Re: High Speed Spindle for SIEG X2 - Finally a Solution

Response to message #88875
"William Perun Sr" <wperun1@> wrote:

> You loose 2.7" of the X axis travel because the Proxxon sits next

to the stock spindle. I'm doing 3" by 3" engraving, and sculpting so
I won't be

> loosing anything.

"Chris Horne" <chris@...> wrote:

> Bill,
> I know I already mentioned this on the other group.. but just in

case anyone here hasn't read it..

> You will maintain full 'X' travel if you extend the table by 2.7
> inches on the side the new spindle fits.. depending on what you
> are machining, with a chunk of MDF, aluminium or steel..
>
> Chris

Chris, thanks for the heads up. Ken, at KDN Tool, mentioned that I
could save the lost 2.7 inches by extending the table. I was trying
to alert people that they could loose X axis travel, and I didn't
want to get complicated about lengthening the table, although it is
easy to do. But thanks for posting the heads up. I will have to
extend my table because I am mounting a vacuum table, and it is
wider and deeper than the SIEG X2 table. I'll attach a steel plate
to the SIEG X2 table and attach the vacuum table to the steel plate.

Also I believe you mentioned that you are machining two parts
simultaneously. I was thinking about that. To give a wild example a
person could mount a Proxxon IB/E to the left and right of center,
and in front of center (original spindle center). Thinking of these
offsets as pitches, all of them the same - then a person could
machine / engrave / sculpt three identical pieces at once. The
piece width would have to slightly smaller than the offset "pitch".

I'm glad to hear that you are getting good performance from the
Proxxon IB/E, and found the KDN Tool side mount innovative.

God bless you, and thanks for the heads up.

Bill Perun

> > Well I went out after making the post and moved and stacked 6

face

> > cord of wood for 8 hours. Not too bad for 66, and temps in the
> > 90s. I thought I'd check to see if there was any traffic on the
> > post. You guys have been busy today.
> >
> > Hi Dave (turbulatordude) - yes its the spindle plate and the
> > Proxxon IB/E, LittleMachineShop is also selling the KDN Tool
> > product. The spindle does not replace the head on the mill,

because

> > in order to do that you'd have to remove the lead screw / ball
> > screw, then pull the Spindle box seat casting (#63) which rides

the

> > Z axis column vee ways, and has the Spindle box casting (#49)

bolted

> > to it from the back of (#63). The heads of the bolts are

covered by

> > the Z axis column. It would take forever to exchange spindles.

The

> > beauty of the KDN Tool solution is that it virtually takes no

time

> > to switch between the main spindle, and the Proxxon IB/E

spindle.

> > Elegant solutions to complicated problems are simple. You loose
> > 2.7" of the X axis travel because the Proxxon sits next to the

stock

> > spindle. I'm doing 3" by 3" engraving, and sculpting so I won't

be

> > loosing anything.
> >
> > Hi, John Stevenson - the spindle is right below "Just Born"

which is

> > a Proxxon MF70 Micro Mill converted to CNC. The product I am
> > talking about is labeled "Our Latest Innovations", "High Speed
> > Spindle Attachment For The X2 Mini Mill", click HERE for more
> > information will give you all the information you'll need.
> >
> > Hi, Andy Wander - you're right, you did find it.
> >
> > Hi, Alan Marconett, I also have looked at Trim Routers. They

are

> > tempting, but as you mentioned thay are not variable speed, but

a

> > VFD will solve that. What concerns me is the run out of the
> > spindle, which effects the resolution of the engraving /

sculpting,

> > as well as the finish. The trim router would be great as a wood
> > router on a gantry machine. Mounted on the side of the SIEG X2
> > spindle box, too much of the X axis travel would be lost.
> >
> > Dave (turbulatordude), the Proxxon IB/E is much more than a

Dremel,

> > and much more than the other Proxxon Hand Grinders. Of course

high

> > powered spindles run from $1,000 to $5,000. Now the Proxxon

IB/E

> > isn't in the high powered price range at $110 but it has some
> > steller performance features that many have overlooked. For

price /

> > performance you can't beat the Proxxon IB/E. The Proxxon IB/E

does

> > not have a plastic housing where the spindle mechanism /

bearings

> > resides. The housing is metal.
> >
> > Hi, Lester Caine - you're right, the Proxxon IB/E is designed

for

> > heavy use. Take a look at my torque requirement calculations -

for

> > aluminum, brass, and steel - for the two extremes of end mill
> > diameters that the IB/E holds. 100 watts covers a lot of

machining

> > range for engraving and sculpting. In a sense I am into high

speed

> > machining with very small chip loads, and high feed rates and

high

> > rpms. I was just reading an article about Branchline Trains who
> > machine their model train steel dies, with 0.005" diameter end
> > mills. This is only possible with high speed machining

technology,

> > and that requires a high speed spindle, and I don't have $1,000

to

> > $5,000, but I do have $100. I also don't have the time to

develop,

> > and machine a bracket.
> >
> > Hi, Graham Stabler - I always enjoy reading you posts, thanks

for

> > sharing all the information, and your time. I believe that you

are

> > right that the Proxxon IB/E is the same motor technology as the
> > Proxxon MF70 mill spindle motor. I've been wondering what the

motor

> > technology is. Is it an AC or DC motor? What are the poles all
> > about? If AC then what kind? If DC then brushed or brushless?

I

> > joined the IRK Torque Max group hoping to adapt a RC brushless

motor

> > to a high speed spindle. I never got any where because of my

lack

> > of knowledge of electronics. Was very complicated. I contacted
> > brushless DC motor manufacturers, too expensive, and

disapointing

> > duty cycle.
> >
> > Hi, Alan Marconett - I guess I don't know which of the laminate
> > trimmers or routers you are thinking of as being noisy. The

Proxxon

> > IB/E is quiet, even at high speed, and milling away on metal.
> >
> > So in conclusion, if you own a SIEG X2 (Micro-Mark, MicroLux

#82573

> > sale price $483.95), and you want a good price / value solution

for

> > engraving, and sculpting of wood, plastic, aluminum, and brass
> > (maybe even steel) you may want to consider the KDN Tool Proxxon
> > IB/E, and mount for your machine. It will probably mount on an

X1,

> > or X3 with a modification to the mount design, but you'll have

to

> > ask KDN Tool. Well I'm tired from hauling and stacking wood all
> > day. Have a good night, and God bless you all.
> >
> > Bill Perun
> >
>