speed control x-1 mill :(

[jct842]

I just got a flywheel off my lathe and moved it to the mill for spokes. For some time I have had to watch how heavy a cut in my micro mill as the over load would trip out. It gets worse as it heats up and I can not even drill a 3/16 hole any more. I went to gerling labs page to find out repair is $50 plus shipping. it also shows plans on a test apparatus. The motor is apparently a 110 dc 150 watt unit. I just happen to have some diodes and a small auto transformer. I believe I will remove the speed control and use an isolation/auto transformer to power it. I tried moving the 5 pots on the board and it does not seem to help or make any difference. They seem to be multi/turn adjustments and I did not go very far and did mark them.

Has any one else been through speed control problems on the micro mill? Thanks john

 

[LongRat]

I had some similar issues with my X2 controller - I'm not sure if the X1 electronics are the same. But if it is, there are some large ceramic power resistors on the board that are used to measure the current draw and trip the overload if the limit is reached. On the X2 board, these resistors are stood off the surface a long way on their legs. Vibration from the mill caused mine to fail where the leg is soldered to the board, giving a cracked joint that caused early tripping under load. Resoldering them cured my issues. Might want to check that.

 

[jct842]

TOO LATE!!! Thanks any way. I used the autotransformer I have had for 40 years in my pile of junk along with a bridge, a fuse and an isolation transformer. I now have more power than I ever had. I milled last night making spokes in a 6 1/2" X 1 1/8" flywheel for 3 hours and nothing involved out side of the end mill and flywheel got more than luke warm. It is like I got a new more powerful mill. I will check the circuit board for loose connections on those resistors but do not intend to reuse it. That autotransformer came out of a piece of equipment a factory I worked at junked 40 years ago. It sure pays to have some junk around. my total cost was a fuse holder and fuse at radio shack! My mill was out of service only an hour till I clip-leaded it all together for a test run. John

 

[KC6UVM]

John,

I don't know if I can be of help, but sorry to hear about the problems with your X1. I bought a HF X2 couple years ago (with part of my tax return) and the machine lays idle in the shop till I can find time to disassemble and remove the head to replace the :'( cheap plastic gears that were munched when the head slipped during a plunge cut. I bought replacement parts from www.littlemachineshop.com out of Pasadena, CA. They have helpful advice online and on the phone.

You mentioned cooling issues. Have you checked to see if there is adequate airflow around the X1's circuit board? If the X1 has a fan, is it plugged in and running?


George

 

[jct842]

No fan on an x-1. several years ago I changed out the gears for the belt drive. I wish I would have done the new power supply at the same time. It almost seemed like the belt drive although quieter and more efficient made it easier for it to shut down. right now I am positively thrilled in its performance. That big ugly noisy red box on top is gone and all that is there is a little tiny black box with a switch that came off the back of a computer power supply. now it is like it should have been when It was new. john

 

[ironman]

How about some photos of that modified X1. Sounds interesting.

ironman (Ray)

 

[jct842]

pictures of flywheel I just milled spokes in to and need to clean up and debur and then my mill with out factory power supply on it.

the mounting of auto transformer is a bit crude but I was in a hurry so I could do the spokes. It works better than the mill ever did so I am not likely to change any thing at all on it.