You get what you pay for. The stepping motors and pulleys on the BOSS 4 give it a resolution of .001 inch. Thus even with encoders, it would be hard to dial in accurate backlash. By now this machine is 20 years older or more. Depending upon the use it saw and the care it received, it may be that the center of both X and Y axis axis are more worn than the ends of travel. It would be hard to do incremental pitch error compensation. How accurate do you want the spindle speed to be? Do you expect to rigid tap? This has the same vari disc drive of a series 1 standard. The BOSS 8 and 9 and V2XT used an air motor to turn the speed control. A varialble resistor (volume control) was used for an approximate speed output to the control.
Therefore do you want to get better than .001 resolution? That would mean either changing the motor to ball screw ratios or new motors (and drives). Very expensive.
This is in addition to the cost of the control.
I have heard of people using a direct drive to the spindle and using a new motor and drive. Again, this would put you over your limit.
Perhaps you should consider a used EZTRAK 3 axis or a used Milltronics. All the work has been done, all the bugs worked out and total outlay of money may be within reason.
George W.  |