So I guess it's time to update this. So when I ordered this mill back in May I was living in Tacoma, Wa. The mill arrived about a week after my first post in this thread.
All uncrated, and in the garage. No problems right out of the box. Was pretty happy with it. From the start I knew I wanted to CNC convert it, so I didn't order it with a DRO. Bought a few things right off the bat. A 6" vise, a PM clamping kit, various holders. I had to make a few modifications along the way. I had to mill down the "T" slot bolts. I also had to stone a high spot out of the vise. No big deal. I also 3D printed a way cover to keep the majority of the chips out.
After that I started ordering parts.
-Acorn control board
-Longs closed loop steppers in 1280oz/in for Z, and 700oz/in for X&Y
-Longs stepper HBS86H drivers
-Switching power supply's
Unfortunately nearly right after that My wife, and I decided to move back to Eastern Oregon. So in the Uhaul after only being in the garage for 3 weeks it went. It was just until about 2 weeks ago that I got it out of storage, and put it in the shop at our new place.
This time bolting it to the floor:
Back to how she was:
I just recently received the Procut CNC conversion kit (so far not the happiest). I know a lot of these CNC conversion are a true "DIY", but not even any reference for their kit. I ended up finding Heavy metals instructions, and for the most part, I didn't need them, but I see a lot of people using jam nuts to pre-load the bearings, where by the length of the threads on the ball screws I guess I have to use the couplers to preload. I tried contacting Procut, but after a week with still no answer I am just going to figure it out myself. I will need to take more pics, but I also ordered everything for the enclosure (Box, wire, power distribution blocks, E-stop, limit switches, fans, dust filters, wire loom, aircraft connectors). I also played around, and got one of the axis motors running in Acorn for fun.
Currently I have the machine tore down, and added the ball screws. So one thing I didn't think about checking, probably because I thought they were standard is my Nema 34 motors from Longs have a 14mm dia shaft, and a longer length shaft than usual. Since the couplers that came with the Procut kit are .500 I have a 14mm endmill that I am going to bore out the motor coupling side. And since one of the couplers was cut about .030 of center I am hoping this will help that one. I have already ordered a replacement set of couplers from Amazon since I am done with Procut CNC in case boring these doesn't work. And I have to either cut about 8mm from each motor shaft, or space the motors off the mounts since I cannot for the life of me find the right size couplings I need. Either way I will make it work....well I hope anyways. I will probably start working on the enclosure in the next day, or two, and will try to get a few pics along the way. If anyone has pics, or knows for sure you can run the couplings up to the bearings please share. Like I said with the amount of threads on the ball screws it must be cause I am sure I could not get some jams nuts, and the coupler on what would be left of the threads.
