia that occurs on the down travel when you cut the power to the stepper, as opposed to driving it down under control and no braking to stop it dead.....could happen....have you checked the over run travel distance when you cut the power to the stepper on the down haul?

Under CNC control the stepper is the automatic brake, while there is power present.
Ian.