Skyfire CNC owners?

[Goemon]

Here is my opinion about the Skyfire machines.
I bought a SVM1 some time ago.
Don't expect a fancy video but the description covers all the issues.

Very illuminating.

I've had a lot of experiences like that with stuff I bought direct from China before I learnt my lesson. I still buy goods that are made in China but I want a local seller to be accountable if I have issues.


I don't mind if products are lower quality to reflect a low price. Sometimes you simply don't need the extra precision or don't have the budget for it. I just want vendors to be honest about it upfront so I can set my expectations appropriately. It's the dishonesty that creates unhappy customers.


If you were told ahead of time "look, this isn't the finished article. Expect to put in a month of work to make it a finished and functioning CNC machine", you could have set expectations and decided ahead of time if you were ok with that.


It sounds like they either have no QC or they don't know what they were doing. You found all those issues as soon as you turned it on and tried to use it, which means they didn't. That's a huge problem given the enormous cost of return shipping.


How much did the machine set you back if you don't mind me asking?

[j3dprints]

What size servos are on the SVM-1 and SVM-2?

I want to fit my current RF-45 with such servos (they will be oversized I guess) so I can later move them over to a skyfire if I buy one.

[Roadstercycle]

Hi, Yes I am from Roadstercycle.com I do a lot of Vulcan upgrades along with everything else under the sun it seems. The FH020AA is a really great R/R. Thanks for the plug by the way :-)

OK, back to the Skyfire. Yes I'll do some runout test for sure. I'm hoping the SVM-2 is a little better than SMV-1. Also the top spindle nut run out does not count as that's a nut he's checking, it's not made perfectly round, he should of went farther in to the shiny shaft for runout. The Nut is only holding the belt gear on so it's really not a good place to check run out. But the tool holder run out is really unacceptable. I'll be bummed if mine is that bad and I can't fix it. So on a new note. I just got the bill of laden from Skyfire and all the legal ISF 10+2 customs paper work. The ship leaves the 14th of December and is suppose to arrive the 29th of Dec. in Los Angeles, Happy New Year I hope. 60 days over due.

Here's a couple traveling pics, It's even got my name on it, they almost make it seem real. We will see in 21 days. I hope it's not smoke and mirrors. If you notice there is a machine being built on both sides of mine which means that are working on orders.

[handlewanker]

Hi, have some patience.....you're doing a direct import strategy after all to save money on what a dealer would have to mark up to make it pay.

In reality, if you were importing the machines and stocking them, then you would be giving the customer only a couple of days delivery time........and in the meantime doubling up on the outlay you paid up front to get the stock in your warehouse, showroom.......whatever.

If a machine shows any out of spec tolerance you will not be able to sell it until it's reworked either by you or a hired technician.

That's why dealing as a direct importer means you have to run the course of the shipping times and expected delays etc.
Ian.

[j3dprints]

Hi guys,

I think I'll look at picking up one of these down the track, but for now I'm retrofitting my old RF-45 (300kg, 700x230 table) for cnc.
My question is will 3xDMM 0.75kw servos, if I use them on my RF-45, be useful for fitting to an SVM-2 or 1? https://dmm-store-shopify.myshopify....c-servo-system << the servos.
I noticed in this guy's review the power output should be about right, as his servos are all 700W here -

Thanks.

[handlewanker]

Hmmmmmm....referring to the video of the review.....coolant leaks, that would HAVE to be the very first issue Skyfire.com MUST deal with.

If you have otherwise a perfect machine and it drips coolant......that's a bad day all round.

The whole point of having an all round cabinet is to contain the nasties.
Ian.

[mactec54]

Very illuminating.

I've had a lot of experiences like that with stuff I bought direct from China before I learnt my lesson. I still buy goods that are made in China but I want a local seller to be accountable if I have issues.


I don't mind if products are lower quality to reflect a low price. Sometimes you simply don't need the extra precision or don't have the budget for it. I just want vendors to be honest about it upfront so I can set my expectations appropriately. It's the dishonesty that creates unhappy customers.


If you were told ahead of time "look, this isn't the finished article. Expect to put in a month of work to make it a finished and functioning CNC machine", you could have set expectations and decided ahead of time if you were ok with that.


It sounds like they either have no QC or they don't know what they were doing. You found all those issues as soon as you turned it on and tried to use it, which means they didn't. That's a huge problem given the enormous cost of return shipping.


How much did the machine set you back if you don't mind me asking?

That's no way to check a Timing pulley, the guides are just a stamping and are not machined, they are just staked on to the side of the pulley, should that part run true, not at all, if the pulley has any wobble then look at the mounting, the taper lock may not be seated correctly

[handlewanker]

There are no windows in Mom's basement.

