Grizzly G0704 CNC conversion

[derbuechsenmacher]

I recently purchased a bridgeport and decided to convert my g0704 to CNC. I found someone selling a kinetic on eBay that they never used since it was half the price of a new kit I figured it would work. Got the y axis installed and made the cut into the saddle to handle the ball screw bearing but enem with the saddle fully cut the bearing sits about 1/4 inch high (the bearing is already cut down). The screw shaft sits on the surface of the saddle so I don’t think taking material off the saddle to lower the screw will work. Taking 0.250 off the bottom top the table casting removes 50% of the material and I’m concerned that this may weaken the table to much. Has anyone run into this issue. I have purchased the g0704.com plans and can remake any parts necessary on the bridgeport, but don’t want to go crazy. I did grind some of the bearing down to get to this point and could probably mill a bit more off (yeah a grinder was probably not a good starting point, but as this is a learning experience that’s ok if I need to buy a new ball screw assembly, Everything I have seen online indicates that a small relief in the saddle is needed. I had to mill out the whole saddle for the bearing to sit below ( nothing I can’t address by modifying a part from the hoss plans)

 

[graham-xrf]

This YouTube content creator JoatMon did a series of 13 videos going through the whole process.
Especially interesting was what he cut from the Y-axis casting to restore the Y-axis travel distance lost because of the ball-screw conversion, and, I think, even extending it a little.
--> Grizzly G0704 CNC Conversion with Closed Loop Steppers

It is easy enough to find all the others in the series.

Others have also created content. ElementalMaker did a 6-part series, the last of which was just about his tramming method.
--> G0704 CNC Conversion Electronics Part 1

Again, the rest of the series is there.

Nicolas Miller did an update on all the things he might have done differently
GRIZZLY G0704 CNC Conversion Update 35 - ( Shake down / Mistakes )

There are several others, as by Franco, Paul Schaffner, and more.
Amid them, I have seen issues of what to do to alter the Hoss plans. Actually, once one has seen enough of what these folk did, it's probably OK to go your own way in figuring what to alter to make a kit fit.

 

[derbuechsenmacher]

Thanks for the pointer. I put the bed on and leveled it up. Needed to take 0.062 off. Took 0.065 for good measure and the bed now sits properly on the ways with a little clearance. I am afraid I screwed the ball nut up when I took a grinder to it so I need to find a new one (preferably alweary chopped of for the x axis but I can always mill it off on the bridgeport. I think this kit I got is incomplete I don’t have any thing that would be a y axis bearing plate and motor mounts. I guess I’m off to make one from the hoss plans