Currently in the starting of converting a Clarke cmd10 micro mill to CNC. (It’s a sieg x1 clone to the rest of the world. Just slapped with another sticker and a chunky price tag)
First port of call was to order the 400mm bed to replace the 240mm that comes as stock. And the lead screw. (I’m hoping to replace the lead screws with ball screws and nuts for a good dollop of anti backlash. Struggling to find an 8mm screw and 18mm nut) that being the largest I can measure it taking. So it may be 12mm screw and mill a ballnut to fit. (Still figuring that bit)
All axes are to be driven by nema23 425oz/inch stepper motors. Although a worm gear may be necessary to account for the added weight on the Z axis.
I had the remnants of an old PC with gigabyte fm2+ Mobo and AMD a4 apu. With I think a GTX 780 GPU. (Unnecessary but why not) still need to grab a stick or 2 of ddr3 and a hard drive then load it up with a 32 bit windows 7 to run either Mach 3 or 4? This is in a basic case that I removed the feet from and marked for holes. (Wrong and drilled them ) either way. It’s now fixed to the underside of the 2x4ft dedicated engineers bench from the top side.
I understand this is irrelevant as far as growing and I didn’t know how best to categorise the topic so mods feel free to move if deemed necessary. But I imagine 1 or 2 fellow brothers here might wanna peak at this project.
My shed is a shed again now too for those that know me. But new homes for those sneaky strips you see in the background are in progress. (I have to move equipment a bit at a time to not arouse suspicion. At least in my own head anyway).
I’ll get a few more pics tomorrow of various bits and when the bed extension lands I’ll post the upgrade as I do it.
Remind me before I come to see you next to look for some of that ddr3 ram and a ssd disk, think i have an old 30gig ssd and some ddr3 laying around, from an old mining rig
Thanks for the C99 cake looking forward to that at the end of shift
You’re a beautiful man @Herbie thankyou bro. And hope you enjoy the cake. The blue dream is going down quite nicely too. Although it’s a Netflix kinda time not night shift for me lol. Having to chip away at this bit by bit. Keep stashing the odd 40 quid away for parts. But I reckon the Mrs will have them turned to Euros before the week is out
I am sure @anon58740919 our dear Overgrow friend @Dee.S73 will show you some Canary Island hospitality and may be even have something for your euros to buy (not sunglasses by the way!)
I reckon an oz when we land will do us nicely. As long as this can be sourced it shall be a lovely holiday. I’ve already got a pair of fila shades to rock 90s style whilst im there. No need for a lucky lucky man .
Wish I could afford/had the space for a bigger mill. I can barely afford this but what’s life without whimsy. It’s only for milling aluminum. Will come in handy for a few bits on the lights is my thinking. And if not. Well I learned something new.
Are you going to show me a mill that will put mine to shame now? I like the American go big or go home ethos. Except I’m at home and it’s not big
I am a Die Maker/Machinist. I can’t show you a photo (we weren’t allowed cameras.) but ran one Ingersol (German mill) that was bigger than my house. It had two tables and each could hold a half of a die to make truck side panels, roof tops and hoods. Wish I did have a photo of the old girl. I retired 10 years ago.
The first mill I operated had tons of backlash and I had to run compound angles on it. After I mastered that I got to run others. I didn’t run CNC until my last 10 years.
I’m adopting you as my granny. You’re cool as f***
CNC stuff is pretty new territory to me. I’ve put together and used a gantry style laser engraver. Other than the bits of machining I’ve done for lights metal work is new to me too.
Special delivery from arc eurotrade today. 400mm bed extension and lead screw. I’ll get a photo of the state of my shed before I start. Need to tidy up before I proceed
Bed extension now fitted. Much nicer size to work with although still really small.
The longer lead screw seems to have been rolled a lot nicer. Haven’t checked the grade. But I’m guessing the stock was c7.
I messaged a company in Yorkshire to see if I can get 8mm ball screw and 18mm ball nuts. (I may end up having them manufactured to fit but I’m going to trawl the 3d printer parts world in the hope I find some as stock) I don’t think a coupler would be a bad idea for both ends to absolutely minimise any play.
The gib strips are not upto the greatest standard. So I think some brass replacements are in order.
I think the poxy 150w spindle motor is coming out and being replaced by a 1.5kw high RPM spindle motor and a VFD inverter. I was considering an 800w spindle motor but I think I’ll lose a bit of torque with higher RPM so I’m hoping this will compensate.
Not sure I understand your terminology sorry. If you mean adjustments of the set screws. I’ve already done that. There’s a couple of deflections I’m guessing from machining/transport that are stopping it being . I’m sure the Mrs dad will have enough brass there spare to stick on his lathe and cut me a nice new set of gibs anyway.
Second thoughts on the 1.5kw spindle motor as the RPM range is 8000/24000rpm. So I’ll be sacrificing whatever torque gains for low speed milling capability. 0/24000rpm@400hz. Will mean I can use it to tap too.
What’s the problem with the gibs? If it’s binding before the play is taken out, which is really common on these types of machines, it’s probably the bed or saddle that’s warped. They cast the beds and hog out the slideways, all with no heat treat so you end up with a banana.
Are you using proper slideway oil? It really does make a difference.
I’m more into lathes, got my first to make simple parts for cars and bikes making adaptors, spacers, special washers to fit different suspension and brake parts, don’t really do anything now as I don’t have anywhere to set up permanently.
Definitely going to follow this, should be interesting.
brass isn’t suitable for gibs, aluminium bronze or cast iron is more suitable, if you are going to the effort of making something like that it’s worth getting the right material
I’m going to not take your word on this and take the word of the Mrs dad. Who has fine tuned his lathe. Tin whistle maker. His stuffs good to about 0.002mm runoff. And he swears by brass gibs. Not saying your suggestions aren’t better than the stock steel. Just not what I will be doing myself mate.
At the minute I’ve literally just coated every bit I’m going to touch with a thermal grease whilst I fit everything. (Don’t want to be dealing with rust from the oils in my hands) and It has to sit a while in-between me doing bits.
I’ve already stated that the stock gibs seem to have been machined badly/some kind of deflection in transit. I can’t see it being the bed because both act in exactly the same manner. Old and new.
Any recommendations on a good slideway oil please bro
If he is making them and turning to 2 microns I would let him pick the material too!
I can’t recommend any particular slideway oil but c bennis is an excellent supplier for small quantities of lubricants, I trust them and just buy whatever they are selling. 1 litre will last ages.
I may get to that at some point mate but I’m still a noob to engineering myself. So I only read what I need to learn as I go and then it kinda sticks. Too much and I lose myself.
My work is really crude in comparison to many peoples. I’m not posting here to try and show off in any way. I just like documenting what I do and this seemed a good place.
) either way. It’s now fixed to the underside of the 2x4ft dedicated engineers bench from the top side.
.
This I understand, unlike electrical. 
. I’m sure the Mrs dad will have enough brass there spare to stick on his lathe and cut me a nice new set of gibs anyway.