[Alwaysintheknow]

I'm looking to upgrade my CNC router parts machine to a spindle and VFD. I've got the 2448 standard using a Bosch 1617evs router (Can you say LOUD). I've burned through 2 of them in the last 12 months and see that CNC router parts offer a plug and play unit for around $1,600.00. Looking on amazon and eBay I see basically the same units for less than half, although they don't include cables or the excellent support offered. Can anyone recommend a vendor that sells a plug and play system similar to theirs?

Thanks for any input

[ger21]

Theirs is designed to plug into their control panel.

I'm not aware of anyone else that offers that.

UGRA will sell you a spindle VFD that's pre configured, but you'd still need to integrate it into your system.

[DonFrambach]

I bought an air-cooled .4kw spindle from UGRACNC.com about 3 years ago for my small DIY router. It has worked great.

Here's a link where I described my experience with it: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/spindl...ml#post1269748

If I had it to do over, I would have purchased his .8kw spindle because ER-16 collets are much more robust that ER-11 collets. It's kind of nice that the VFD puts out the required 220 volts for the spindle but only needs a 110 volt input. Also, except for adding a simple relay, I didn't change anything with my control system.

UGRACNC.com pretests the spindle (and sends you a link of the testing on a youtube video). Also, as Gerry said, if you buy the spindle and VFD together, UGRA will pre configure the VFD so installation is a breeze.

[Alwaysintheknow]

I did not mention that I out fitted the control box with a Gecko 540,

[ifeliciano]

.... but you'd still need to integrate it into your system.

I just purchased a CRP2448, and am looking into installing a spindle in it (eventually). How hard would it be to integrate one of these from eBay?

2.2KW Air Cooled Spindle and VFD Kit

[LeeWay]

You can surely integrate any of those aftermarket options, but you will have to do the footwork. Research, choose, integrate, research some more, scratch head a few times, adjust initial integration, cross fingers, recheck integration, have a beer and try it again. A week or two later, you may have a nice cheap working solution.
The CRP truly is a plug and play system. Well worth the little extra cost. At least to me.

[ifeliciano]

You can surely integrate any of those aftermarket options, but you will have to do the footwork. Research, choose, integrate, research some more, scratch head a few times, adjust initial integration, cross fingers, recheck integration, have a beer and try it again. A week or two later, you may have a nice cheap working solution.
The CRP truly is a plug and play system. Well worth the little extra cost. At least to me.

He he he, I sure know what you mean Lee, and understand the CNCRP kit is worth the price, b/c their R&D team has made sure to remove all the "kinks" to make the spindle work.
I do say that if I were using my machine for a production line in a business, I would definitely spend the $1700 on the P-n-P kit from CNCRP, no question about it.

Yeah, it might not work right and I end up chunking it and buying the right one, but it might work like a charm and I save myself $1200.

[LeeWay]

There are plenty of guys that do integrate the cheaper ones with no trouble. I just know the trouble I had getting Mach 3 to control a few DC motors for spindles and I can tell you that is a headache I no longer want any part of.
Even though now it would be a breeze.
Thankfully most of the guys on here will help you though one with a VFD. Several have documented what and how they did it, so most of the work on those has been done for you. There are a few though that just never get it right.
I would steer clear of the Ebay ones. Seems like those are the source of the worst ones. There are plenty of them from US suppliers that are the same low cost versions, but you will at least have some support and recourse with those.

I am doing production with mine and you are right. When I first built my machines, I went the cheapest I could. After upgrading them a few times, the cost savings for me went out the window. I did gain the knowledge from the work and challenges, so that was very beneficial.
I was using those for production too, but they did not preform nearly as well as the ones I am using now. I did build my plasma cutter and it works fine, but that is the only one I really designed from scratch that I still use. It uses CRP carriages. The Ice Age version.

[Dan911]

I'm looking to upgrade my CNC router parts machine to a spindle and VFD. I've got the 2448 standard using a Bosch 1617evs router (Can you say LOUD). I've burned through 2 of them in the last 12 months and see that CNC router parts offer a plug and play unit for around $1,600.00. Looking on amazon and eBay I see basically the same units for less than half, although they don't include cables or the excellent support offered. Can anyone recommend a vendor that sells a plug and play system similar to theirs?

Thanks for any input

If purchasing there electronics plug and play package I would say its almost a must have.

My brother and I just put there 4 x 8 pro kit together this week that included there nema34 plug and play and VFD/spindle. I have to mention I was against the spindle/vfd package only because of the price. After seeing, setting up and using I think its an extremely fair price for everything that it includes.

We actually had a minor issue with the rpm randomly dropping to 8000rpm. With a quick call to cncrouterparts we were helped in trouble shooting to a loose connection due to the shipping. There customer service was just the icing on the cake.

