Mini Machining Center - final design 4th axis - scratch built servo powered

X2 mill with final design scratch built 4th axis doing multiple operations with one G-code program. 4th axis has sealed ball bearings pre-loaded by threaded collar and homing index moved to the rear and a robust motor mount. A new Rutex 2010 servo drive gets full speed and power from the motor, allowing use of a carbide insert with chip breaker . . no more long stringies! Speed is 400,000 quadrature counts per sec, which is 3,300 motor RPM. Spindle can run 2:1 or 3:1 (as shown) ratio. First pas is .062" or 1/8" off stock OD. Tested depth of cut (so far) is .080" aluminum and .060 Steel, limited by rigidity of the little mill. Part is a vacuum fitting for classic Corvette (GM Crossfire injection).

Also still testing Youtube HD. This upload file is H.264 1080P 30fps. File size just under 1GB. Zooms are done in Adobe Premiere Pro CS3 and not by the Sony HDR-HC7 camera, so resolution reduces as zoom increases with interpolation done by Premier.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• HD
• Mini Machine
• Machining aluminum
• CNC
• Mach3
• 4th Axis
• X2
• Small milling machine
• CNC conversion
• mini lathe
• turning
• thread cutting
• mini mill
• home built CNC

[kingmike40]

The cnc stuff has been done before so that isn't the impressive part. The impressive part is that an individual hobbyist took a cheap china made machine and made it into something that is precise, fast, and quiet. Made in China. Vastly improved in America.

What did you have to do to the x2 to get it ready for the cnc conversion. I always past off these machines as junky little toys but now I might get be one and convert it to cnc.

[Simpsons36]

@kingmike40

This X2 and early prototype 4th axis are long gone now, replaced my a new scratch built mill and new design 4th axis. The X2 is useable for small work if you add ball screws, a belt drive and a column brace.

In this video the X2 was still using stepper motors and the 4th axis still had the older style (noisy) trapezoid belt.

[OfisProPlus]

I want to know what kind of motor did you use in 4th axis. amt model or part number please ? I desperately seeking this kind of motor. Because of this wonderfull video now I know what I want.

Bravo.

[Simpsons36]

@OfisProPlus The servo motor shown is an 850 oz-in 72V NEMA34 DC servo motor available from homeshopcnc

Some updates: the hardware swapaxis board is completed and tested now. Make sure to watch the latest videos that show the final Super Duty version of the 4th axis.

Current project is a trunnion table for the 4th axis.

[Landcruiser45]

P.S. what software are you using?

[Simpsons36]

This video is using Mach3 with custom macros that I wrote that call the Mach3 'swapaxis' function.

We are developing now a hardware 'swapaxis' device which *should* allow any CNC to do the same thing.

[heron123able]

Very impressive! I use manual machines but Iam definetly going to build one of these, (conversion).

[dtiydr]

Yes, that woman was really easy to impress, i wish everyone was like her.

[introsis]

I want a girlfriend that is that excited about my projects too :-)

[kingmike40]

@Simpsons36 So the mill is a junky little toy without a few hundred dollars spent to upgrade the parts you mentioned. Do you have any videos of your new mill and 4th axis?

[TheKittySimpson]

May I just say that I was there during the making of this video and I never tire of watching it. Your work is frickin AMAZING!!!

[Axbent]

@isaacHunt2 I was thinking it must be cool having a woman that is turned on by machining! This must be like foreplay for them!

[BDDFOUR]

Great design and thanks for the video. Wonderful support from the wife in the background. Kudos to her for standing with you. Mine does too and she inspires me to design.