Small spindle selection

[Swede]

After many, many months of research and work, I'm STILL at a loss for what I consider the "ultimate" small spindle for a DIY bench mill. Between a Sherline ER16 spindle (light but nice) and, say, a Setco ISO30 taper box spindle, there is a big gap which is begging to be filled. And my bench mill is right there in that gap.

What I am looking for is a spindle with the following characteristics:


Be capable of automatic tool change.
Taper - smaller than ISO30
700 - 1000 watt / .9 to 1.3 HP or so
Modest weight, no 200 pound chunks of iron
preferably capable of 3 phase / VFD use, or DC
~18K RPM, or more if possible
Quality bearings / low runout, no junk

Anyone have any thoughts? I've looked at Gilman, Setco, NSK, Finley, many others. All of these makers start with an ER16 sized cartridge spindle and leap right into ISO30 tapers.

My bench mill has 3 spindles available, a KAVO HF, a Sherline ER16 collet-nose, and an R8 mini-mill spindle head assembly. The Kavo is top quality but pretty specialized and I'm still puzzling about a means of consistent Z, given that the mills slide into the collet with no means of a positive stop. The Kavo uses proprietary collets which are essentially dremel collets on steroids.

The R8 mini-mill head is OK but the quality is lacking.

Thanks fellas

Swede

[Evodyne]

Take a look at a little unit I picked up-the guy has a few more. Not new, might need some TLC. Motor is 125 V, 2.6 A, 330 W, 400 Hz, and the thingy is rated for 22,000 RPM. I plan to swap to fix the auto tool changer and add a little more beefy motor. I'm afraid I don't know enough about the tapers to tell you what these use.

Look at http://www.evodyne.net/albe_spindle.html.

Email me at lance@evodyne.net if you have any questions.

[wile_e]

Originally Posted by Evodyne Take a look at a little unit I picked up-the guy has a few more. Not new, might need some TLC. Motor is 125 V, 2.6 A, 330 W, 400 Hz, and the thingy is rated for 22,000 RPM. I plan to swap to fix the auto tool changer and add a little more beefy motor. I'm afraid I don't know enough about the tapers to tell you what these use. Look at http://www.evodyne.net/albe_spindle.html. Email me at lance@evodyne.net if you have any questions.

How much did you have to pay?
Where can I get one?

[Evodyne]

I have sent you a private message with the boring details.

[Swede]

Can you post the details here in the thread? If not, I'd like a PM too. Looks intriguing! What is the taper? Thanks.

Kurt

[wile_e]

Originally Posted by Evodyne I have sent you a private message with the boring details.

Thank you for the swift reply!

[JFettig]

Hey stevie, I am one step closer to ATC, although I dont plan on going there myself with this mill.
I am using my 3/4" fixed tooling from tormach.com, I got power drawbar plans and all the parts in the mail, I ordered a 4 way 3 position solenoid valve from ebay which I would be able to controll by software if I wanted, although I will only controll it by two small push buttons.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...e=STRK:MEWA:IT
theres the solenoid valve
Here are the drawbar plans:
http://home.insightbb.com/~joevicar3...wbar_Plans.htm

All of this I will mount right above the drawbar, If you can find the correct bearings you could get it up and running that fast.

Jon

[Evodyne]

Hi Kurt! I ran across the spindle in an ebay auction. Auction number 3872188512. The fellows user name is jmusall. There is less than a day left, starting bid is $49.95+ $15.00 shipping in the U.S. Last I checked there were no bids.

I was suprised to find he is based out of the same town where I live. I called, then visited. He had a box with four or five of the units in it. One is the one being auctioned and I bought another. I didn't dicker, just offered $150 and he took it.

The units are not all in the same shape. Some catch when spun by hand, some exhibit runout, missing pneumatic cyclinders for the tool changers, busted pins in the electrical connectors, etc. He has no paperwork, nor any drives to test them with. So it's pretty much a crap shoot. But they can be rebuilt, right? I plan on added a slightly beefier motor to mine.

I was not able to find ANYTHING on these on the web. The company, Albe, was Swiss, but was taken over in '86 by Mikron. I'm looking for info-if you find any I'd appreciate it if you could pass it on.

I don't know enough about these things (newbie exposed) to tell you about the taper. What I can say is that the "big" end of the bore is less than 1/2" and more than 3/8". Sorry, I can't measure exactly till tomorrow. I'll bring it to work and break out a caliper and let you know.

By the way, this fellow has other, smaller Albe motorized spindles. No tool changers and set up for collets. Small-like for engraving. Up to 25,000 rpm some of them. Again, in various states of disrepair-none were virgins.

The fellow's name is John. I don't remember his last name. Off his card:

John's Industrial Surplus
2351 Industrial Ave.
Valparaiso, IN 46383
219-465-0128
219-531-1004 fax
email-see his ebay account

Mon-Fri 9:00AM-5:00PM (Mon & Wed 5:30 PM to 8:00PM as well)
Saturday noon to 6:00PM

Let me know if there is anything more I can do for you, O.K?

lance@evodyne.net
Evodyne Soft Systems

[RotarySMP]

Hi Swede,

What about that €400 german ER25 spindle?

[JFettig]

The problem with ER spindles is that you cannot make a quick change or auto tool changer, What he needs is something with fixed tooling of some sort.

Jon

[drk]

i have been using hf spindles with 60,000 and more rpm
I have 5 from Kavo(150watts) and 3 quiet drill 80,000 rpm 1 hp each. The quiet drill has 1/8" collet and supports ATC using a switch.
Both these have the same problem of complex collets and expensive bearings.
I have recently found a manufacturer of HF spindles who sells at real low prices( as compared to Kavo and precise), gives any standard collet you want , any type of spindle( hf/belt driven) runout is <.0005" and even the beltdriven are perfect.

[Evodyne]

Sweed,

Hello! I did manage to remember to bring the spindle to work-a big accomplishment in itself. All I have to measure with is a Starrett caliper. The large end of the spindle is between 0.510" and 0.511". Taper depth is about 1.3048" to 1.3050". Don't know what else I can add.

If these dimensions mean anything to anyone in terms of what the heck I actually have, I'd apprectiate some feedback.

Cheers!