Windows can be supplied on request......make your own hole.

[handlewanker]

That's no way to check a Timing pulley, the guides are just a stamping and are not machined, they are just staked on to the side of the pulley, should that part run true, not at all, if the pulley has any wobble then look at the mounting, the taper lock may not be seated correctly

Hi.......Seeing as how the belt teeth are contacting the timing pulley at the sides of the teeth flanks.....NOT THE TOP OF THE PULLEY TEETH....... you would not get high precision if you did get no run out on the top of the pulley tooth.

If you're so pedantic and a nit picker of humungous proportions, the only way to really test for any pulley run out is to fit a roller between the pulley teeth ..........without it contacting the bottom ............and set your dial indicator on the top of it for each tooth.

A lot depends on how the pulley was made......if it was bored and the teeth cut after the blank was pressed then it's possible that the OD has been machined, but highly unlikely as nothing contacts the top......unless the belt teeth are slack in the pulley grooves and the belt back body does make contact........then this can cause vibration.

We're talking about timing belts and pulleys per se, and as such they need to have the belt teeth making contact only at the flanks of the pulley teeth NEVER on the top of the teeth.......for just a drive situation it doesn't matter if the belt does ride on top due to a slackness in the belt/pulley teeth contact.

On the SVM-0 mill I bought from Skyfire the drive pulleys are secured with keyways and grub screws both on the motor shaft and the spindle .......I would have preferred to have Poly vee belts and pulleys with taper lock bushes but didn't go that far in the options.
Ian.

[Roadstercycle]

Well my machine is in the Port of Los Angeles about 15 minutes away. Just before it got there I got an email from my customs broker that said customs is doing a Met hold on it. Which means looking for stuff being smuggled, patent issues, copyright issues, trademark issues, etc. Oh and the kicker, $195 to move my machine to their check out spot, $55 for docs and $195 to look at it. So now again I'm in hold mode. I am so tired of this BS my own fault of course. I'm ready to sell everything and move to my Ranch in Oklahoma and be done with this stuff. Any one what a brand new Skyfire in the box SMV-2? I don't know if I'm kidding or not.

[Mmpie]

They're charging you to move it where they want, rip it all open, **** it all up, and not put anything back properly? As customs tend to do.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Roadstercycle]

I hope not.

[handlewanker]

Well my machine is in the Port of Los Angeles about 15 minutes away. Just before it got there I got an email from my customs broker that said customs is doing a Met hold on it. Which means looking for stuff being smuggled, patent issues, copyright issues, trademark issues, etc. Oh and the kicker, $195 to move my machine to their check out spot, $55 for docs and $195 to look at it. So now again I'm in hold mode. I am so tired of this BS my own fault of course. I'm ready to sell everything and move to my Ranch in Oklahoma and be done with this stuff. Any one what a brand new Skyfire in the box SMV-2? I don't know if I'm kidding or not.

Well now you know what it means when want to save some money and become a direct importer (ask me how I know) instead of buying from a dealership.

Dealers have to front up with the cash and put their mark up on any goods they import and to cover all their outgoings they just so's you can walk in the door and get a one off delivery in a few days......the extra few grand you have to pay is par for the course.

Imagine if you had to apply for a licence to become a direct importer...... that would really hurt.
Ian.

[mactec54]

Hi.......Seeing as how the belt teeth are contacting the timing pulley at the sides of the teeth flanks.....NOT THE TOP OF THE PULLEY TEETH....... you would not get high precision if you did get no run out on the top of the pulley tooth.

If you're so pedantic and a nit picker of humungous proportions, the only way to really test for any pulley run out is to fit a roller between the pulley teeth ..........without it contacting the bottom ............and set your dial indicator on the top of it for each tooth.

A lot depends on how the pulley was made......if it was bored and the teeth cut after the blank was pressed then it's possible that the OD has been machined, but highly unlikely as nothing contacts the top......unless the belt teeth are slack in the pulley grooves and the belt back body does make contact........then this can cause vibration.

We're talking about timing belts and pulleys per se, and as such they need to have the belt teeth making contact only at the flanks of the pulley teeth NEVER on the top of the teeth.......for just a drive situation it doesn't matter if the belt does ride on top due to a slackness in the belt/pulley teeth contact.

On the SVM-0 mill I bought from Skyfire the drive pulleys are secured with keyways and grub screws both on the motor shaft and the spindle .......I would have preferred to have Poly vee belts and pulleys with taper lock bushes but didn't go that far in the options.
Ian.

