My new CNC mill has arrived

[kvom]

Bob, don't cosine any loans for new gear either. Take a secant to think it over! ;D

I discovered that my x-axis is configured in reverse, so I will need to delve further into Mach3 today to change it's direction. I'm pretty sure it's just a simple config change. I also found out I needed to configure a much longer dwell time on spindle startup. The motor can take 10 seconds to go from 0 to 4000 RPM. You don't want to start a cut until the spindle is at speed.

I'm taking baby steps getting up to speed on Mach3, esp. as I love watching the Olympics on TV when I could be in the shop.

 

[ksouers]

kvom,

I admire your forward look to curved spokes. It's a sine of my age but I'd soon be off on a tangent before I lined up the cotangent for changing direction if you get my drift. :

Best Regards
Bob

Bob,
You really do need to get more time in the shop ;D

 

[kvom]

Made some progress on the demo flywheel, cutting out the pockets that form the spokes:

My main issue now is that because Novakon increased the column height without lengthening the Z travel, the spindle is 6" above the top of my vise when at its lowest point. They are sending me an extension bar that will attach to a R8 collet and supply an ER-16 collet chuck at the bottom. This seems less than ideal as I don't have any ER-16 collets, they go only up to 3/8" capacity, and the extra length is likely to add runout and reduce stiffness.

So I'm also looking at making some riser blocks to place under the vise and raise it above the table.

 

[mu38&Bg#]

I made the same mistake when I built my CNC mill. I knew I wanted to work on material directly on the table, but somehow figured things would be OK. ??? I had to block up my last workpiece 2.5" to get a short cutter to cut. Other work gets a 4" long 1/4" endmill in the spindle. Luckily, parts in the vice aren't usually a problem.

 

[shred]

;D Not too many people complain about _too much_ Z height. Weird they would have done that.

What vise do you have on there?

 

[kvom]

Yesterday I made some risers for the vise at the school shop. Took two 6" lengths of 4.375" diameter steel tubing, cut and faced on the lathe, then ground all ends so that tube ends are parallel and both are the same length.

Here's the mill with one of the risers next to the vise. The spindle is at the "soft limit".

With the vise sitting on both risers fore and aft, the spindle will go fairly deep into the jaws.