Hallo everybody :)
I've just registered on the forum and whish to give my compliments to the staff and all the members fot this great place on the web .

I'm totally new of cnc and have mo electrical skills , I'm not as bad in mechanics so my request of help is as follows:

I have a mill Emco FB-2 and I love it , it's a great mill at least for mi uses, but as you know operating the axes manually it's a pain in the .... especially if working on stainless steel , I' ve manged to work small particoulars also in titanium but making 20 passages on curved shapes to go down 5mm manually it's really too mutch :mad: .

So I'm planning to retrofit my mill, I would love to setup everything myself but it's really not the case for what I' ve understood readyng some treads.

So I guess I' ll have to settle for a completelly premade retrofit kit ready to install.

Now could any of you suggest me some producers os a suitable kit for my machine ????

The mill is practically the one shown in the following picture ( only colour and starting switch placement changes )


http://www.ganora.it/varie/emco1.gif

The following links are more pictures and thecnical data sheets from the manual (if needded for a proper kit evaluation)
http://www.ganora.it/varie/emco2.gif
http://www.ganora.it/varie/emco3.JPG
http://www.ganora.it/varie/emco4.jpg
http://www.ganora.it/varie/emco5.jpg
http://www.ganora.it/varie/emco6.jpg
http://www.ganora.it/varie/emco7.gif
http://www.ganora.it/varie/emco8.gif
http://www.ganora.it/varie/emco9.jpg
http://www.ganora.it/varie/emco10.jpg

I've sended a request of infos to FlashCut CNC , but I' d like to have a better clue of what the market offers.

I apologise for the request but I'm really new of the field and I' ll greatlly appreciate any help.
Tanks :wave:
Andrea

Ciao Andrea, visto che anche io vorrei acquistare una fresa e farla CNC ho girato un pò e ho trovato questo sito:
http://www.homecnc.info/cnc-main.html
Non sò se può esserti utile per l'asse Z, ma per l'asse x e y credo che vada bene. Considera che il tipo ti vende i suoi progetti e da lì puoi modificarli a tuo piacimento per la tua EMCO, almeno io farei così... Ciao e fammi sapere se sei riuscito...

Grazie Cecco
Il sito e' molto interessante

Figurati.. Io probabilmente comprerò i progetti, se sei interessato anche tu possiamo comprarli insieme dividendo le spese.. Ciaoo

Prova a dare un occhiata qua:
http://www.iandalziel.co.uk/cncmill.htm

questo fà al caso tuo:
http://www.kdntool.com/_sgt/m2_1.htm

thanks Cecco ; )

I'm just starting with the same Emco as you have!

For the X and Y movement I have made the next modification.
Part number 6, on your emco10.jpg have I replaced by a block of aluminium with bearings in it. And reduzed the size to 2cm. Thats leaves more axe for the wheels.

I orderd tru www.conrad.de wheels partnumber 226045 - 8A for 60teeth and a 20 teeth.

I still have to find out a good solution for the Z axe.
(got a pic of that part?)

I used a torguewrench to get the torgue value of the spindels.
With some adjustments 1nm. is all thats needed to move the table.
(with some load of 12kg on it)


What I don't have is the org manual of the Emco Fb2.
(hint hint :rolleyes: )

Ciao Dutch André
I've added the image :
http://www.ganora.it/varie/emco11.jpg
That describe the z axe manual control.
I've also decided to rip 1 hour off my work to scan page by page the emco fb2 istruction book for you and anyone else that could need it : ) .
I' ve compressed the file to a rar archive that is 9302 KB and I've uploaded it to a freespace webhoster.
You can download the file at :
http://rapidshare.de/files/8323339/Manuale_Emco_FB2.rar.html
Go to the link , scroll down to the bottom of the page and at the " select your download " click the " FREE " button.
You'll be prompted to the next page , at the bottom , afther some seconds will appear the link for the download, you have to click on :

Download: Manuale_Emco_FB2.rar

Ifr you don't see the link wait , it will appear afther a little wile.

