Has anybody tried this?

[Rustybolt]

I have an X2 and I'd like to convert it to ball screws and steppers. Has anyone milled relief in the base to accomodate the ball nut? Both in front and behind. Also. Has anyone come up with away to support the other end of the screw, in both axis?

[LongRat]

I found the machine base to be big enough to accommodate the nut I used (the common 5/8" screw and nut most people use). I tidied up the edges a bit with a Dremel so I cound get the most possible travel.
If you want to mount the X ball nut in the same place as the stock nut, you will have to machine the saddle. I opted to bolt my X nut onto the right hand side of the saddle to avoid this. This would lose you 1 nut's length of X travel though, so I spaced the X bearing mount plate out by the same distance off the end of the table to counter this. All of my screws are only supported at one end, with no ill effects.

[Rustybolt]

Thanks LR. I think I'll do what you did for the X axis and then just make an adaptor plare to take the excess nut further over to the right. With a little judisous(?) milling, ( I have access to bigger mills at work.) I think I'll relieve a little of the Y axis and get another inch of travel.

Right now I'm turning down the ballscrews for bearings and shopping for better bearings and a tighter ballnut for the Y axis.

What size and oz/in motors are you using?

[LongRat]

I am using the 400oz.in NEMA 34 motors from Homeshopcnc.com. I got my ballscrews and nuts from there too. My conversion has been running for almost a year now and has done a LOT of work, I am very happy with it.

[Rustybolt]

Originally Posted by LongRat I am using the 400oz.in NEMA 34 motors from Homeshopcnc.com. I got my ballscrews and nuts from there too. My conversion has been running for almost a year now and has done a LOT of work, I am very happy with it.

34s seem a little large for such a small mill. I thought I'd look for some 350 + or - 23s for my project.If they make them that large .

[LongRat]

I agree, there are some very beefy Nema 23 motors out now that were not available when I converted my machine. However the benefit of these motors is that they are actually shorter than a Nema 23, so in reality take up less bench space. Also I can run my machine fairly tight without worrying about losing steps. If I did it again, I would go for the high torque 23s on homeshopcnc.com.

[cadmonkey]

What kind of rapids do the 34's give you? What controller(s)?

[LongRat]

I set my rapid to max out at 60ipm (1500 mm/min). I could go a lot faster but there is no point on the X2. I run Gecko G201s at 39V, 6A. This is intentionally an overkill system, as I am likely to get a bigger mill in the future. I am really happy with the performance of the Geckos, and the motors. Coupled to the 5TPI ballscrews it could run a very wide range of machines.

[cadmonkey]

Thanks - that's what I'm looking at also - setup a smaller one now to get started and then move up to a larger unit in a few years. I have access to a good sized knee mill right now, but coordinating schedules is a hassle, I'd like to learn more at my own pace and most of what I'm designing is smaller parts that the X2 will be right at home with. But I see myself getting more ambitious as power systems in my other hobby continue to improve (Electric R/C Helis). Thanks.