Adding a fan to the X3

[Antonyong]

Yeh, I bought an x3 about 2 weeks ago. I've looked at as many sites i could find on this type of mill. Turns out that there are different versions of this mill, my mill is the type that doesn't have a gas strut and also doesn't have a cooling fan for the circuit board. Wouldn't the absence of this cooling fan effect the life of the motor controller? Maybe even lead to overheating during long operations?
This is my first post... please be gentle.

[DICKEYBIRD]

I have the same X-3 as you and have wondered about adding a fan. Should be easy to add a "muffin" fan to blow across the heat sink. I'll get around to it one of these days.

I got tired of cranking the head up and added a 40-50 lb counterweight/compound pulley arrangement. The head goes up & down very smooth & easy now. Probably works better than the gas strut.

Gentle enough for yer?

[in2steam]

Originally Posted by Antonyong Yeh, I bought an x3 about 2 weeks ago. I've looked at as many sites i could find on this type of mill. Turns out that there are different versions of this mill, my mill is the type that doesn't have a gas strut and also doesn't have a cooling fan for the circuit board. Wouldn't the absence of this cooling fan effect the life of the motor controller? Maybe even lead to overheating during long operations? This is my first post... please be gentle.

The gas strut was replaced on the newer versions with a finer pitch screw to raise the head up and down, I believe that its now double the ones with the gas strut, you can purchase a gas strut kit for the x3 from little machines shop as I think the hole is still in the casting.
I cannot say I have heard of overheating of the board, but it is possible and it also depends upon how hot the control board gets, most DC motor controls don't get real warm, and there is enough metal to sink the heat out. I would be more concerned about getting swarf and dust into the case and on the circuits.
chris