Should I buy this spindle??

[scubasteve_911]

Hello everyone,

I have a line on a brand new Colibris spindle, but I can't use it anymore for my CNC project. This is a top of the line spindle, apparently one of the world's finest spindle manufacturers.

the specs are located here:

http://www.colibrispindles.com/pdf/ZAL.pdf

The particular one I could purchase goes up to 60000RPM, 0.2uM axial and radial runout, 1.2KW, 0.5-5mm collet. I can get this for 1000$US, which is probably too good of an offer to pass up. If I wanted to buy and sell it to fund another project of mine, I would want about 500$ for my trouble. Does anyone need something like this? Or do you think I would have problems selling it? Or, should I not bother buying it?

Apparently, a similar spindle, just with about 50% more power and a different tooling interface is worth 24000$. I don't really know what it is worth.

It's a shame that my current CNC project didn't work out, due to financial reasons. This spindle is far too good to put on my Taig, it's like putting a ferrari engine in a chevette

Steve

p.s.- if this is an inappropriate question, I apologize.

[DrStein99]

The tooling makes a big difference. I see lots of standard collet spindles and motors available. A quick-change head makes a difference between paying $1,500 for a collet and $5,000 for an atc spindle head (at the bare minimum for starters).

[scubasteve_911]

hmm, it's a manual collet. I didn't have a need for automatic tool change,

My concern is that there are two main markets for CNC machines that I know of. The hobbiest / semi-professional and the high end. The hobbiests do not want to pay 1500$ on a spindle, then another 1500$ to get it operating (bare minimum). The corporations that use these products (Boeing, NASA) won't purchase something like this from a private citizen.

I just thought it was a great offer on a perfectly new and extremely accurate spindle, but I don't think there's a market for it. It would have went nicely on my planned machine, but my friend (who I was sharing costs with) thought the project was too expensive to continue.

Making a decent CNC machine is big $$$$$, we were going to spend about 7000$US to make a small 20X15X10" travel machine.

Steve

[DrStein99]

I think there would be someone, somewhere who may want a spindle like that. There is a classifieds section here you can list it on.

[scubasteve_911]

Maybe I'll just buy it and hope for the best Thanks for responding

Steve

p.s. - you make some spectacular dyes for your clothes on that site, never seen anything like that before!

[DrStein99]

Oh thank you. The dyes on the clothes are hand-mixed. I was in the process of building a cnc machine to apply the print patterns. I ran out of space in the garage to complete the project. And naturally concepts are easier to plan and design then they are to implement.

[Ali Kat]

I could be interested in something like this but I assume that it is a spindle only with no controller unit?

[scubasteve_911]

Yeah ,it has no controller, but I am getting the specs tonight for the driver. One needs to know a bit about the motor, hopefully it is setup for a 220V AC single phase supply (to controller). It also needs a clean air supply (dry and filtered) and a water cooling unit.

If you had all of these, it would be top notch

Steve

[Ali Kat]

Let me know what you find out. Bear in mind I'm on UK time so it could be tomorrow before I reply.
Air supply and water cooler are no problem but I suspect it will need more than just a 220v plug to get it running!

[scubasteve_911]

What I meant was that the 220VAC single phase should be able to power the controller. The controller outputs the voltage for a three-phase motor at variable frequency and voltage. This is a VFD drive

I'm guessing that it would need to be high frequency drive due to its 60000RPM capability. I will get the specs by tomorrow

Steve

[Ali Kat]

Sorry, I wasn't being smart I just realised that the controller will probably be a dedicated unit and cost a fortune. So while the spindle sounds like it might be a good deal, it could end up quite expensive. Anyway, let me know what you find out and we might talk some more

Ali kat

[scubasteve_911]

hehe, yes, that's the reasoning for me saying that most people won't pay this much for something like this

I got a quote for a similar spindle, it was 24000$US. The controller, water-cooling unit, and filters for a compressor were an additional 6000$.

I am sure I could design one, since they're quite simple units. That would save a bit on the cash, but it would still cost about 300$ to make. The chiller is relatively easy to find on ebay or rig up something homebrew, it isn't rocket science. The air filtration and drying units aren't too badly priced on ebay, I wouldn't rig up my own.

This is kind of why I am on the fence about purchasing it,

Steve