[thecleaner]

Holy cow..I’m not planning to use a power drawbar, but I already felt the top of the column might be uneven as well. And it’s not even detachable so if that’s the case we’re gonna have to go with a similar solution.

I’m interested into your solution for the Z nut holder. That’s something I haven’t figured out yet.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[wrastu]

I’m interested into your solution for the Z nut holder. That’s something I haven’t figured out yet.

Here is a video to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apvCBtbFwew

Our Z axis slide has a oval slot I may make it round instead. As for the ball nut holder, I haven't decided if I will make it from round stock and turn it in the lathe to make the mount, them in to the mill or a piece of square stock which I can turn and mill the sides to fit through the column but have more surface area on the mount vertically.

[jhop28]

Oh that's easy don't work in it lol I saw you went with Centroid Controller I have a small retro mill using it with there touchscreen and ultimate software I'm really liking it as its very straight forward , I'm keeping tabs on your retro as I will be doing the same soon as I can get some time to tackle it Oh my shop does get gagged at times

[jhop28]

jhop,

How do you keep your shop so clean?

Mine is always a wreck.

Oh that's easy don't work in it lol I saw you went with Centroid Controller I have a small retro mill using it with there touchscreen and ultimate software I'm really liking it as its very straight forward , I'm keeping tabs on your retro as I will be doing the same soon as I can get some time to tackle it Oh my shop does get gagged at times

[wrastu]

Oh that's easy don't work in it lol I saw you went with Centroid Controller I have a small retro mill using it with there touchscreen and ultimate software I'm really liking it as its very straight forward , I'm keeping tabs on your retro as I will be doing the same soon as I can get some time to tackle it Oh my shop does get gagged at times

I am a newbie virgin to CNC (manual machinist all my life, last 20 as a very busy hobbyist) but I have a friend who has been using Centroid for 30yrs. He seen they are getting into the DIY market and talked me into it.

Seems very well supported by the company, and very used friendly.

So why not jump head first into the CNC thing, build your first CNC machine yourself......I'm nuts I know.

Stu

[jhop28]

I did the same thing with my little mill no cnc exp and jumped in .You will have a lot of fun once you get it running as I have lol I keep tearing it back down and making it better probably could have had a 940 converted for what I've spent on this little one But its been a learning curve for certain . That was my plan to learn on the little one and do the 940 next .

[wrastu]

I did the same thing with my little mill no cnc exp and jumped in .You will have a lot of fun once you get it running as I have lol I keep tearing it back down and making it better probably could have had a 940 converted for what I've spent on this little one But its been a learning curve for certain . That was my plan to learn on the little one and do the 940 next .

As long as it stays FUN, this is my early present to myself for doing 25yrs at my job and retiring ( I am 2 yrs out) I wanna be up and running and know my stuff before I retire for the second time. (Long story) I wanna make a little but not to the point were I have to wake up and hustle out to the shop because I have deadlines to meet.

[wrastu]

Well I bought me a big a$$ chunk of aluminum to make the extensions for the over length screw I got so I can overdrive my table 5 inches on each side, that doesn't of course mean I get 10" extra X travel.

[wrastu]

Started out at 21lbs, ended up at 6.5lbs. I whittled away at it and ended up with this.

As you can see I built in a hard stop.

[wrastu]

I built in a spot for the proximity sensor, it should stop 5mm before the hard stop. Hope it works okay there, supposed to react to ferrous metals, hope the aluminum shielding it doesn't screw up the signal.

[wrastu]

More to follow, working on roughing out the float side, and so on. Got my one shot oiler in, gonna be planning that mess out too.

[wrastu]

31-1/2 total X axis travel hard stop to hard stop after the proximity sensors are set it will be about 31" maybe a bit shy of that, but a good usable 30" for long light stuff. I made the float bearing recessed so I can make a cover for it and the width is enough over I can make covers to protect the ways and screws from flying chips and coolant with drip edges.

[thecleaner]

amazing.

I didn't get from the pictures whether you used the standard nut holder for the Y axis or made a custom one. Did you drill new holes to attach it?

For the X axis it looks like you milled a base and then drilled four holes to match the standard nut holder?

[wrastu]

amazing.

I didn't get from the pictures whether you used the standard nut holder for the Y axis or made a custom one. Did you drill new holes to attach it?

For the X axis it looks like you milled a base and then drilled four holes to match the standard nut holder?

Yes for both

I will be taking everything apart to start on the enclosure base that goes under the machine and on top of the base soon, I will post some pics of the Y axis nut holder.


Stu

[wrastu]

Cool project. When I was doing my Grizzly Mill the 13th time I think I filed and sanded on basically every part before I was done. It's much nicer to work on now.

p.s. bikes or bicycles?

Moto Tech,

Sorry I didn't post these earlier, I had them covered and pushed out of the way to work on the mill.

Here is my version of bikes, they are a bit out of vogue......like I give a $h!t whats popular.

[cut2cut]

Hi,

Great retrofit Stu, you obviously know your stuff ! Looks great. Recently a few of us PM940-CNC owners have moved to the Centroid Acorn from the somewhat undesirable nMotion CNC controller that came with the mill.

I hate to include links to other forums, so I don't hijack this one, but you might have a look over at the threads we have going over at hobby machinist. I went ahead and removed the gearbox as it was noisy as hell and leaked too, with a belt drive that I hacked together. You might find some of the information helpful. I kind of wish I had done a full retrofit instead of the turnkey CNC but I'm learning as I go either way.

I am thinking of going with the DMM servos too. Looks like you got the DYN2 instead of DYN4. Curious of why you decided on one or the other. Also, do you think 750w is enough for the Z ? I am going to add a power draw bar too, but worry about whether a 750w will carry that load or not. I would appreciate your thoughts on this!

https://www.hobby-machinist.com/thre...cations.57976/

https://www.hobby-machinist.com/thre...d-acorn.65196/

Cheers,

Jake

[wrastu]

Jake,

I bought the servos as a package, if the 750 isn't big enough I will just gear it down a bit, if not I will get a bigger one I guess.

I got side tracked working on the bikes, need to get back to the mill, let you know when I get there, after new years I always get the hee bee jee bees because spring will be here I need me some motorsicklin to keep me sane.

Stu

[wrastu]

Hi,

Great retrofit Stu, you obviously know your stuff ! Looks great.

Thanks, I just play it off that I do, conventional machinist for about 35/40 years, last 20 as a serious hobbist, figured the best way to learn cnc was to make my own.

Stu

[AutomatedIngen]

Great build, I just ordered a PM-940 myself, so keeping a close eye on this thread for updates. Do any of you have any CAD drawings for this mill?

[wrastu]

Great build, I just ordered a PM-940 myself, so keeping a close eye on this thread for updates. Do any of you have any CAD drawings for this mill?

Sorry but I don't have any.

- - - Updated - - -

Got side tracked finishing a motorcycle build I had started before the mill conversion, got it finished and now back to work.