[Greg_E]

Is there a relatively inexpensive kit for the Sieg X1 machines that also allows a hand wheel to be fitted for manual jobs? Also I would want the 3rd axis to be on the quill so that I have better rigidity. Mostly I work on 2D things but because the mill is small it needs to step down into the material but generally nothing deeper than the depth of the quill.

And a USB controller would be great.

Does a kit like this exist? If it matters I can solder any controller that comes as a kit or bare circuit board to keep the cost down. But I want something that won't require building my own stepper mounts because I want the time to functional to be lower than a piece by piece build.

Recommendations on low cost CAM software would also be appreciated.

[sockules]

Hey, just finished an X1 conversion a few weeks back for running aluminum widgets and junk. Actually getting around 0.002" repeatability from the original acme leadscrews. Have you had any luck finding a kit yet? If not, here's some advice:

*Don't cheap out on the controller/driver. I bought a driver with max 2 amps per channel, allowing me a maximum motor rating of around 280oz in (I think it was around there). Even with a 2:1 belt reduction, I run into issues with insufficient torque on the Y axis; reduction also makes things slow.

*Drive from the dovetail, not the quill (Z axis). Locking the quill will provide more rigidity during cuts. Keep the dovetail tighter to eliminate any tilting, and use something more powerful to drive it.

*Gut the plastic spindle gears, and go for a belted setup.

*Consider buying extended axes, I think that's my next move... Or buy a bigger/better machine to base your conversion on. ::cough::

It's a fun little machine, but extremely limited (nuts).

[Greg_E]

Thanks for the tips. I still haven't done anything with CNC on this machine. Still on my mind, especially when I consider making more of these things:
NLE transport, Transport Controls Home the cutouts for those buttons (half inch squares) are killer on your concentration and it is way too easy to get a little distracted and make a mess. Learned I need to cut on the back side and really pay attention on the finish passes. Cut by drilling the center out with a 3/8, bulk of cutting with 1/8 end mill, finish the last few thousandths with a 1/16 to cut nice corners.

I have done both the extended Y base and the larger X table and they are well worth the price. I also have one of the belt drives that LMS sold, looks like those drives are gone now that the X1 is hard to get in the USA, but well worth the money again, especially if you are using small cutters and need the higher speeds. Junk the stock and replacement spindle bearings and go straight to Boca Bearings and get high speed bearings, the stock ones over heat at 4000 rpm, and the replacements that came with my kit overheated at 2000 rpm. The high speed bearings from Boca with their "special" lube has been fine at 8000 for several hours of hand cranking. Only down side is sometimes I need slower than 2000 so it would be nice to have the 1000 range back, finding this is needed with really soft aluminum (2024???) and plastics. The plastics are easy enough to dial it down and not miss the lost torque but the aluminum would be nice to have full torque back. Ideally I would have 4 speeds available, 1K, 2K, 4K, and 8K.

[sockules]

Ah, cool stuff. I ended up just making all the parts on another small mill I own (Dore Westbury), and my Taig lathe. I haven't bothered upgrading the motor or spindle bearings yet. I have some 1/2HP 3 phase motors kicking around... honestly though, for what the mill is, I'm probably finished tinkering with it. Now I'm using my machines to make a larger mill for guitar building!... Which was my main motivation for all this CNC stuff in the first place 3 years ago. Funny how people get side tracked.