Tree Journeyman 310 and VFD

[Provectus]

Im looking at starting a retrofit on my 310, using rutex 20xx drives, my question is with regard to VFD's. I understand that there is a performances loss going with one over rotary, but was wondering if anyone has traveled down this road with this kind of setup, and how its working out?
TIA

[Adobe Machine]

My Tree retro-fit works great the the VFD. Just recently purchased an interface that will allow the software to control F-R, speed and braking, if I see a need , then will add an encoder to co-ordinate x-y-z with the spindle.
I do not see any performance loss, can run more RPM, my varible drive can be used for any torque issues.
The only draw back I see is the VFD makes some noise that screws with my house extension phone if I'm close to the mill.

Adobe (old as dirt)

[Provectus]

If I may ask what drives are you using? As I mentioned in my original post, I am going to use the Rutex, from what I understand the geckos are good as well but everyone I have talked to say they would choose the Rutex first. As far as a VFD, I assume the hitachi is the norm right now, I just dont know enough about them to feel comfortable in buying one based on my research alone....lol

[Adobe Machine]

My Tree 200 ( steady head) Tradesman 200 was sold first in 1978. I bought it from a local Aerospace company in 1984-85 at auction as the story I got from their chief Machinest was the system failed consistantley the first 3 years, so they took the machine off the floor and put in storage.( it was a 2 axes Tape reader CNC.
A lot of electronics in both cabnets were burned up, so I just took the drive belts off and used occasionally in the shop as a manual machine with a DRO.
It certinly was ok for protoype work, but when I sold the shop, the new purchasers did not want the manual machines, so I got and took it home.
A subsequent accident put me in a wheel chair, and I was unable to use it sitting in a wheel chair,so I began to engineer a conversion to 3 axis CNC.

I used Desk CNC and servo motors and drives from Machine Tool Camp, added an A.C. Tech Variable Frequency drive ( From Precision Electric on line) with remote key pad. With freight the VFD was less than $260.00.

The machine is used every day almost, hold .0005-.0007 tolerances and about the same in repeatability. I can cut comfortably at 40-70 IPM in Alum with good finish, and rapids at 150 IPM ( I reduced the max rapids to 100 IPM)
I did rebuild the ball screws, use the quill as the Z axis and motorized the knee as I just could not crank that heavy Tree in a wheel chair.

I like the Desk CNC because that is what I learned in, and am using the same set up on my lathe project and a plazma project.I do understand that the Geckos and Desk CNC are a good combo also, do not know about the Rutex drives, I guess the big thing is to match the drives and ther servos with each other. In doing the research, I had trouble getting a commitment ( other than it should work) from the driver reps as to what servo would work absolutley with their driver. Scot at Machine Tool Camp had a complete engineered package that was guarnteed to work together. Being a real computor KLUTZ and having little electronic knowledge it was the right way to go in my case.
I see a lot of people on this forum that have both the computor skills and electronic knowledge to piece together a succesful system, I just could not take that chance. Hopes this helps


Adobe (old as dirt)

[Provectus]

Yes, the information you provided is a huge help, and based on what you have said combined with my own research tells my the VFD will be the way I go on this project. BTW let me know how your lathe project goes, I have a big slantbed Takasawa that is looking like it may be a candidate for another retrofit project!!
One last thing, you mentioned, that you had motorized the knee on your mill, I got an extra axis motor with my 310, and somewhere "maybe here in these forums" I think, I read that the 325 came with an option for that from the factory, if thats true, it makes me wonder how hard it would be to adapt it to the 310 later down the road?? Just a thought.
Thanks again

[Adobe Machine]

The motor Tree used to drive the knee is huge, must be 1+ hp,( that option was about $1600.00) I used an AC gear motor ( Grainger) with brake. Chain drive to the knee crank axel, Use a DRO for the knee ( I broke one of the senders,the DRO was too old to get another one, so used the remaining sender for the knee axis) and can get real close for set up and tool changes..

Adobe (old as dirt)