Seeking some advice. Happy to supply more info on what I have and where I plan on going.
Attached some pictures of my DIY mill mock-up. Yes, most of it is still wood and its been like that for a while.
May have some time over the festive season and also decided rather than purchasing a (relatively) cheap 3D filament at Black Friday prices, that I would rather use the money towards my mill project.
As I said before the Z-axis column from an LMS5500 (11 3/4" travel 36lbs) and the table from a M1111 (6 1/4" x 21 5/8 38lbs). X-axis on Rexroth 20mm rail and y-axis on INA 30mm rails. Y is currently 22 inches - which I realize is damn long but I somehow can't get myself to cut the high quality rail. Comments? X-axis is a little longer than the table to allow me some extra movement. Still trying to figure out the z-axis. Can't decide whether to use the existing dove tails or use 20mm Rexroth rails.
Ball-screws are 16mm for x and y and 20 for Z. Closed loop steppers for all the axes, 4Nm NEMA 34 for x and y and 12Nm NEMA 34 for the Z-axis.
No plans to modify the table (yet), probably will end up reinforcing the Z-axis column in the future.
Spindle motor that I currently have is a 400W brushless NEMA 34. Might go to 1kW in future but that is still a way off.
Have been using Linux CNC and a Core2Quad PC to do some basic movements. No plans to change that or the motor drivers.
Question I now have is what size and weight base is appropriate for the machine. I've been thinking of a 10" x 26" x 1 1/2' cold rolled steel plate Blanchard ground on the top and drilling and tapping my own holes for the y-axis rails.
Took the concept to a machine shop in Oakville today and was told the base plate was overkill and that 1/2" inch thick would be good enough. Any comments / suggestions / blunt criticism appreciated.
Will Blanchard grinding be good enough or do I need the base to be surface ground?
Anything important that I've missed?
Attached some pictures of my DIY mill mock-up. Yes, most of it is still wood and its been like that for a while.
May have some time over the festive season and also decided rather than purchasing a (relatively) cheap 3D filament at Black Friday prices, that I would rather use the money towards my mill project.
As I said before the Z-axis column from an LMS5500 (11 3/4" travel 36lbs) and the table from a M1111 (6 1/4" x 21 5/8 38lbs). X-axis on Rexroth 20mm rail and y-axis on INA 30mm rails. Y is currently 22 inches - which I realize is damn long but I somehow can't get myself to cut the high quality rail. Comments? X-axis is a little longer than the table to allow me some extra movement. Still trying to figure out the z-axis. Can't decide whether to use the existing dove tails or use 20mm Rexroth rails.
Ball-screws are 16mm for x and y and 20 for Z. Closed loop steppers for all the axes, 4Nm NEMA 34 for x and y and 12Nm NEMA 34 for the Z-axis.
No plans to modify the table (yet), probably will end up reinforcing the Z-axis column in the future.
Spindle motor that I currently have is a 400W brushless NEMA 34. Might go to 1kW in future but that is still a way off.
Have been using Linux CNC and a Core2Quad PC to do some basic movements. No plans to change that or the motor drivers.
Question I now have is what size and weight base is appropriate for the machine. I've been thinking of a 10" x 26" x 1 1/2' cold rolled steel plate Blanchard ground on the top and drilling and tapping my own holes for the y-axis rails.
Took the concept to a machine shop in Oakville today and was told the base plate was overkill and that 1/2" inch thick would be good enough. Any comments / suggestions / blunt criticism appreciated.
Will Blanchard grinding be good enough or do I need the base to be surface ground?
Anything important that I've missed?
