[Memran]

Hello,

I have a Sieg X1 mill which I have converted to CNC, and have been using for a few years now. The problem is that I seem to be spending a disproportionate amount of time making it work, instead of actually making things. The things that I do make are typically one-off jobs, and rarely have complex shapes etc. (Eg a lathe tool holder for my QC toolpost)

Since I have no background in manual machining, I think things may be actually more difficult for me, due to lack of knowledge and experience.

For these reasons, I am considering un-cnc-ing my machine and using it manually for a while. Possibly with the convenience of a dro added to it.

I would really appreciate some opinions from you guys on this matter.

Thanks!

[joeybagadonuts]

Hello,

I have a Sieg X1 mill which I have converted to CNC, and have been using for a few years now. The problem is that I seem to be spending a disproportionate amount of time making it work, instead of actually making things. The things that I do make are typically one-off jobs, and rarely have complex shapes etc. (Eg a lathe tool holder for my QC toolpost)

Since I have no background in manual machining, I think things may be actually more difficult for me, due to lack of knowledge and experience.

For these reasons, I am considering un-cnc-ing my machine and using it manually for a while. Possibly with the convenience of a dro added to it.

I would really appreciate some opinions from you guys on this matter.

Thanks!

Why not just add a MPG pendant and use the Mach3 DRO?
Several are available on eBay for reasonable money (less than a month's worth of English muffins or crumpets).

JoeyB

[Memran]

That's a pretty good idea!
I guess one drawback is the lack of feeling I'd get from a manual handwheel, but good thinking, batman!

[Fastest1]

The MPG wont give you feel. Nor will it give you the correct feeds and speed, SFM or whatever you should be using.

You could convert your machine back to manual but why? Do you think the finishes would improve? Most likely they would not, just take you longer to realize that rpms and feeds need to be acknowledged and used.

Do you take into account anything during set up? Such as material, quantity of flutes, material of tool being used, doc, radial engagement, etc. Btw this is in no way a slam to you or your technique. I believe this is typical for us hobbyists. We dont know the formal things. On the other hand, we usually wanted something made and didnt know how to go about it. So here we are. We cant afford the big pro equipment so we buy things we can afford and learn to mod them. Unfortunately we do get to spend a little too much time, fixing, readjusting, correcting or building parts for our machine itself.

That all being said there are positives too and who knows when they will be implemented. You did convert your machine to CNC right? Most machinists havent done that. You have had to learn electronics, hardware, software, mechanics and machining methods to get where you are. I know a few machinists and while these particular ones are very good at machine operation, set up and the like. They have no idea about how all of the parts and software are related.

So now that is out of the way. Which problem frustrates you the most during your machining process?

I see you are in the UK. Have you gone to the "mentors" section and seen if there is anyone in your area? Are you willing to post an ad there for a mentor? Good luck and I wish you success.

[Memran]

Thanks for your replies!

Its no single thing that is frustrating, its little things which add up and reduce my trust in my system and my ability. It seems really easy to make a mistake and break cutters or produce scrap by having an incorrect feed/speed, and I currently have some electronic issues which I don't understand resulting in missed steps until its all "warmed up". I think its something to do with the cold, damp air in my shop, because when I bring my drivers and motors indoors, they run perfectly, but in the shop they miss LOTS of steps, even with no load!

I take your point about all the extra things I've learned and built, but I think I'd learn some things from manual operation too.

I did post on the mentors section about 6 years ago, but not since. I should try that again, thanks

[Fastest1]

No doubt there is plenty to learn in manual machining. And if manual machining is what you want to do, then that would be beneficial. I have both and enjoy them for entirely different reasons. I am just a hobbyist so production or even monetary concerns arent really an issue.

I understand the frustrations too of breaking end mills, cutting into a vise or clamp, destroying the part hours into it, realizing how simple a part could have been after you made it.

In regards to the change in operation. I have experienced this before. I suspect Mach but have no way to verify it. Maybe it is my CAM (BobCad or CamBam). Again no knowledge on how to tell what the culprit is. When I set up my G0704 I was getting rapids in excess of 250" per. I could do warm up wizards or the roadrunner with no audible loss of steps ( I know that isnt scientific but you do become familiar with the sound). Of course without using an indicator there might have been some loss but I dont believe so. Then between updating Mach and or using CamBam it went to hell and couldnt achieve 40-50 ipm without huge losses. The machine didnt change. In the end, a reinstall of Mach, maybe a different version too and most is all back to normal.
Have you blown out the dust from inside the controller and computer cases? Check all of your connections, even use some dielectric grease on the connections since it is a damp environment. It cant hurt.

[TiagoSantos]

I can not appropriately express how useful a feeds and speeds calculator is for noobs like you and me. We're not machinists, we most likely will never be. But that's no reason to NOT use a CNC machine properly.

Grab a trial version of HSMAdvisor and GWizard, give them a try and see which you like best. I have a feeling GWizard might be more user friendly for small machines, I think it has the little turtle-hare slider thing, but either will be an improvement over guessing..

Converting a CNC machine is a long, hard, frustrating process for most of us. It takes knowledge in quite a few different fields, a LOT of time and probably a bunch of money too. It's not uncommon for guys who built a conversion to go out and buy a turn-key machine soon after. Some guys love the process of building the machine itself - heck, I've learned so much and I've had SOME good days, seeing the machine move and cut parts made me very proud of myself, given my lack of knowledge about any of this as recently as 2 or 3 years ago. But for most of us.. Yeah, it was great to learn all this stuff, but now I just want to make some parts and dedicate my time to actual projects.