- Joined
- Jun 17, 2011
- Messages
- 2,062
I've been following OakRidgeGuy's thread on converting his new mill to CNC.
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/showthread.php/9502-I-have-made-the-decision-to-CNC-it!
The timing is perfect, since the CNC bug bit me about a week and a half ago. I'd have sworn I was immune to this disease. All it took was one thought about how you'd need a CNC machine to make some shapes.
I had been thinking that I should probably sell the X2, since the ZX-25 and the 'newer' Victoria U2 were doing all of the work now. It turns out the X2 mini-mill is one of the most commonly converted mills, so there is a lot of information and materials available.
I ordered a set of 4 787 ounce-inch stepper motors with a power supply and control board the day after the obsession began. They arrived from China in good condition today. No directions or manual - just a catalog of more motors. No problem - like I said, there is a lot of information, mostly on fora like this one and some specifically aimed at CNC enthusiasts. BTW, these motors are way more powerful that this mill really needs. They may even work for my ZX-25.
I already downloaded Mach3 and installed it on my old desktop. Like they advise on the Mach3 web site, I'll get it all running to my satisfaction before I buy a license. Until I have that, it will run in demo mode.
I'm still waiting for three ballscrews and nuts and a control pendant made to work with Mach3. The pendant has been committed to the postal system, but there's still no notice of shipping on the ballscrews. Do some eBay orders ship with no notification?
More to come. I have a lot to learn.
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/showthread.php/9502-I-have-made-the-decision-to-CNC-it!
The timing is perfect, since the CNC bug bit me about a week and a half ago. I'd have sworn I was immune to this disease. All it took was one thought about how you'd need a CNC machine to make some shapes.
I had been thinking that I should probably sell the X2, since the ZX-25 and the 'newer' Victoria U2 were doing all of the work now. It turns out the X2 mini-mill is one of the most commonly converted mills, so there is a lot of information and materials available.
I ordered a set of 4 787 ounce-inch stepper motors with a power supply and control board the day after the obsession began. They arrived from China in good condition today. No directions or manual - just a catalog of more motors. No problem - like I said, there is a lot of information, mostly on fora like this one and some specifically aimed at CNC enthusiasts. BTW, these motors are way more powerful that this mill really needs. They may even work for my ZX-25.
I already downloaded Mach3 and installed it on my old desktop. Like they advise on the Mach3 web site, I'll get it all running to my satisfaction before I buy a license. Until I have that, it will run in demo mode.
I'm still waiting for three ballscrews and nuts and a control pendant made to work with Mach3. The pendant has been committed to the postal system, but there's still no notice of shipping on the ballscrews. Do some eBay orders ship with no notification?
More to come. I have a lot to learn.