[bryanrabb]

Well, since I took the plunge 3 weeks ago. Grizzly has now started carrying the super x3. Figures. I have it in my garage after being delivered to my plant. I took a fork lift and some hold down straps and hoisted it into the back of my suburban. That was the easy part. I took 3 of us to get it onto my bench, it's temporary home. I have a CNC Fusion kit ordered, and a CandCNC pendant, light up thinggy, and some 429 oz steppers comming. Here are a few pics. I will try to use this thread to show the step by step conversion. I am not going will ball screws yet, but when I do, I will probably go with double nuts. I also ordered a bunch of tooling from J&L and Griz. My first project while I wait on the kits, is to make a collet holder.

[phantomcow2]

Looks good. I am very happy with my X3. If you are going CNC, I highly recommend you install ballscrews right away. THey are just so much more efficient, well worth it. I got my X and Y ballscrews fitted last night.
It required almost no effort to rotate the ballscrew and move the table around, and there is not even a drop of oil on the ways right now.
Use the mill in manual form to make the parts you need

[bryanrabb]

I am going to try to bring this thread back to life. I have been building a Control box, waiting for it to warm up. In the mean time, I insulated the cheapo garage door my contractor put in. So I was able to get the temp about 10 degrees warmer as a result. But to us southern boys, it is still ass cold out there. But nothing a propane heater can't fix.

Back on topic. I have the CNCFusion kit (minus ballscrews) about 2/3 finished. I have a nema 34 630 oz stepper for the Z axis, along with a gas strut.

NEMA 23s 400 oz for the x&y axis. I know already that I will regret not putting ballscrews in, but i will get them in due time. It wasn't a financial reason, rather I have ADD and I lose interest in projects and hobbies. So I want to make sure I am going to be intreseted long term before I spend too much money that I won't ever see again.

I will update this post tomorrow with a bunch of pictures. I am going to make this a CNCFusion how to themed topic. They have an excellent product, but need to beef up their instructions. But that happens when a small company grows fast. Support via email has been great, and he let me see a rough copy of the install video. That helped a ton. I expect him to have it on his website as soon as he finishes editing it.

[bryanrabb]

Time to post the pictures. I ran into a snag last night on the X Axis screw. I was told it did not have to be turned, but it looks like it may have to be to fit. I am still working on the control box. I made it from lexan I had laying around. At first I thought it would be cool, but it may suck. Time will tell. Once I get the X axis done, then I will wire everything up and try not to blow any boards.

[Ninhil]

looks like another good x3 conversion thread!


I think your lexan will hold up so long as the box has enough air circulation to cool down the electronics.

[in2steam]

I have one question in regards to the x3 I have seen alot of people use plane old lovejoy spider couplings, but these normally have a fair amount of play in them, is there a particular reason or is it just what happens to be avaliable. I would prefer a spring or semi-solid I use those love joys on motors all the time, but not for a precsion app.
chris

[Ninhil]

I have one question in regards to the x3 I have seen alot of people use plane old lovejoy spider couplings, but these normally have a fair amount of play in them, is there a particular reason or is it just what happens to be avaliable. I would prefer a spring or semi-solid I use those love joys on motors all the time, but not for a precsion app.
chris

there are zero-backlash couplers available on mcmaster.com

[bryanrabb]

I have used them on cnc routers and other applications. There is almost no backlash in acetal spider couplings, good ones that is. At least not enough to amount to anything.

[bryanrabb]

Looks like I got the endplate for a ballscrew kit. I will have to turn down the end of the lead screw another 1" to make it fit. THis should not be a big deal. I will post pics tomorrow of the finished product.

[Ninhil]

Looks like I got the endplate for a ballscrew kit. I will have to turn down the end of the lead screw another 1" to make it fit. THis should not be a big deal. I will post pics tomorrow of the finished product.

I have a nice block of hardened tool steel for use on a lathe.. Do you think this is sufficient to turn a ballscrew?

[bryanrabb]

I know absolutely nothing about lathes or tooling. For now anyway. I am ordering one as soon as uncle sam gives me my money back.

[bryanrabb]

Didn't i hear or read somewhere that you need to anneal a ballscrew before turning?

[bill south]

Ballscrews can be quite a challenge to turn. Some folks will heat them to anneal them but I found that grinding, while messey, was a much easier alternative. I chucked the screw in the lathe, being careful to protect the leads, and used a hand grinder to grind down the hardened surface. Once through it, I turned the screw w/o any problem. Easy, but just messey.
Hope this helps.
Bill from Spartanburg

[phantomcow2]

Hardened tool steel will not work. HSS bits will not work. Well, an HSS bit might if you want to regrind it every 2 minutes. You need carbide tooling. I recommend brazed carbide bits if you are using a mini lathe or equivalent. Anneal the end of the screw if you are planning on turning it on a mini lathe. It can be done without, but you are going to have to be pretty patient. At least it's only the first .05" or so that is hardened
If you've got a bigger lathe, you can turn it without annealing providing you've got carbide tooling. Again, just be aware of the hardened exterior.

[bryanrabb]

I am trying to bring this back to life. Since my last post, I have done the following:
1. Bought a new enclosure off of ebay 2RU
2. Bought a kelling transformer
3. Bought 201s
4. Sold 201s
5. Bought 203vs - Installed them, killed a fuse in one due to in rush.
6. Figured out that I have a bad breakout board (candcnc) only one step/dir output works.

I have ordered another breakout board, and another socket fuse for the 203.

[tauntdesigns]

Howdy,

I like the yellow cables and sockets. What did you use?

The only Geckos I've used are the 203's and so far they're working well.

Later, Jack

[bryanrabb]

I bought the cables from Mcmaster Carr
69355K62 & 69355K63 , and I paid way too much for them, but I put it on the company card. They are probably overkill, but then again, I don't even need this machine. So technically, this entire build is overkill.

[ZipSnipe]

I bought the cables from Mcmaster Carr
69355K62 & 69355K63 , and I paid way too much for them, but I put it on the company card. They are probably overkill, but then again, I don't even need this machine. So technically, this entire build is overkill.

That is freakin funny, I like it!! Actually you do need it! Otherwise you would just toss and turn in bed thinking about why you didn't get it.

[bryanrabb]

Zip, you are correct. But in reality, I don't NEED it. I just happen to have it. Like my nearly complete set of Festool's. Like the guy that buys the ninja swords, or the guy with 1/10th of an acre and a John Deere riding mower. They just happen to have them, and perhaps they may come in handy.