One G-Rex, multiple machines (though not at once!)

[Crevice Reamer]

Of course, you already HAVE the Novakon NM-135 in Canada. It is a superior mill to X3 and available CNC ready WITH motors and stand for $3600. You could add Gecko electronics for about $800 more.

This would be an even better deal if they would sell it WITHOUT the stand.

http://novakon.net/3.html

CR.

[youngjim]

CR,

Thank you for the replies. Machinetoolwarehouse has them, but the prices are high and they're on the other side of the country from me. If I was going to get a machine from them I'd probably spend the extra on a Super X3 and probably a bigger lathe, too. I note on Novakon's site that a college which is close enough to me uses their machines, so they might have a line on getting such things without getting the bone at the border.

The great thing about having some time to save up some money for this is that is gives me the time to plan it, too. Maybe I'll get lucky and find one on Kijiji.

Jim

[youngjim]

This just in: It appear there is a dealer about an hour from me who carries RF-25 clones. They're a bit more money than an X3, but I'll save it in GST and shipping. I found a thread covering the conversion, so that might be one hurdle down and a thousand to go!

Jim

[Crevice Reamer]

There are many disadvantages to CNC converting a round column mill. It can be done, if that is what you already have, but I wouldn't BUY one for this. Better to get a dovetail square column mill.

CR.

[Clockwork]

I did something similar to your original question designing a single control box that could be moved to multiple specialized machines. The box has switched 120V outputs to control the spindle and a worklight, stepper motor outputs using 4-pin molex connectors (the same connectors used internally on PCs to supply power to disk drives), and connections to the motor power supply.

As I moved the box from one machine to another, I made a tiny, insignificant change to the motor parameters and re-flashed the GREX. This kept the GREX in calibration for each machine.

I have since purchased a number of used GREX controllers and drives and built a separate box for each machine. Pictures are attached.

[youngjim]

CR,

Good to know! I saw the Novakon NM-135 you mentioned, and I got about 1/3 of the way into the one video google could find before Firefox turned blue. It looks like a good piece of kit, and it is on the right side of the border for once in my life. The 4mm pitch ballscrews make the math a bit funny, but do you have an opinion of how it would be to buy one of these without the electronics, and then go the Mach3 route via a parallel card, and possibly a CNCBrain once that matures? I don't mind running wire, and I've built enough computers that I can have some limited confidence in doing that part.

How would you compare this to an X3-pattern mill? Is this a solid enough investment that it would be worth the cost of servos to get higher performance from it? I like the idea (greatly) of a 6000 RPM spindle, as a lot of what I plan to make is small and of aluminum. Also, on this scale the shipping would be worth it. I'd still have to pull it apart to get it down the stairs (it wouldn't match my living room decor :P) but it would have to come apart to get properly cleaned of all the shipping grease anyway, no?

A million questions, but I do listen to the answers; it is the least I can do if someone is going to take the time.


Jim

[youngjim]

Clockwork: I saw that panel on another thread, it looks great! I don't know if I'd mine entirely in lexan, but the idea of using video game controllers is both practical and creative.

Upon thinking it through and reading more, It sounds like the G-Rex has a great deal of potential, but its lack of Mach3 compatibility makes it unsuitable for me for what I want to do. I figured that a re-flash would all that is required to move from one machine to another, and I'm glad to hear that the concept is valid.

I think in the meantime it'll be parallel port -> geckos -> motors for now, and possibly a (smoothstepper/cncbrain/g-rex maybe) in the future.

Thank you for the reply.

Jim