[Bugpac]

Has anyone converted this machine to cnc, and or have the total cost involved? also is the sieg x3 a better machine than this?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=33686

[DSL PWR]

It is doable, but the x3 is better due to the square column. When you move the head on a round column it shifts and youy need to redo the setup on the job. You also have much more z travel in a square column mill.

[Bugpac]

how much would it cost to do the sieg x3, i havent bought a mill yet, i have a lathe and want to get a mill, really would like to do cnc later on tho...what is the envelope to the sieg x3?

[phantomcow2]

The X3 is a bit smaller than that mill, but in my opinion, better designed. You can get 16x6" with the stock X3. If you do a slight modification to the end plate of the X3's table, you can get probably 18x6".

[phantomcow2]

As for a cost to CNC, it all depends on how high up the totem poll you want to climb. Do you want to buy a kit or make the parts yourself? Many people use Gecko drives and pretty large stepper motors. I think that with a ballscrew, you can get away with a nema23 motor and appropriately sized driver for it, saving you a good amount of cash.

[Bugpac]

ok, you guys are talking me into the x3, now ballscrews and nema23 and gecko drives, is this something i can buy easily, any links?

[Bugpac]

his is the lathe i bought, i have used it a lot, had it about 7-8 months, Im not real sure were to put it, but is there any upgrades to this i can do, lead screw wise etc?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=33274

[Bugpac]

ok guys, i am really up in the air now, what about something of this nature, as im sure i can get cheaper, all you have to do at hf is ask...how hard of a conversion would this be, i assume no harder than any other...

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40939

[acondit]

his is the lathe i bought, i have used it a lot, had it about 7-8 months, Im not real sure were to put it, but is there any upgrades to this i can do, lead screw wise etc?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=33274

Bugpac,

This same basic lathe is sold by a number of companies including Birmingham and Grizzly. A couple of companies sell a CNC'd version of this lathe (maybe not the HF version). So this lathe could be CNC'd as well.

[Bugpac]

Thanks for the info acondit, any links to were i may find a cnc version, then maybe i can try to compare the 2 a bit more and see...

[acondit]

Thanks for the info acondit, any links to were i may find a cnc version, then maybe i can try to compare the 2 a bit more and see...

I haven't kept links to them but here is one I found with a quick google search.

Here is a link to microkinetics CNC'd lathe.
http://www.microkinetics.com/lathe1236/index.htm
Here is a link to their cnc conversion kit.
http://www.microkinetics.com/convkit.htm

The price says to me, you can do it cheaper yourself and this is a DIY forum.

[Bugpac]

I haven't kept links to them but here is one I found with a quick google search.

Here is a link to microkinetics CNC'd lathe.
http://www.microkinetics.com/lathe1236/index.htm
Here is a link to their cnc conversion kit.
http://www.microkinetics.com/convkit.htm

The price says to me, you can do it cheaper yourself and this is a DIY forum.

thanks, i sure would think a diy kit would be far less expensive, it may be doable, but i really want to get a mill up and running first...it is amazing at 4 k or whatever it was, what you get with it...not much...

also can anyone explain this ballscrew thing...Im not 100% sure what exactly it is...

[Bugpac]

Ok, if i was to convert a seig x3, harbor freight model, what could i do it for price wise if i bought everything to make it run, any good links to kits motors etc that i need? i am pretty confident this is the road i want to travel...

[phantomcow2]

Ok, if i was to convert a seig x3, harbor freight model, what could i do it for price wise if i bought everything to make it run, any good links to kits motors etc that i need? i am pretty confident this is the road i want to travel...

You can buy the Syil kit, that is pretty much bolt on for the X3. Includes everything:
http://www.syilamerica.com/catalog/p...products_id=31

A company called Promica also makes a nice kit:
http://www.cnckits.com.au/pricing.html

CNCfusion sells a kit, mechanical only:
http://www.cncfusion.com/smallmill1.html

Whatever you do, make sure you get ballscrews. Ballscrews will replace the current leadscrews and make them far more efficient. We are talking about a jump from 30% efficient to 90% efficient, allowing you to use significantly smaller motors (lower cost to you). If you get the CNC fusion kit, there are many 3amp motor drivers out there for a reasonable cost.

[Bugpac]

i looked at the cnc fusion kit, its like 500 bux, niot bad i dont think, but what else do i need to go along with it, assuming i have a pc to use, 3 motors i assume, and ???

thanks for the response as well. i lookes at the sysil kit seems to be rathe expensive tho...

[Bugpac]

ok get a running total going here...

Mill 1000.00-hf
cncfusion kit 550.00-cncfusion
2 nema 23 motors 100.00-fee pay average
1 nema 34 90.00- fee pay average


now controls etc????

[phantomcow2]

WEll first of all, that CNCfusion kit is for the X3. Just wanted to make that clear.

100 sounds about right for the two 23 frame motors. The 34 might not be that much. As far as a stepper driver goes, that is up to you. You can buy the new Gecko 203v for 150 a piece. The only thing is that tehse have a 7amp capacity, your motors probably won't even be pulling 3. Do you have PCB soldering skills?
Kelling sells some good motors and drivers, you could save shipping and buy all from them:
http://www.kelinginc.net/KLDriver.html
Their prices on steppers by the way, are very good.

[Bugpac]

I am relizing that i dont know the differenc between the super and the x3, it looks like the super is a round column right? any pics or links, hf does have another, wich i think is the super...1199.00

now, wich is better, x3 or super?

thanks again, sorry guy im a complete newbie to this cnc stuff, but i learn very fast...

[Bugpac]

Ok tho, so i need 3 drivers to accompant the motors, at 105 each right..then the drivers hook to the comp, or is there something else in between?

[Bugpac]

PCB ? circuit board?soldering skills, no i do not, but i do have someone that does...