Adding a high-speed spindle to my CNC mill

[kvom]

Although my Novakon NM200 is a quite capable mill, it's max spindle speed is only 4000 RPM. For small endmills and engraving, the lack of sufficient RPMs means slower feed rates and less than optimum chipload.

I recently purchased a Makra electric spindle from user ICEPeter, after doing some investigation/design on how to mount it to the head of the mill. I determined that the ring at the bottom of the head is an oil/chip seal for the spindle cartridge, and that it could be removed without problem. It's attached to the bottom of the head by 6 screws. So I wanted to make a bracket that would fit around and under the ring and use the same 6 screws for attachment.

Got to work on this over the past couple of days.

Stock is a piece of 6x12x1/2 CRS I had laying about. After machining the holes and pocket, the spindle ring was checked for a fit, along with the screw holes.

Finished bracket:

Test mount onto the mill:

With the Makra spindle mounted:

In principle, if I use the NM200 spindle to locate stock zero, then the Makra zero will be at X0 Y-5. I'll do some tests in the next couple of days to verify.

 

[nautilus29]

Neat attachment! How much Y travel does that leave you?

 

[kvom]

Mill has 15" Y travel. But this won't be used for very large pieces.

 

[Nick Hulme]

Nice one!
I've been using a Rotozip Rebel on my FB-2 that way for around 15 years, it works great and 28,2800 rpm can really come in handy, my table has double the standard Y travel which gives me the same envelope as the standard spindle ;-)

- Nick