Little Machine CNC Mill

[dreeves]

I would like to know if anyone is using this machine?

http://www.littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=3501&category=1241045623

Its the SEIG Machine. I am looking for a turn key machine and was looking at this one. Any help or info would be great

DAve

 

[pete]

Dave,
I've never run a CNC machine so take this for what it's worth. You've got a real limited travel for the Y axis. But my main dislike? The use of a MT2 spindle taper. Morse tapers have been around far longer than I've been alive and they do work. There also classed as a self holding taper. Because of the slow taper, It wedges itself in place. That can require far more force from a hammer blow to release that taper than what's good for the spindle bearings. R-8 taper is classed as a self releasing taper due to the steepness of it's taper. In reality it can require a light tap to get it to release. In my own opinion and for myself?. I won't buy another MT mill. I've owned both MT and R-8. The R-8 is not only superior, But tooling is far easier to get and if it's not made in that taper then it's doubtful you'll ever need it. There are work arounds that could be built to use a threaded ejector to force the MT out and then there's no hammering on the drawbar.

Pete

 

[sncf141r]

I would like to know if anyone is using this machine?

http://www.littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=3501&category=1241045623


DAve

Hi Dave; I have a "Sieg KX1-NU" that I got on clearance from Novakon. It came *without* controller, so I had to get a Gecko 540 and power supply, and wire it myself; no problems there. I have a KX1 with *great* controller for a lot less than a turnkey one.

Ok - I'm getting used to this machine. First thing I made was an ER-16 collet holder, and got a collet set plus "smaller ER-collet nut". I got these from Maritool; more expensive than some suppliers, but I like supporting North American suppliers as much as I can. (I'm living in Canada). The collets are great; as to be expected from Maritool.

Second thing I did was configure it using EMC2 on a linux computer. I have a "joypad" used as a pendant; the whole system works incredibly well.

While the drawbar has an extractor, so far in my limited use, I have only had to change the ER collets - simplicity in itself, and much faster than changing an MT2 or R8 collet.

I'm still learning how to best use the machine; it has strengths and weaknesses; it is much smaller than my manual mill, for instance. Spindle speeds - it really moves; I'm getting used to this from my older mill that has a low speed range.

If you, or anyone else, goes for the remaining clearance KX1 from Novakon, and wants the notes I used, please send a private email, and I'll get them to you; the only tricky bits were rewiring the estop/spindle guard to be in series rather than parallel (holds signal low, rather than either one pulling signal high), and the spindle - I used the isolated power supply on the spindle board which entailed moving a screwed in connector on it, and adjusting a potentiometer on it.


JohnS.

 

[Sic Semper Tyrannis]

I have an MT2 taper in my clausing 8520.

Trick is to not crank it down like the lug nut on a mac truck.

Never had it slip, no problem getting it out.

I am going to get a set of ER collets, but only because I can use them on my lathe as well.

No other comments on the machine.

 

[tattoomike68]

I agree with Pete the MT2 spindle taper will get tight as a bastard and if you over tighten the draw bar you have to beat the hell out of it to get it to release. Its not a damn bit funny. You will think the damn thing was tack welded in the spindle.

I have an MT2 taper in my clausing 8520.

Trick is to not crank it down like the lug nut on a mac truck.

Amen to that.

 

[Mosey]

Me too. An 8525 Clausing mill, with MT2 collet. The trick is to adjust the drawbar carefully until it just takes up on the collet snugly, but doesn't get too tight. You may have to find a set of MT2 collets that are all the same length-to-taper so they all use the same position of the drawbar. When you are done, you will have a very nice and easy drawbar to collet system. Never have to beat on it. I just give it a tap with the brass hammer and it pops out. Trust me, this works, as I am an impatient bugger when they hang up. And get all your chucks and mill-holders set up to match.
Now that I've said that, yes, I would love to have a modern taper spindle, like an R8.
By the way, according to Clausing, the 8525 is supposed to be Brown & Sharpe #7 taper, as opposed to 8520 being MT2, but it is MT2 by actual measurement.
Somebody changed the spindle??

 

[Tin Falcon]

I was one of the guys that took the KX1 seminar at Cabin fever lat year. It seems like a nice machine it IIRC it has auto oilers . It defiantly has spindle control a little larger than an x-2 mill. It was designed and built as a cnc .
over time I probably sunk close to $ 3000 in my mill plus lots of time. there are kits you can get to convert an x-2 to cnc It can and has been done in a day if you know how.
the nice thing about doing your own like I did is you spread out the expenditure.
Tin

 

[RonGinger]

I have the KX1 from Little Machine Shop. Its a nice small machine, if you do work that fits it will do a fine job.

This is a ground up design to be CNC, it is not anX2 modified. I think its well designed. The electronics box is nicely wired, all wires are labeled, nice connectors.

I agree it would be better if it had R8. But I also have a Clausing 8513 (thats a Clausing base with a Bridgeport M head, factory built) the has MT2, so I have lots of MT2 stuff.

Like Tin said, you can build it yourself for a few bucks less, but you wont get the same machine. The Kx1 tabe is bigger than the X2

I ran the build class at the CNC workshop where 10 guys did a conversion of the LMS HighTorque mill. They cost real close to $2k. They are a nice machine when done as well.

 

[dwentz]

I have a Clausing 8520 and a Grizzly Mini Mill. Have had each one have a Morse Taper end mill holder get stuck. In both cases the end mill holder was left in the machine for an extended time. I now remove them before leaving the shop and have not had that problem once I started that practice.

Dale

 

[kf2qd]

I had access and control of a KX3 for about a year and found it to be a solid machine. I just had t do some playing with the setup to get it to run like I wanted it to run. Homing and such was not setup as delivered. Had decent repeatability after homing.