Dan

[Tigerflyer]

If you priced out the parts for the CNCRouterParts spindle kit... there is a $700+ spindle and a $450 VFD... and then you get all the other parts, case and wiring. And its all set up and ready to go.

You would be hard pressed to build one this nice yourself with parts off Ebay.

[ifeliciano]

What is the VFD enclosure size? What is inside the enclosure? (VFD, Breaker, Fan, AC Disconnect)

[GigaWatt]

What is the VFD enclosure size? What is inside the enclosure? (VFD, Breaker, Fan, AC Disconnect)

From their web site.

Package Includes:
GMT 2.2 KW (3 HP) Air-Cooled Spindle
1/2" ER20 Collet
VFD Enclosure
Delta variable-frequency drive (VFD)
Power cord (with plug for L6-20 style receptacle)
30 Amp Breaker (for protection of the inverter)
Industrial Rotary switch with locking feature
Industrial high-flex cable with locking M23 connection between VFD enclosure and spindle.
Control cable with 14-pin locking connection between VFD enclosure and CNC control electronics.
300mm x 300mm x 200mm Industrial NEMA Enclosure
Cooling Fan

I decided to install a water cooled spindle, Hitachi WJ200-22fs and related parts. After gathering all the parts required, making up cables, routing water tubes, etc., I beginning to wish I had bought the CRP Package!

[DonFrambach]

I just installed a 1.5 kW water cooled spindle. I chose water cooled because I thought it would be less noisy than an air cooled spindle. While it is much more quiet spinning in the air, it makes just as much noise cutting wood so this was no benefit. Also I have an ER-16 collet that takes can only accept up to a 3/8 inch cutter. Kind of regretting that I didn't go with the CRPRP spindle too.

[ifeliciano]

From their web site.

Package Includes:
GMT 2.2 KW (3 HP) Air-Cooled Spindle
1/2" ER20 Collet
VFD Enclosure
Delta variable-frequency drive (VFD)
Power cord (with plug for L6-20 style receptacle)
30 Amp Breaker (for protection of the inverter)
Industrial Rotary switch with locking feature
Industrial high-flex cable with locking M23 connection between VFD enclosure and spindle.
Control cable with 14-pin locking connection between VFD enclosure and CNC control electronics.
300mm x 300mm x 200mm Industrial NEMA Enclosure
Cooling Fan

I decided to install a water cooled spindle, Hitachi WJ200-22fs and related parts. After gathering all the parts required, making up cables, routing water tubes, etc., I beginning to wish I had bought the CRP Package!

From everything I've seen, heard and read, the VFD is an LSi, which I sourced for a very good price. I work in IT and have plenty of shielded cables (3m, 5m, 10m) that can be modified for CNC Router use.
Thanks for the info. I've been to that page many times and never even to bother looking at the description. The pretty pictures kept me from reading.

[ifeliciano]

How much does the 2.2Kw UGRA CNC Spindle weigh? They are killing me with shipping costs!!! I can order a bunch from China for the price + shipping.

[ger21]

Their website says 18 lbs.

[Wildkard]

How much does the 2.2Kw UGRA CNC Spindle weigh? They are killing me with shipping costs!!! I can order a bunch from China for the price + shipping.

I don't remember mine being that high on the shipping, but being someone who has a small business that ships 10-20 packages a day, I have come to understand that big places like amazon and the like must get RIDICULOUS discounts from UPS compared to what I can get.

One of those spindle ground halfway across the country would cost me like 22-23 dollars to ship not counting the packaging materials which aren't as cheap as most people think either.

My packages are mostly 12x12x8 boxes that weigh a few pounds and the average shipping cost to my customers from OK is ~18 bucks.

[ifeliciano]

DUH! I'm going to bed and rest my brain!

[ifeliciano]

Question for those of you who have the Spindle/VFD setup.

What type cable it being used from the VFD to the spindle?

# of conductors
gauge
Shielded yes/no

[ericclinedinst]

Question for those of you who have the Spindle/VFD setup.

What type cable it being used from the VFD to the spindle?

# of conductors
gauge
Shielded yes/no

My guess would be six since it's a six pin cable/connector on the spindle.

Shielded would again be a yes. Since most vfds create noise. Unless you plan on putting a ferrite on the cable or some sort of emi filter.

18 gauge or better wire. Since you're looking at 220v 3 phase with a fair amount of amperage.

I honestly fear that you may end up blowing yourself up/electrocuting yourself during this.

Most of the questions you've asked could be answered by 30 seconds of checking out the cncrouterparts.com site and the ugracnc.com site....

Wait till you get to actually setting this thing up.