01-22-2013, 12:40 AM
I have three mills, from a small X2 mini to a ZX-25 mill/drill to a 60-ish Victoria U2 horizontal with a vertical head. I was thinking I should sell the mini since it wasn't getting much use. Then I thought about some items that would be easiest to make on a CNC. That's all it takes for the disease to take route.
Be warned! Don't read any further if you really don't want to get into CNC. It can be contagious.
I ordered some stepper motors, a control board, a power supply, some ballscrews and nuts, and a control pendant from eBay. Most guys doing the X2 conversion seem to choose the kit from CNC Fusion. I have a fully equipped machine shop, so I figured I could make the adapters and motor mounts myself.
I mounted the control board and power supply in a 12 x 12 junction box and added a cooling fan. This will bolt to the left side of the mill's stand.
[attachment=4301]
The ballscrews came as raw screws without the turned and threaded end to take the bearing and motor coupling. I did these operations on the lathe and then milled the flats for the setscrews.
[attachment=4302]
[attachment=4303]
The X2 has less than 4" of Y travel, so I cut a piece of cast iron to make an extension for the ways. After it was bolted on, I milled away some of the former front of the base to allow the table to pass.
[attachment=4304]
[attachment=4305]
The motor mounts are welded and machined steel.
[attachment=4306]
[attachment=4307]
The motors I ordered are a lot bigger than needed for this size of mill. The output shafts are 14mm. I needed large couplings, so I made them from aluminum.
[attachment=4308]
In order to have the centre of the work area at the centre of the table, I shimmed the head out from the column by about 13/16".
[attachment=4311]
The last piece I have made so far is the bracket to attach the ballnut to the milling head for the Z-axis. The main attachment for the bracket is a press-fitted expandable shaft that locks into the hole formerly occupied by the Z-axis handle shaft.
[attachment=4309]
[attachment=4310]
Be warned! Don't read any further if you really don't want to get into CNC. It can be contagious.
I ordered some stepper motors, a control board, a power supply, some ballscrews and nuts, and a control pendant from eBay. Most guys doing the X2 conversion seem to choose the kit from CNC Fusion. I have a fully equipped machine shop, so I figured I could make the adapters and motor mounts myself.
I mounted the control board and power supply in a 12 x 12 junction box and added a cooling fan. This will bolt to the left side of the mill's stand.
[attachment=4301]
The ballscrews came as raw screws without the turned and threaded end to take the bearing and motor coupling. I did these operations on the lathe and then milled the flats for the setscrews.
[attachment=4302]
[attachment=4303]
The X2 has less than 4" of Y travel, so I cut a piece of cast iron to make an extension for the ways. After it was bolted on, I milled away some of the former front of the base to allow the table to pass.
[attachment=4304]
[attachment=4305]
The motor mounts are welded and machined steel.
[attachment=4306]
[attachment=4307]
The motors I ordered are a lot bigger than needed for this size of mill. The output shafts are 14mm. I needed large couplings, so I made them from aluminum.
[attachment=4308]
In order to have the centre of the work area at the centre of the table, I shimmed the head out from the column by about 13/16".
[attachment=4311]
The last piece I have made so far is the bracket to attach the ballnut to the milling head for the Z-axis. The main attachment for the bracket is a press-fitted expandable shaft that locks into the hole formerly occupied by the Z-axis handle shaft.
[attachment=4309]
[attachment=4310]