[idtkid]

Just bought a Syil X3 (you guys call it an SX3?) on ebay. Seller claims it was used for no more than 2 hours (looks like the packing grease/wax is still on some parts) and he bought it a year and a half ago. Other than the standard tear down, removing of grease, lapping of ways etc. should I look to tighten anything, plug anything in etc? Thanks!

[metalworkz]

Hello,
I disassembled my Syil America X3 X and Y axis and the carriage from the Y dovetails. It is recommended that the packing grease be cleaned off when received and relube all the axis components. I took a look on eBay completed listings and the picture shows the machine in good working condition, with a 4th axis to boot.
Some things I encountered with my machine included lose wire ferules, wires left disconnected, and stepper motor couplers set screws lose on both the X and Z axis.
Did you get the Mach3 software to control the machine also? You will want to get the machine profile file from Syil America and put it in the Mach3 folder. Do you have experience with Mach3 and CNC machine operations? Was the machine running and did you get to see it operating? If you did then you should be able to connect it all back together,turn it on and run the Driver Test program to make sure Mach3 is in control. Then start the Mach3 program and select the Syil X3 loader and Mach3 will load on your control computer. Now when you reference your axis be careful, the Y axis can be sitting at the home switch and if homed from that position it may home away from the column and run right off of the ballscrew! What I do to prevent this is I jog the Y axis towards the column until the carriage is flush with the dovetails.(this may be overkill, but I have not had the Y axis come off the ballscrew this way) I also jog the X axis in the minus direction(towards the right) until it is 3" to 4" overhang on the right side.
I usually home the Z first and then jog both the X and Y as above and then home the X and Y. You will want to set up 'Soft homing limits' for each axis so it will help prevent the axis from over traveling. I had a friend in southern California that just recently had his Y run off the ballscrew and he ended up adding a set screw collar to the end of the screw to prevent it from happening again. It is a real biotch putting all the bearings back into the holder if you don't lose any of them!
Right now my spindle motor display on the front panel has shorted out and my spindle is not operable. I have attached a Rotozip to the side of the Z and have had very good results. I'll try to think of anything else I can suggest. Looks like you got a good deal, and even with all the minor problems I think the SX3 is a great little machine. Good luck!
Regards,

[idtkid]

Hey thanks for your reply! I will be sure to look into the soft homing limits feature as I have never had a machine with limit/home switches. I have used Mach3 many times before on 3 different machines so I should have that under control. I plan on pulling the front cover off and insulating the back of the boards to keep them from shorting against the quill/z axis dro.

[M100]

Just bought a Syil X3 (you guys call it an SX3?) on ebay. Seller claims it was used for no more than 2 hours (looks like the packing grease/wax is still on some parts) and he bought it a year and a half ago. Other than the standard tear down, removing of grease, lapping of ways etc. should I look to tighten anything, plug anything in etc? Thanks!

The X3 is not the same as the SX3, the latter has a completely different drivetrain and a head that pivots.

The following guide might be useful for dismantling and rebuilding an X3 if you've never taken one apart before.

http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/projec...on%20Guide.pdf

Somewhere on here is a post on dismantling the gearbox (not covered in the above guide)

Found it!

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79703

[idtkid]

Hey thanks alot! It is a SX3 as the head does articulate

[metalworkz]

Good idea to insulate the from display from shorting. It can render the spindle in-operable and I don't think the parts are available for replacement. From what I have been told by Syil the best alternative is to use the newer X4 spindle control boards etc and the cost is somewhere around $300 for a complete replacement. I don't have the cash so I had to improvise and mounted the Rotozip on the side. It works pretty good, but it's nothing like having the R8 spindle to mount tools in. I have several work around plans to get the original spindle back in use with a 4 speed counter shaft and motor, but have not started on it yet. Good luck with your SX3!!
Regards,