11-10-2013, 01:21 PM | #1 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: QC-AZ
Posts: 2,352
| SMW Shop / My NEW Hobby
So a few years ago I sold off most all of my RC stuff to fund a CNC Mill build. Plan was to get it up and running then start RC'ing again but only with cooler toys. Turns out the whole DIY CNC, and machining in general, is way too much fun not to be my #1 hobby now. Anyways, I thought some of you might be interested in seeing the process of taking a manual machine and converting it to CNC with "hobby" grade, somewhat off the shelf, components. Other than that I'll probably use this thread to update my goings on once everything is rolling again... A little over a month ago we moved into a new house. Between the endless honey-do lists I have managed to get some work accomplished with setting up my new workshop. Still a shit ton to do but the weekends are only so long One of the selling points of the new place, two garages, even if I only got the little one. Picked up a mill from Grizzly, G0704, here in stock form (April '12). I'll update the mills current condition later... Now that I have more room I picked up a new lathe from Grizzly too, G0602, CNC conversion is in its near future. Lathe tooling from Shars to get me started,... Built the mill a new stand and enclosure. Still need to seal the inside of the chip pan and give the rest a paint job. I really don't care much for wood working. New generic lathe bench until I have some sort of direction in mind. Turns out .040" press on a 4x4 though particle board is a little too tight... Lots more to come, just wanted to start documenting some progress. |
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11-10-2013, 01:47 PM | #2 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: May 2006 Location: FOUR 8 OH
Posts: 4,913
| Re: SMW Shop / My NEW Hobby
Cool! Bigger toys! Where at in QC you at? I live on Guadalupe & 202 now.
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11-10-2013, 03:16 PM | #3 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: QC-AZ
Posts: 2,352
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Power and Germann
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11-10-2013, 04:55 PM | #4 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: May 2008 Location: Baltimore
Posts: 4,442
| Re: SMW Shop / My NEW Hobby for having a nice to place to call home and having your own private space for your shop! 2 things on my short list of things to achieve very soon. I'm really interested in any feedback you have on the mill. I've been eyeing the same one. I've been down the Micro Mark machine path and I wouldn't do it again. I need machines with enough beef in them to comfortably work steel. |
11-10-2013, 05:46 PM | #5 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: QC-AZ
Posts: 2,352
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Thanks. Its been many years in the making, lots of hard work and a bit of good fortune. In stock form these machines are basically assembled kits. It's advisable to do a complete teardown and rebuild before you do anything else. You will be amazed at what some guy thought was acceptable work. It also helps you learn the machine. I never ran the machine in stock form and my current spindle motor and drive setup leans toward plastic and aluminum rpms. The only steel I've done on it was engraving some A36 with a 1/4" carbide ball mill which was no problem. The G0704 is one of the lighter mills in its class but I feel that it has the best design. |
11-10-2013, 06:06 PM | #6 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: QC-AZ
Posts: 2,352
| Re: SMW Shop / My NEW Hobby
So like I said these are in need of a complete rebuild. But I had other plans and very little was kept from the stock mill. Basically all the castings and the spindle. Everything else was made/bought new. Some Y-Axis CAD design work. Had to drill a big freaking hole though the castings on the Bridgeport at work to package it all the way I wanted. I'll have to take some CAD screen shots to show more... |
11-10-2013, 10:21 PM | #7 |
Rock Crawler Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 794
| Re: SMW Shop / My NEW Hobby
Looking nice, its nice having your own machines and the ability to build or upgrade your own is even better. --Dan |
11-11-2013, 04:37 AM | #8 |
RCC Addict Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Rochester Hills
Posts: 1,773
| Re: SMW Shop / My NEW Hobby
Wonderful news, congrats on getting the move done Later, Farmer |
11-11-2013, 06:18 AM | #9 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Sumter
Posts: 6,141
| Re: SMW Shop / My NEW Hobby
Thanks for sharing the information...I'm looking to pick up some smaller hobby grade units to see what I can get myself into |
11-11-2013, 06:38 AM | #10 |
Rock Crawler Join Date: May 2012 Location: Columbus
Posts: 676
| Re: SMW Shop / My NEW Hobby
nice toys and VERY nice HOUSE
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11-11-2013, 09:29 AM | #11 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: QC-AZ
Posts: 2,352
| Re: SMW Shop / My NEW Hobby |
11-11-2013, 11:03 AM | #12 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Arlington, Washington
Posts: 2,303
| Re: SMW Shop / My NEW Hobby
Very cool! I just bought the same mill and lathe a few weeks ago with full CNC conversions for both. Not as talented as you to make the stuff myself, so I had to buy premade mounts for the cnc stuff. All my parts finally came, so I am starting on the conversion next weekend. Are you doing the motor upgrade on the lathe? From all my research its a big improvement and fairly cheap to do. Later EddieO |
11-11-2013, 11:53 AM | #13 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Sumter
Posts: 6,141
| Re: SMW Shop / My NEW Hobby
C'mon Eddie...build an axle buster for it |
11-11-2013, 12:20 PM | #14 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: QC-AZ
Posts: 2,352
| Re: SMW Shop / My NEW Hobby |
11-11-2013, 12:32 PM | #15 |
2013 2.2P Nat. Champion Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: BorderLine Crawlers Season 3 is on!
Posts: 2,584
| Re: SMW Shop / My NEW Hobby
This is cool!!! I've thought about DRO on my Smithy but never considered CNC...until now. Keep it coming. J |
11-11-2013, 12:34 PM | #16 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: QC-AZ
Posts: 2,352
| Re: SMW Shop / My NEW Hobby
Z-Axis, more of the same but bigger components. 3/4"-.200 ball screw and a 906oz stepper motor. Also, the bottom side floats as it has gravity working in its favor. (the X-Y are 5/8"-.200 and have 570oz motors) I did the end machining on the ball screws from blanks purchased though Roton. They had a very hard candy shell! |
11-11-2013, 01:03 PM | #17 |
Yashua Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Learn the parable of the fig tree
Posts: 3,661
| Re: SMW Shop / My NEW Hobby
Nice, nice, nice , will be watching this conversion. I've only put DRO on my machine in the X & Y axis, still us a caliper and quill stop for my Z for now. Nice new pad too by the way rob, that lil personal shop is sweet. |
11-11-2013, 03:22 PM | #18 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: QC-AZ
Posts: 2,352
| Re: SMW Shop / My NEW Hobby
Thanks! Some more mechanical. Ditched the stock DC motor and made a mount and various pulley setups for a new DC treadmill motor. 8000RPM @ 130V although the 2.9HP is complete BS. Shown is the last pulleys I made for running a 1" ball mill through UHMW. Also shown are some plates I made to up the bling level a bit. The mill is currently broken down to move/upgrade it some. Current WIP pictures... The two sizes of bolts are killing me. It must be fixed. Material is .060" 304 SS #4 Finish cut on the waterjet at work. |
11-11-2013, 04:33 PM | #19 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Arlington, Washington
Posts: 2,303
| Re: SMW Shop / My NEW Hobby
There is a guide out there to do the motor conversion that simply bolts in.... My entire motor conversion was about $450 with the rpm readout..... Later EddieO |
11-11-2013, 04:56 PM | #20 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: QC-AZ
Posts: 2,352
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For the mill or the lathe?
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