what are the major differences between the sx3 and x3 mills? sorry if this is a repeat question but i looked and couldn't find a thread the spelled out the differences. what i'm looking for are the mechanical differences since i plan on cncing it at my leisure. ideally i like the extra table travel of the sx3 but if the x3 will do it then thats great and i won't spend the extra money.

I don't know if it is still the same or if they changed them recently, but I thought the major difference was just in the spindle. The SX3 has some neat features for spindle control and function that are useful for manual machining, but that are unused or removed in a CNC conversion, so probably not money well spent there.

The only real difference I could really see that it would give a CNC conversion is that since the electronics are completely different in the spindles, the X3 and SX3 should make entirely different smells and colors of smoke when the electronics in the spindle do their regularly scheduled lighting on fire. ;)

G'day Runner

The extras on SX3 as far as I can recall.

Head will swivel.

Quill has a simple DRO

Larger motor mounted inside head.

Belt drive as opposed to a belt and gears.

Tapping function. (spindle reverse switch on quill levers)

Electronic speed control (button push)

As far as I know the smaller table on the X3 is no longer about. Both same size.

I have the SX3. The things that to me are a waste on mine are, swivel head....Thats it. :)

Most will say the rest is a waste of space on the CNC'd X3 but I really like the tapping function and the DRO.

This is going to depend on how you use it but for me the flexibility is good.

The belt drive makes it a simple mod to double the spindle max speed. (and swap back if needed)

I hear a lot of X3 owners asking about doing belt drive mods to get rid of the gears.

All in all if I was buying an X3 again I would get the SX3

Greg

Good point about the belt drive, I didn't think about that. The rest of the SX3 functions, like the reverse button or the quill DRO, may or may not be useful for a CNC conversion depending on how you use it - but getting rid of the gearing is certainly a nice touch!

A few minor mods. Z travel now exceeds 360mm
Get the head down a long way.
Rotate 90 degrees.
Add 3 jaw chuck on an R8 spindle (from the 4th axis)
No we have an SX3 CNC lathe, with adjustable tool height!
I don't think the rotating head is useless?
Add a plate to the 4th axis and some tool holders.
Now it's got a tool changer too!
I like it.

so basically what we are saying here is the $950 X3 version is the same as the $1250 SX3 version mechanically in terms of travel. i can build a belt drive for the x3 i'm not worried about that and i don't need the head to rotate 90 degrees. i have bigger mills at my disposal but i just want a little cnc for home use.

from what you say i would buy the x3 and buy some tooling with the 300$ you save