CNC Conversion without IH CNC Kit

[stemulator]

Has anyone converted their RF-45 clone mill to CNC without using the IH CNC Kit? I haven't purchased a mill yet and am just weighing my options at the moment. I spoke with the folks at IH the other day and they are currently out of mills and are also redesigning them. My first choice would be a turnkey mill from IH, but since that really isn't an option at the moment, I was thinking about purchasing the MTW MD001 mill and converting it to CNC. The only real negative I've read about IH is they sometimes have an issue with their CNC kits arriving in a timely manner, so I'd like to avoid that headache if possible. How hard would it be to convert a mill in this class without the IH kit? If anyone has done it without the kit that information would be appreciated. Also, does anyone have any experience with the MTW MD001 mill as far as quality in comparison to the IH mills? Their specs are virtually identical on paper.

Thank you,
Greg

[Cruiser]

RF Clone ? why bother ?

My understanding is that the IH kits have been for the most part phased out as they would prefer to just & only sell the turnkey units. This would give them a more solid base for calculating their parts production schedule to align with assembly of the mills.
As for the redesigning of the IH mill base machine, I say WHOOPEE ! maybe ?
I would like to see more iron incorporated into the column and base to further minimize the flexing under loading which is detrimental to cutters, and they natural tendency for the base to relieve and twist. It would also be an enormous advantage to incorporate square rails and eliminate the dove tails. BUT alas, it would also increase the cost of the base machine to some unknown quantity which might hinder its usefulness to hobby or small shop budgets. I for one can't wait to see what they come up with. The last change to the machine at the china casting foundry was called for by Gene to stiffen the Z aspect of doves and was successful.
The absolute biggest change that I see as being needed is in the procedure & quality control of the parts for assembly. It is imperative that they incorporate a thorough wash down of parts after machining and before any assembly or painting and I would also have them quit using so much bondo on casting before the paint, it gets in the way.
If they make the right changes, I'd think real strong towards upgrading to a newer machine myself ! OH, can't forget that it would be super nice if it already had what is needed to get the spindle speed way up to maybe 10grand, with a oil lubed quil.

Then I recall mention of a lathe in the works, humm, DC servo spindle drive, slant bed, square rail, quick change tool turret, better chucks, large throat, tail stock that will stay where ya put it, more turning clearance, inverted tooling to spit chips directly into pan, which has a handy dump feature, live tool mount for mill, thread, & grind for under $10g

[jetflatline]

>IH is they sometimes have an issue with their CNC kits arriving in a timely manner,

ahahahaha. you kill me.

Have you considered the Tormach? Someone asked me what I'd do if I was starting over now, and I think I'd at least talk to some Tormach owners and see what they thing.

Also, have you ever done a CNC conversion? I hadn't, and that was one of the reasons I bought the kit. Now that I'm almost completed (wiring everything up) I think I could probably do it on my own from scratch on a second mill *if* the time/money tradeoff was worth it.

[LUCKY13]

You can read in the "Vertical mill & Lathe Projects" "BenchTop Machines" and "General Metal Working Machines" all which are in the "Metal WOrking Machines" section and find many CNC change overs on RF-45's, MTW MD001 and many other machines which are basically the very same machines and setups.

There is atleast two MTW MD001 threads. ANd there is a lot of different ways that each person has gone about there builds also.


Its not much harder than getting a kit ( BTW IH want sale you a kit unless you buy there machine). Although it does take some sourcing, and some needed machine work for making some parts, plus getting your ballscrews cut.

You can buy the ballscrew and get them cut at the same place at several places so thats not much a problem. The electronics are no big deal. BUt you will have to make the motor mounts, ball nut mounts, put together a timing belt/gear kit, and add bearing supports to your motor mounts ( with the ability to preload the bearings).


Its not bad to do and if you use your head you can really come out with a very nice setup, plus save a lot of money. The IH kit is nice, but pretty pricy IMHO ( but not compaired to others that sale RF-45 kits).

One thing about doing your own kit you can go many different dirrections. Some to save money and others to gain performance. The quality of screws, drivers and other parts can be what ever you want or can afford, or just wish to spend.

Its more time comsuming than anything and when you first get to really doing it the job can seem a bit over welming, but as you work out one section at a time it all just starts coming together.


Kinda your three main choices in the motor/driver department include either running stepper's, small servo's, or big servo's. If you go big servo's ( which is what I and many others have done) get your power supply dirrectly from Antec instead of getting it in a kit. You will get more for your money and it will take a 1500watt unit. The Gecko drivers will drive the big servo's but you will get alot more performance out of something like the DUgone or Granite Devices drivers. ( I am talking 650 oz/in or bigger servo's here).

The small servo's the Gecko's will run great. And of course steppers they run great also. There is one guy here that used the 350 servo's with the gecko drivers and the results where very surprizing. I may be remebering wrong but i beleive his machine was the MTW MD001 also.

As far as what each style machine needs there is not any real differance. What works for a IH will work for a RF-45, and what works for the RF-45 will work for a MTW MD001. They each will need different lenth screws but that about it. Motor and driver wise they each can use the same setups so goign through and reading all the threads in the sections I listed will help you learn a lot. There might be small differances in things like the screw nut mounting and such but no real big changes. Depending on what type/brand ball screws you buy there may even be files to go by to makes the small parts with. There are plenty of files around for things like the homing switch housings and encoder covers. Motor mounts it seems like everyone makes there own design, mostly depending on how they chose to mount the motors. Two or three different ways people have made the head/spindle mount upgrade ( after reading you will know what this is).


ANyway if you want to go DIY I would go for it. The info is out there.


Jess