Again you are talking to the trees outback, with no knowledge of what the subject is about, running an indicator on the flange is not going to show you if the pulley is running true, if you know how they are made you would know that there is an easy way to check them, the timing pulley in the photo is about the normal as to how the flanges are fitted, the flange being a stamped part does not even have a good outside surface to run an indicator on

[louieatienza]

Well my machine is in the Port of Los Angeles about 15 minutes away. Just before it got there I got an email from my customs broker that said customs is doing a Met hold on it. Which means looking for stuff being smuggled, patent issues, copyright issues, trademark issues, etc. Oh and the kicker, $195 to move my machine to their check out spot, $55 for docs and $195 to look at it. So now again I'm in hold mode. I am so tired of this BS my own fault of course. I'm ready to sell everything and move to my Ranch in Oklahoma and be done with this stuff. Any one what a brand new Skyfire in the box SMV-2? I don't know if I'm kidding or not.

This is pretty typical with customs and customs brokers. Been through it too, and documented the process her in this forum. Think if you did this yourself and you forgot to dot an I or cross a T, the machine would be in customs for months (this happened to a customer who ordered carved doors from China).

[rx8pilot]

Yikes...sounds like a party for sure.


My guess is that the pain a suffering of the purchase, wait, customs, etc will dissipate quickly after you start cutting metal. Reserve a little patience after delivery to deal with fiddly things like coolant leaks or whatever. On the edge of my seat wondering how it will work out after arrival.

[handlewanker]

Again you are talking to the trees outback, with no knowledge of what the subject is about, running an indicator on the flange is not going to show you if the pulley is running true, if you know how they are made you would know that there is an easy way to check them, the timing pulley in the photo is about the normal as to how the flanges are fitted, the flange being a stamped part does not even have a good outside surface to run an indicator on

Once again Mac you are on the wrong tack.......at no time have I ever suggested indicating off the flanges.....why you persist in making stupid statements attributed to the wrong person to try and belittle people is a topic that belongs on the funny farm....maybe that is your residence.

Perhaps your spectacles need cleaning otherwise you would realise the statement you quoted on applies to BLAAT in post #154 and that is not me........it will be very interesting to see how you attempt to wriggle out of this one.
Ian.

[Roadstercycle]

Yikes...sounds like a party for sure.


My guess is that the pain a suffering of the purchase, wait, customs, etc will dissipate quickly after you start cutting metal. Reserve a little patience after delivery to deal with fiddly things like coolant leaks or whatever. On the edge of my seat wondering how it will work out after arrival.

Really at this point I really don't care one way or the other. I have already have really nice CNC Mill and CNC Lathe, and now with the new Centroid Acorn board I can leave Mach 3 behind and have really nice CNC controlled machines with rigid tapping on both. The mill is not close to what the Skyfire is but like I said I'm wore out.

Like I said If anyone wants a brand new in the box SMV-2 with all the bells except the add on 24,000 RPM spindle engraver let me know.

[rx8pilot]

Really at this point I really don't care one way or the other. I have already have really nice CNC Mill and CNC Lathe, and now with the new Centroid Acorn board I can leave Mach 3 behind and have really nice CNC controlled machines with rigid tapping on both. The mill is not close to what the Skyfire is but like I said I'm wore out.

Like I said If anyone wants a brand new in the box SMV-2 with all the bells except the add on 24,000 RPM spindle engraver let me know.

I completely understand as I gave up much earlier in the process. I wonder if SkyFire will be able to create a real business around this design. It will have to insulate and manage the sales and logistics chain from the end customer. There are some that will be willing to deal with craziness, but not that many.

Your decision is easy for me to understand.

[mactec54]

Once again Mac you are on the wrong tack.......at no time have I ever suggested indicating off the flanges.....why you persist in making stupid statements attributed to the wrong person to try and belittle people is a topic that belongs on the funny farm....maybe that is your residence.

Perhaps your spectacles need cleaning otherwise you would realise the statement you quoted on applies to BLAAT in post #154 and that is not me........it will be very interesting to see how you attempt to wriggle out of this one.
Ian.

I suggest you look at what you write post 169 below, don't need spectacles, so nothing to clean, and I did not say you said anything about indicating off the flanges, just posted the flanges for a reference, what I posted was about the method that you suggested, I replied to what you posted, or are you so senile that you forget what you even wrote about, the method that you suggested is no way to check the run out,

belittle who, wimpy man, you should practice what you preach, if you can't take it, then don't give it

If you're so pedantic and a nit picker of humungous proportions, the only way to really test for any pulley run out is to fit a roller between the pulley teeth ..........without it contacting the bottom ............and set your dial indicator on the top of it for each tooth .Ian.

This answer is as pathetic as it get's, for a journeyman fitter turner