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IndustryArena Forum > MetalWorking Machines > Benchtop Machines > New guy..with a used mill has a question.
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
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    630

    New guy..with a used mill has a question.

    The BF20 L I bought is currently setup for MT2 tooling. How hard would it be to convert it to R8 tooling?

  2. #2
    Not hard, just order these parts from Grizzly like diyengineer did.
    http://www.cnczone.com/forums/832436-post221.html
    plus the bearings or upgrade them to ac's.
    http://www.g0704.com/belt_drive_dvdrom.html#bearing
    Hoss
    http://www.hossmachine.info - Gosh, you've... really got some nice toys here. - Roy Batty -- http://www.g0704.com - http://www.bf20.com - http://www.g0602.com

  3. #3
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    This place has been a huge help so far. Thank you Hoss. I guess if I had just read far enough into your thread I would have found the answer.

    Just waiting for the box of servo motors and such to arrive next week. My guess is this thing belonged to member here before I got it. Already has the little butterfly impact tool changer on top.

  4. #4
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    Jan 2013
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    630
    Got my parts ordered. Thanks for the information.

    Dropped the homing switches on it last a couple nights ago and set up in Mach and soft limits set.

    Is there any reason hardware limit switches can't be wired in a normally closed loop with the Homing switches? The soft limits work unless some steps are missed or a motor stalls. The hardware limits seem like a safer setup.

  5. #5
    Sure, you only need one switch per axis to be both home and limits using only one input pin.
    See here. Projects
    Hoss
    http://www.hossmachine.info - Gosh, you've... really got some nice toys here. - Roy Batty -- http://www.g0704.com - http://www.bf20.com - http://www.g0602.com

  6. #6
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    I used a little different approach but I like the way you did yours. Since I haven't bought any tooling yet in anticipation of changing out the spindle I'll end up changing the way I did it on the X and Y once I can make the appropriate parts.

    I'll use the soft limits for now...

  7. #7
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    Grizzly got my parts to me pretty quick... time to order some bearings.

    So far the learning curve hasn't been too steep. The software of course makes sense to me now that I understand the concept of machine coordinates vs. work coordinates.

    Next on the list after getting the spindle replaced and broken in is to get a touch off tool wired in and rethink the home and limit switches.

  8. #8
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    Jan 2013
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    I'm one step closer to making chips. While I am waiting on bearings and tooling to get here I spent the last couple long nights learning the Rhinoceros interface and RhinoCam. First part is designed, tool paths created and simulated. Next step is a test in air on the machine followed by cutting the first part.

  9. #9
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    Jan 2013
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    Tooling arrived yesterday. I spent last night measuring the machine...

    Backlash
    x - .00015
    y - .0002
    z - .00005

    Column is out front to rear about .004. Unfortunately the motor mount design doesn't allow access to the column bolts so I'll have to pull it tonight to shim the column. I may setup a temporary bench to drop it on my drill press and drill in some allen head set screws to adjust the column as needed.

    If I get enough uninterrupted time I should be able to run the first part this weekend.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
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    0

    Yeppee another BF20 thread......Hi there Kenny:wave: welcome to CNCzone....post loads and loads of photos and especially the R8 conversion I'm probably going to follow you and others and swap out my MT2 for an R8 or ISO30 but at the moment I'm trying to see if I can use my MT2.....
    Eoin

  11. #11
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    Jan 2013
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    Hell...I'm so busy trying to fit all this stuff in my little pea brain that I forget to take pictures. Not that everyone hasn't seen them before...

    The R8 swap was dead simple. I ran the mill for a couple hours tonight trying to get used to the process and it never ran hotter than 110 at the motor.

    I'll stick to little blurbs of progress. I made chips with it tonight. Still have some things to work out but it cuts a pretty good circular pocket. It was only .0001 out so the machine is pretty close. I think I need to go back a measure the backlash in the X axis again as I think that's where it is.

    A new PC is definitely a must at this point as the old P4 IBM that came with it is just too slow when running the MACH 3 wizards. Plus I just hate having n XP machine around anymore.

  12. #12
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    Mar 2012
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    Man, you scored a used BF20 with a CNC conversion? And in the USA!!!

  13. #13
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    I did..from a really nice guy in Utah. Not sure where he got it.

    I needed something already converted as I don't have the skill set yet to do a conversion myself or access to the tooling required. The only thing I can handle readily is the PC and software side of it. I'm a former master carpenter turned Network Engineer.

    I'm getting into this due to the fact that parts for my 20 year old race bike are becoming more difficult to get a hold of and I usually have to go across the pond for things.





    I've got some mechanical skills just not on the level of a machinist but I like to learn and this gives me a good reason to do it.

  14. #14
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    Feb 2013
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    That's a very nice looking race bike! Don't give me anything that clean, I wreck too much... What racing org are you in?

    Also, nice score on the BF20, I'm looking to make some bike parts with my G0704 once I finish.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by zamazz View Post
    That's a very nice looking race bike! Don't give me anything that clean, I wreck too much... What racing org are you in?

    Also, nice score on the BF20, I'm looking to make some bike parts with my G0704 once I finish.
    WERA...mostly Southeastern race tracks.

    It's been wrecked before...it's a race bike first before anything else. As you know there's every chance it comes home in several large and lots of tiny pieces every time it hits the track.

  16. #16
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    I built and used to race Hawks.... Back in the day.....

    Sweet ride.....

  17. #17
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    Love Hawks....

    Who did you run with CCS...WERA....MRA?

  18. #18
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    Feb 2013
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kenny Duval View Post
    WERA...mostly Southeastern race tracks.

    It's been wrecked before...it's a race bike first before anything else. As you know there's every chance it comes home in several large and lots of tiny pieces every time it hits the track.
    Okay, I'm just getting started in CMRA. I can't afford to travel for WERA. Almost all of CMRA is in Texas, within 4 hours of where I live. I know all too well how easy it is to unintentionally disassemble a bike...

    Okay, sorry for the threadjack, back to CNC...

  19. #19
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    I ran North East CCS, Loudon and Bridgehampton at the time... That pic is from Loudon...

  20. #20
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    Jan 2013
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    Well...I got to spend pretty much all day today with the mill trying to figure this all out. 2 things were pretty apparent.

    1. I have a long way to go and machining is not a fast process.

    2. Those that claim an old P4 machine is good enough seem to be wrong. The 3.0 Ghz P4 machine that was running the mill did it horribly compared to the Dual 2.4Ghz Quad Core Xeon machine that's running it now. Before it would stall trying to push 120 ip/m now with the new machine 280 ip/m rapids are no sweat. It's faster than I care to run it at the moment. Oddly enough it just sounds better when the stepper are running.

    I almost got a complete part made before I screwed it up. I did however produce one in wood that is a perfect duplicate of the original part. So a couple small steps forward and a lot of banging my head on the table today but I learned a lot and am headed out to pick up some stock tomorrow and try again.

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