Minimills and retrofits
Posted by
Andrew Werby
on 2000-03-31 09:57:59 UTC
Doug Fortune <pentam@...> wrote:
Subject: Re: ?for all newbie
derek barger wrote:
some ideas):
Check out this $500 mill:
http://www.grizzlyindustrial.com/fcgi-bin/lookup.fcgi/products/lookup.cfg?q=item
&kw=G8689
and retrofit it with one of these 3 axis kits:
http://www.maxnc.com/page5.html
http://www.seanet.com/~dmauch/Products2.htm
Doug
[That does look like a nice mill for a retrofit project- has anyone tried
it? Do you have to remove the gas spring on the spindle axis? The
information on Dan's new servo controller was a little confusing. Is this
an assembled unit, aside from the miscellaneous power supplies,
transformers, capacitors, etc.? Does it have all the I/O stuff one would
need? And is one servo amp sufficient to run 3 axes, or are three needed?
Once it's all together, will a step-and-direction program run it, or is
special servo software necessary? Dan was asking us not to pester him with
e-mail while he was working on it, but since this seems to be released
now, presumably the "blackout" period is over?
To compare apples to apples, MaxNC also has a 3 axis servo retrofit kit,
(not featured on their site) which includes 3 ea. 145 oz/in motors with
encoders, 2 preconfigured parallel ports, the assembled control box, limit
switches, and their servo software, which I sell for $1092. This is
essentially a closed-loop stepper system, which doesn't require servo amps.
It would be sufficient to run the Grizzly mill above- about the same size
as the MaxNC 15, although some extra motor-mounts, etc. would have to be
procured. Or it could go on the Taig CNC-ready manual mill (motor mounts
included) which I've got for $625.
If the original poster is looking for something to just set up and use,
without getting involved with a retrofit project, he might look at the Taig
CNC mill, which is a heavy-duty little unit well within his budget, and
comes with everything it needs to run. It is an open-loop stepper system,
though, not a servo. I'm not sure if it's been mentioned on this list, but
Jerry Gold has put together a web-page dedicated to an unbiased comparison
of CNC "desktop" mills at http://users.erols.com/cre8tiv/ This might
prove helpful to those contemplating the purchase of one of these little
(or not-so-little) machines.]
Andrew Werby
http://www.computersculpture.com
Andrew Werby - United Artworks
Sculpture, Jewelry, and Other Art Stuff
http://unitedartworks.com
Subject: Re: ?for all newbie
derek barger wrote:
> Hello all:Here's some ideas (I haven't bought any of this, but it may give you
> I am looking to purchase a minimill or cnc table with software.
> Mainly to machine PCB and plastic boxes, some light metals.
> Does anyone have any suggestions or comments good or bad.
> Budget is low $2,500 Max.
some ideas):
Check out this $500 mill:
http://www.grizzlyindustrial.com/fcgi-bin/lookup.fcgi/products/lookup.cfg?q=item
&kw=G8689
and retrofit it with one of these 3 axis kits:
http://www.maxnc.com/page5.html
http://www.seanet.com/~dmauch/Products2.htm
Doug
[That does look like a nice mill for a retrofit project- has anyone tried
it? Do you have to remove the gas spring on the spindle axis? The
information on Dan's new servo controller was a little confusing. Is this
an assembled unit, aside from the miscellaneous power supplies,
transformers, capacitors, etc.? Does it have all the I/O stuff one would
need? And is one servo amp sufficient to run 3 axes, or are three needed?
Once it's all together, will a step-and-direction program run it, or is
special servo software necessary? Dan was asking us not to pester him with
e-mail while he was working on it, but since this seems to be released
now, presumably the "blackout" period is over?
To compare apples to apples, MaxNC also has a 3 axis servo retrofit kit,
(not featured on their site) which includes 3 ea. 145 oz/in motors with
encoders, 2 preconfigured parallel ports, the assembled control box, limit
switches, and their servo software, which I sell for $1092. This is
essentially a closed-loop stepper system, which doesn't require servo amps.
It would be sufficient to run the Grizzly mill above- about the same size
as the MaxNC 15, although some extra motor-mounts, etc. would have to be
procured. Or it could go on the Taig CNC-ready manual mill (motor mounts
included) which I've got for $625.
If the original poster is looking for something to just set up and use,
without getting involved with a retrofit project, he might look at the Taig
CNC mill, which is a heavy-duty little unit well within his budget, and
comes with everything it needs to run. It is an open-loop stepper system,
though, not a servo. I'm not sure if it's been mentioned on this list, but
Jerry Gold has put together a web-page dedicated to an unbiased comparison
of CNC "desktop" mills at http://users.erols.com/cre8tiv/ This might
prove helpful to those contemplating the purchase of one of these little
(or not-so-little) machines.]
Andrew Werby
http://www.computersculpture.com
Andrew Werby - United Artworks
Sculpture, Jewelry, and Other Art Stuff
http://unitedartworks.com