Optimum BF20L CNC conversion using the Smooth Stepper

[Mad Welder]

Hi all..........

thought I'd up load some project photos......and for my electronics hardware I used the Smooth Stepper from Warp9 Warp9 Tech. Design - Home of the SmoothStepper - Home because the PC running Mach3 doesn’t have any parallel ports, and the C32 bob from CNC4PC CNC4PC and I must admit jeez I can't complain runs like a dream, had a few hiccups at the start but along with reading the threads here the experience gained from a self build is irreplaceable.

I used Aluminium 3inch box section and 6"X1/2" plate for the table setup simply because I've had it for nearly 10 years in the shed leftover from a job....and I used brass shaft to mount the ballnuts and again this was given to me from a mate who had it lying around his shop floor... and for those of you who never worked on brass beware the dam stuff sprays tiny sharp needles EVERYWHERE ha my fingers were like small cactus

More photos to follow.....

[hoss2006]

Excellent work there, you're really using the mill for all it's worth.
Good to see it's versatility put in practice.
Hoss

[aarggh]

Brilliant job! It's a great looking mill too! I really enjoyed all the photos. I may someday make the plunge and get the BF20 to cnc convert as you have done.

cheers,
Ian

[jdurkin]

I used the Smooth Stepper from Warp9 Warp9 Tech. Design - Home of the SmoothStepper - Home because the PC running Mach3 doesn’t have any parallel ports, and the C32 bob from CNC4PC CNC4PC

Hi Mad Welder

Top job there mate, could you list all bought items for your build
All electronics, steppers etc

Cheers

[fretsman]

Very nice setup there. Love the space you have

Are you using rigid couplings for the steppers?

Thanks for sharing,
Dave

[Mad Welder]

Hi Mad Welder

Top job there mate, could you list all bought items for your build
All electronics, steppers etc

Cheers

Thanks to all for the kind replies and only for this forum I would also still be in research mode…..

Regarding the choice of electronics and the reasons……..my PC running Mach is a laptop as you can see in one of the photos and has no parallel port. So unless I bought another PC at a flea market I decided to stick with my own laptop as I knew it ran perfectly. This left the only option of getting a Motion Controller……….

Now also looking at the Mach manual where they suggest laptops aren’t suitable because of non guaranteed power supply I don’t have to worry about that as the laptop is roughly 7to8yrs old and the battery is pretty much dead so I just keep the thing plugged in always and haven’t had trouble yet (fingers crossed)……

Finally my choice of steppers dictated the stepper drivers as to have a suitable power supply. Looking at all the options of Steppers and thanks to Hoss (Hoss Heavy Duty Digital on the following link) G0704 Electronics I decided to select one of his suggested configurations for torque and I also decided on Hybrid Steppers for me or 8 wired as these allowed the most versatility (Bipolar, Unipolar or Parallel) and my chosen wiring configuration (Bipolar Parallel) http://www.kelinginc.net/KL34H280_45_8B.pdf also dictated the power requirements. I also got the Digital Stepper Drivers as to their supposedly superior quietness and evenness at midrange torques….so now after all that….

the list as follows and in sequence is my exact setup;

Mach3 ArtSoft USA - Software Downloads
USB B Cable (USB printer cable) USB 2.0 A to B Leads : USB Cabling : Maplin Electronics (I had a spare cable lying around but I've included a link just purely for comparrison)
Smooth Stepper Warp9 Tech. Design - Home of the SmoothStepper - Home
5V power supply CNC4PC (two of) connected to SS and bob (now choosing the C32 as I did also requires an additional (or seccond) 5V power supply to the C32 bob if your using the Optoisolated connections), so in my case I used the PC to power the Smooth Stepper and the two 5V power supplies to power the C32 bob.
(The smooth Stepper can directly connect via on board connector blocks to a number of bob’s)
48V power supply KL-350-48 48V/7.3A Switching Power Supply
C32 Breakout Board CNC4PC
Network Cables RJ-45 CNC4PC
MPG2 pendant CNC4PC
A32 limit switches CNC4PC
Digital Stepper Drivers KL-8070D Digital Stepper Motor Driver
Stepper Motors KL34H295-43-8B (2 of Z axis and A axis) KL34H280-45-4A (X axis and Y axis) Page Title
Ball Screws and Ballnuts SFU1605-C7-1055 (41.5") Flanged (Nut and Screw), Block and Rail in USA


Regarding the Ballscrews I bought the kelling purely for cost saving purposes as I exhausted my budget.... ....
So hopefully this will answer your query jdurkin and for any one else looking seriously at the Smooth Stepper as an alternative to a parallel port...well I can only say jeez I'm happy... I will also post more photos and hopefully a video or two.

[Mad Welder]

Very nice setup there. Love the space you have

Are you using rigid couplings for the steppers?

Thanks for sharing,
Dave

Wow.... Now your talking....I like your setup and the videos too Home, if I had my time all over again I would like to have chosen a toolmakers apprentiship...

About the space..... I'll tell you a little secret....I convinced my wife many, many years ago to include a small shed with our house extension when we remortgaged (seeing as I would be paying for it anyway)...ha the look on her face when the shed foundation was layed was priceless hee hee

and yes the couplings I am using are ridgid simply because I just wanted to finish the project and make something with the machine...these CNC conversions are hugely time consuming... and I'm pondering whether to buy or make anti-backlash couplers too...

[Mad Welder]

Excellent work there, you're really using the mill for all it's worth.
Good to see it's versatility put in practice.
Hoss

Well I must admit a lot of praise must go to you too Hoss and this forum and I'm not afraid to say it...but when I was looking and researching my build I came across your website and couldn't believe that someone would compile and broadcast sooo much info for free so

And thanks to this forum and all who gave me advice and well I'll just try to do the same and maybe someone can get an idea from me too

[jdurkin]

Thank you for the info, i couldnt have asked for more

[Mad Welder]

Brilliant job! It's a great looking mill too! I really enjoyed all the photos. I may someday make the plunge and get the BF20 to cnc convert as you have done.

cheers,
Ian

Thanks for the kind words aargh and loved the photos especially the wood http://www.cnczone.com/forums/blog_a...1&d=1311937258 it is my intention to someday to build a wood CNC router too..... the only problem I seem to understand from most of the threads here and from my own experience is where the heck are we supposed to get the time to build the things we want

[Mad Welder]

Thank you for the info, i couldnt have asked for more

You're more than welcome

[Mad Welder]

When converting the BF20L you need to machine the Y saddle base so as to use the existing X axis bearing mounts, i.e. lowering the Ball Leadscrew to compensate for the OD of the Ball nut.

What this means is you need access to another Mill.... in my case last year I had built as a project a very primitive X,Y, table out of Delrin Polyoxymethylene - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia so as to route model yachts but it wasn’t a success and this was my first introduction into the DIY CNC….

But luckily for me I never scrapped it and as you can see in the photos it suited my purpose of Machining the Y saddle for my X Leadscrew.

And in the last photo you can see the bolt holes for securely clamping the original X nut. I drilled and tapped to M6 the new X Ballnut housing and used these predrilled holes to securely mount the new X axis Ballnut.


More to follow....