If you have any pics of the work you've done on the axes I'll greatly appreciate to get some as a suggestion.

Ciao
Andrea

P.S. the freespace host will hold the file only for 30 days afther the last download , so if anyone will look for it afther long time from now , it could possibly have been deleted .
In that case contact me on my email and I' ll reupload it
info@ganora.it

Andrea, thanks a lot for the manual!! Very very nice to have it.
I bought my Mill second hand without a manual, I'm very happy with it!

My conversion so far.......

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Foto=8GK8AN3Y

This is a total view, a begin. It's almost winter time...so it's cold in the garage.

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Foto=XTF768QH

I want to make no changes to my Mill ! The original round plate with bearings are safe. I even got new bearings.
Beware, the axe is pushing on the bearings. A small detail I forgot. :mad:
But Loctide-bearing-glue safes me a lot of work.

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Foto=LI3CX8HX

The gearing was bought from www.conrad.de.
The gear comes with only M3 inner screw to lock the gear.
A friend of mine made the fitting for the "lock-pin" (I don't no the English word for it)

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Foto=ULFLXEAW

The gear with already the space for the "lock-pin" Just like the original turning wheel has.
Size 3mm depth 2mm (acc to DIN blablabla) :)

I guessed a 3 to 1 gear would give the table enough strength to move.
To calculate, with my knowledge of zero in steppenmotors torgue, 3 to 1 should be safe.
I took a practical way of dealing with how much is the need of torgue on my table.

A preload of 12kg (my Vertex turning table 15cm diam.) and move the axe.

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Foto=KLWLYSFR

I used this 2nm torgue wrench and found that a max of 1,5 nm would move the table in every direction. X-Y-Z.
Beware, align the axes that makes a world of difference on my table.


Also one of my planes was to use a clamping way.
Clamping around the original round bearinghouses.
(just like a exhaust clamp from a car)


If I make progress I let you now in this topic.
I hope that my supplier has got the right steppenmotors mid. December.
www.stappenmotors.nl (also in English)

By the way....don't mind the mess..... :D

By the way....don't mind the mess..... :D
He he he Jounge Jounge Jounge ( been living 6 years in Amsterdam but didn't learn mutch dutch ), don't worry, it's quite tide compared to what you can see sometimes in my workshop.

Keep me informed about your progresses, since I still have to start on my machine I' ll be very glad to still some good ideas ; )
I know what means to have a machine whit no manual, that's why i whas really happy to be of some help to you, enjoy the manual and your mill, it's a very fine piece of machinery and will for shure give you great satisfactions.

Dui Andrè ; )

Andrea

Right, having some days of. And could make some progress.
I hope Andrea, you don't mind that I show in your topic what I made so far?

The results for the X and Y axes.


http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Foto=KQ8MUYKV

The result of some hard labour... :p

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Foto=DNSJNNSH

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Foto=BX4HJXHU

Those ants.....

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Foto=34LJK7QU

Detail of the screw I can turn to adjust the belt.

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Foto=KKOMTFAV

Simple turn the screw, and it will press.

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Foto=646HUF4I

Below the 2 x M6 nuts, in a slot so the can move about 1 cm. (.4inch)
On top the inner screw to move the part, to adjust the belt.

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Foto=YTZWBEZ6

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Foto=BFGLEXBO


Hope the photo's are telling the sory.
If not please ask.

I'm still in doubt about the Z axe.

Off course I don' t mind , actually I' M very glad about you posting your images and tips.
Keep us informed about your progresses : )

everybody, I am also focus on FB-2 CNC conversion! (still not purchase this machine)

Hi all,

I've just purchased an FB-2 and would love to get a few ideas as to how others have converted their Emco's. They are a lovely little machine and seem very suitable for a relatively simple conversion.

Was particularly wondering how people have faired with the Z-axis - whether actuating the head up and down the circular column is stable enough with the stock arrangement. Assuming of couse the lead scew is replaced with a suitable ball screw and antibacklash nuts. Or whether actuating the unclamped quill is stable enough??

Thanks
Adrenal