[jdholbrook]

I'm looking to purchase a 6090 for some light work around the shop.
I've looked at many units and one thing I have not found is.. What size are the steppers?
I'm guessing in the 270 to 400 oz in range?

Thanks for any information.

James

[aarggh]

My 6090B has two different size steppers from memory, I think two are around 280-330oz/in, and one is a little higher. I can definitely tell you they are more than adequate for all the machining I've done on it over the years. If you buy a 6090, you'll be very happy with it I'm sure. I love mine!

cheers, Ian

[jdholbrook]

Hi Ian,

Thanks for the reply.
I'm contemplating getting the bare bones 6090 frame and building it up using good steppers, good cable, 2.2kw Spindle and 3kw VFD as well as 540 Gecko.
Total for the above comes to around $1800. About the same price as the ready to go units but using the choice components.
Looking through my stepper collection I see I've got 175, 280 and 425 oz in versions in NEMA23.
Looks like I'm set in the Stepper department so that's at least $150 off the price.

All advice is appreciated.

[aarggh]

Honestly I wouldn't even bother saving the small amount of money on not getting some components fitted at manufacture James.

Especially as I'd want to see many photos during the build, and then videos of it working before sending the last payment. For the little you may save, you'll create a lot of work, and may also put yourself in the position of buying and importing a 300kg untested machine. At the very least, change what you want when you get it, you'll then have spares on hand, but I'd recommend ordering the machine in the hardware configuration state you want, and then maybe simply rewire the BOB for using with Mach3 instead.

Whatever steppers they supply with the machine will be more than adequate to run it. I've been using mine for several years now, at a fairly decent workload, and couldn't be happier with it. I fully expected corners to be cut, and electronic issues to popup, but have had nothing adverse really of any significance at all.

I will say though that not all 6090's are equal, the B version I have has really good Taiwanese linear rails and trucks on all axis instead of the standard suuported round rails the A version has, and was a few hundred more, but I think it was well worth the extra. The gantry sides on mine also are very thick, I've seen on SaleCNC's machines some of their 6090's have really flimsy gantry sides that owners have complained about sideways flexing under load. That's something to be aware of.

cheers, Ian

[jdholbrook]

Ian,
Thanks for the tips.

What seller did you get the "B" model from?

James

[aarggh]

It was from Jinan J-Cut, although there seems to be several companies with similar names. It was a very stressful time as I'd never imported anything that big or costly before, so it was an eye opener for sure. I was dealing with a really helpful lady named Shanny at the time, and I did stress I wanted to see as many pics of MY machine as it was being built, along with videos showing it fully working and being put through it's paces before it was packed to be sent. There is also a Mandy on the forums here I think who's from the same company, I don't know if this address is still the current one as my machines getting onto 4 or so years now: [email protected].

This was mainly because they tended to just send generic pics of previous or other machines that may or may not be the same as what you end up with, so I wanted to be absolutely sure that exactly what I ordered is what I got, and that what I saw was what I got.

Not that they are being deceitful or trying to rip you off, I just found many cultural differences affecting our views slightly on the end product, and what they would find to be normal and acceptable changes another may not. For example if the 25mm Hiwin rails weren't avaliable at the time of building, many manufacturers would just substitute 20mm or whatever, as in their mind what difference does it make, it still works the same way, but to us it's not what we ordered.

For those reasons I wouldn't deviate from a standard build except perhaps to select upgrades that they specifically support and offer.

After having the B model though, I most definitely wouldn't order the A model if I was doing it again! The machine is so damn smooth and quiet when running, and still runs like it's new.

cheers, Ian

[dsp5500]

Hi Ian,

Thanks for the reply.
I'm contemplating getting the bare bones 6090 frame and building it up using good steppers, good cable, 2.2kw Spindle and 3kw VFD as well as 540 Gecko.
Total for the above comes to around $1800. About the same price as the ready to go units but using the choice components.
Looking through my stepper collection I see I've got 175, 280 and 425 oz in versions in NEMA23.
Looks like I'm set in the Stepper department so that's at least $150 off the price.

All advice is appreciated.

Which manufacturer were you looking at for the bare bones system?

Rob

[jdholbrook]

In the end I decided to go for the 6040 instead of the 6090.
I picked up this one from Fleabay
6040
I can recommend the seller. Communicated well, shipped fast. I think I ordered on Friday and it arrived on the following Thursday. Well packed but as usual. No instructions or documentation.
It arrived in two pieces as I think most of them do.
No steppers, no adapters, no couplers. It did have the igus chain as it shows in the photos.
Quality seems on par with the typical Chinese CNC Routers. The table is no where near flat but it seems to be sturdy enough for my jobs.

I have a bunch of different steppers and have not decided which will go on. I'm thinking the 270oz because they have the lowest mh values.
I picked up the G540 with power supply.
I also picked up a 2.2kw spindle
Three 6mm to 8mm couplers from somewhere, can't remember but they were $4 or 5 each.
Some NEMA 23 servo mounts. Very nice mounts, much better than the plastic things that they gave me. Mounts are not included but when I asked about them, they sent three at no cost.
A box for the controller & VFD HERE
Along with 18/4 flexible shielded cable from McMaster, some MOLEX connectors for the motor side, some 6mm Tygon tubing for water cooling (will use some left over radiator, pump from my old water cooled PC)
I plan to get a USB Smooth Stepper just for testing.

I would guess I'm up to about $1700 or 1800.
For about the same price as the complete Chinese 6040 CNC Router, I've got one that uses the premium parts.
As soon as I finish this 3d Printer project I'll get started on the 6040. May do a build log just for fun.

Thanks for looking
James