Need info about an older ENCO mill

[mwood3]

A friend of mine is wanting to convert his ENCO mill to CNC, Model# 105-1100 Serial# 1608 as far as I know it has a 12 speed spindle from what he tells me. this is all the info I have on this mill.

Does anyone know any good sites with info about this mill or where i can get premade CNC kits for it? Or will I have to go the hard way and make it all myself? also if any1 could point me to a picture of this mill that would be helpful. it will be a little while before I can get my hands on it and im trying to get prepared.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Mwood

[Bubba]

mwood,
As you say it is a 12 speed and knowing that a 105-1110 is a round column machine, I would guess this is the type of machine involved.
I know of no pre-made kits for this type of machine, but it is not that hard to make the necessary brackets etc and fabricate your own. If you have a second machine that can do the cutting and a lathe, your on "easy street". When I did mine, I did not have a second machine to make the mill cuts and therefore, had to do some tear down to get measurements, reassemble, make parts, and then do the final tear down and assembly.

As for the picture, look at any of the round column machines as they are all pretty much the same. Also, being and "older" machine, it may be an original RF instead of a Chinese knock off? If so, it may be one of the RF 20, 30, or 31 models?

[mwood3]

I dont have a machine of my own but i have been looking at buying an x2 or x3...i am back and forth on which one to buy, i love what hoss has done with the x2 but i like the size of the x3...the only draw back to the x3 is it will be over double the cost when i get done...

btw, can you clarify what you mean by "an RF machine? is this a model number?

[Bubba]

mwood,
You really need to sit down and figure out what you want the machine to do. If you buy strictly on price and not on the type and size of work you want to be able to do, you may find the smaller machine to be a waste of time/money! Only you can really answer that one.
Hoss has done wonders with his X2 and has put a lot of work and $$$ to get it to the point it is.
Just my .02 worth.

[mwood3]

we race oval track go karts so i will be making a lot of those parts...also i will be making RC car parts and some parts for CNC routers and small mills as you already see... i guess the x3 is better suited for this range of applications... I only lean towards the x2 due to the fact that i can get the machine and best cnc hardware kit from cnc fusion for about the same price as just the x3...

based on all this which is better? price really isnt a huge concern just a small factor... i really want the best bang for my buck...

just an after thought...making the go kart parts is not to save cost...its r&d...new development...

[hoss2006]

Originally Posted by Bubba Hoss has done wonders with his X2 and has put a lot of work and $$$ to get it to the point it is.

One thing I haven't done is spend a lot of $$$, I'm one cheap SOB
Don't buy things If I can make them.
mwood3,
Microkinetics and CNCMasters sell CNC conversion kits for the Rong Fu round columns.
As you can see, you can build an X3 for much less than the price of the kits.
Heck you can get an X4 ready to go from Syil on sale for less.
A standard X3 with cncfusion kits and Keling motors will do you quite well.
Hoss

[Bubba]

Based on my experiences, the more mass the better! Even though my RF31 is "massive" compared to an X2, I find it is a wimp when it comes to rigidity compared to my friends full sized knee mill. I find this to be especially true when dealing with steel. And even then, there are times I have to back off in Aluminum as my machine is not rigid enough to do what I want as fast as I want!

One friend even comments that a Bridgeport is flexible like a wet noodle compared to other machines so take what I say with a grain of salt (and I am on a salt free diet:})

[mwood3]

Hoss Thanks for joining in... I am a big fan of your site and I have looked at your X2 projects very closely...do you think with the x3 I could still do the small parts as well as much larger stuff than the x2? I assume than the x3 wont have areas of compromise compared to the x2? i guess what i mean is the x3 better in every way over the x2 or does it lack in some areas?

[hoss2006]

Sure the X3 is bigger and better than the X2.
The only place the X3 lacks vs the X2 is if an ATC is planned.
The SX3 electronics aren't as spindle control friendly the X3 quill
isn't as power drawbar friendly as the X2.
Doesn't matter If I would have picked up the X3 instead, I would have "freaked" it too.
The X3 is no kneemill and I haven't seen anyone making any bigger cuts with one than I can,
but you get the bigger travels which is always a plus.
If you need kneemill capabilities without the mass you'll need to look at the Zay and RF45's like Lathemaster and Industrial Hobbies.
Hoss

[mwood3]

hmm, you dont make my choice any easier I still tend to go towards your route with the x2...I have seen your videos and you make some impressive cuts with that little freak... Also I really dont want to go anymore expensive than the X3...

Its so hard for me due to the fact that im used to running T21 Robodrills and such as that...When I program I dont have to think...this would be so much easier with ATC or flood coolant etc... so i think at some point I will want to almost duplicate what you have made with your x2... and it seems to me that all the parts for the x3 are double the price...

In your opinion what is needed cost and parts wise to make the travel equal to or better than the x3? if im not mistaken your x2 has more travel by a long shot...I need to check the specs again... I just keep thinking dollar for dollar I can make a better machine with the X2...

Maybe you should just Do an X3 build so we can compare the two :P

[hoss2006]

Yeah I have way more travels than even some of the BIG mills out there but it just took a bit of work.
I can't convince myself to spend the money now for an X3, it wouldn't be a step up in my opinion.
An IH would.
But starting with an X3, you would most likely be happy with it's capabilities and wouldn't need to do any big changes to it.
Just don't spend the extra for the SX3 if you want to ATC down the road.
If I got an X3 it would just be a test bed for making mods to it that I could add to the store.
Hmmm, maybe I could write it off as a business expense.
You got me thinking.
Hoss

[mwood3]

No Problem Bro, Glad I could help...If my hours pick back up at work i'll get an X3...Im in the auto industry so...you know how that is right now...at least im with Toyota and not GM or Chrysler... I look forward to your new X3 Build Maybe my friend will wait until I get mine before he CNC's his...then we can just help each other out...too bad I cant use the machines at work...man I could build a nice machine if I could...