Purchased belt drive and airspring for my X2

[tmuir]

The OZ dollar is good today against the US dollar so I decided it was time to treat myself.

I purchased from the Little Machine Shop the belt drive
http://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=2560&category=879658189

and the airspring
http://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=2258&category=879658189

It may take up to 4 weeks for them to reach me in OZ and I'm going to the UK in under 3 so I'm getting them sent to my parents house.

As I will be in the UK for all of June it will be July before I get to fit them to my mill but I'm looking forward to my first upgrades to the mill. I also hope to get a DRO for it whilst I'm in the UK.

 

[miker]

Which method of shipping did you choose?
I am interested in getting a few small items.

Rgds

 

[tmuir]

Which method of shipping did you choose?
I am interested in getting a few small items.

Rgds

The cheapest :big:
Standard International.

As I'm going away in a few weeks I figured even if they got here quicker I wouldn't have time to do anything with them so decided to save money.

 

[tel]

You should have got that air spring sent to my place - I'd be happy to look after it for you for a few years.

 

[tmuir]

You should have got that air spring sent to my place - I'd be happy to look after it for you for a few years.

Certainly, I'll get it diverted but I know you are short on room too so you send me your dividing head and I will store that for you. ;D

 

[tmuir]

Looks like I placed this order just in time.
A few hours after this order was processed my credit card was used fraudulantly and has now been cancelled.
Someone managed to skim my card, make a copy and today clock up a bit more than $2200 on hotels in China.
I will get this money back and should have a new credit card by next week but still not happy.

 

[tel]

Bugger!

 

[tmuir]

I just got a call and the parts have arrived.
Nine days from the US to Australia isn't bad.

Looks like I'm going to have some new toys to play with tonight.
I'll take photos of my assembling everything.

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Please take pics as you modify your mill and let us know what traps to look out for. I'd like to do this as well someday. Thanks.

 

[tmuir]

Yes I plan to.
I will take photos of the parts but won't be assembling it tonight as I forgot my wife is going out tonight so I am on baby sitting duties so won't be getting out into my workshop. :-[

 

[90LX_Notch]

I am very interested on what you think of the belt drive once you get it installed. I like the idea of the higher rpms for small holes.

 

[tmuir]

It should also give me enough RPMs to use a fly cutter to cut small gears which is something I want to do in the future

 

[Bernd]

Two questions come to mind on these conversions.

1.) The belt drive eliminates the upper plastic gears. What about the HI/LOW range gears? In my Grizzly they are plastic. I know, I had to replace them.

2.) Being able to run at higher spindle speeds brings up the question about the spindle bearings. Will they hold up to the higher RPM and how long?

Regards,
Bernd

 

[Cedge]

Bernd
No sweat... the gears are no longer engaged so they aren't a problem. The increase in RPM caused no problems even after long term use. Most cutting is done on the low speed pulley anyway. The high speed pulley doesn't deliver enough torque for heavy metal removal.

Tony...
The next mod you'll want is the longer rack for the Z axis. Those extra few inches are a real life saver and the mod is cheap and easy to install.

Steve

 

[tmuir]

As far as I understand the high low range gears are no longer used.
They can be removed or left in.
I haven't read the instructions yet.

I don't plan to be using high speed that often and for when I do it will be very light loads so I think it should be ok.

 

[Bernd]

I saw on your thread of installing the belts that they go right to the spindle shaft. So that clears up the first question. Personal opinion, I would remove the gears. That shift handle could move will running the motor I would think and probably make a nasty noise if it engaged the gears. Of course I may be wrong.

I still wonder if the bearings would hold out "if" the machine was run long hours on high speed. But it seems everybody is going to run on the lower speed anyway for milling and use the higher speed once in a while for very small hole drilling.

One of these days I'm going to that to my Grizzly mini mill.

Bernd