CNC X3 or KX3

[trishbits]

Hello,

I am new to these forums and have been milling for three years and have finally decided to get my own cnc mill. I have had my eyes on desk top machines for a while now and am looking at either converting if easy enough an x3 or buying if its worth the money a sieg KX3

Sieg KX3 CNC Hobby Mill - Arc Euro Trade

If there are retrofit kits you have used before and are straight forward could you please give me any help on this matter.

I will be milling Ally and Brass as my two main materials. I race model cars and would like to make my own as my manual mill limits me.

Are there any machines out there people are looking to get rid of or can recomend companies. I need movement on the mill of around 300mm by 160mm on the X,Y Axis so the X3 is perfect though I can get away with smaller areas.

I will appreciate any help.

Tris

[JimsCNCZone]

I would recommend the Sieg SX3. I've had mine for a year now and converted it to CNC using the CNC-Fusion Deluxe conversion kit for the Lead-Screws and I bought the Probotix X3 conversion kit and I've been very happy with my set up. I design and build RC 1/8-Scale F1 cars. The only changes I made to my Mill, besides converting to CNC, were a larger Motor-Pulley to get the RPMs up over 3,000 and I just completed setting up Spindle control via Mach-3.
Good Luck

[WOTDesigns]

I second the build.

[Ozcad]

Hi Tris I've had a X3super for 3yrs and just converted it to CNC using a Promica kit PROMiCA - CNCKits MX3 Kits for the X3 Mill The strip and rebuild took me 2 1/2 days I saying that I'm a fitter by trade but it certainly wasn't hard I would recommend an x3 but not the super for the conversion.

[wizard]

Not that there is anything wrong with Sieg but you really should explore all options. For example the BF series of mills are well regarded.

As to buying a ready to go CNC mill you have many options, well at least here in the US we have many options. The problem is most of these options aren't cheap relative to a stock mill. It is up to you if you want to go the extra for a ready to run mill.

A DIY conversion is another thing. I could tell you it is easy but I've been working on machine tools all my adult like and some of my childhood. Done right though a DIY CNC control does have advantages if you understand the components and functions.

What are those advantages. Well they should be easier to service. Second modification and upgrades should come easy. You aren't reliant upon fly by night vendors. You can tailor hardware to your needs and avoid minimal components.

The big disadvantage is that you really need to be able to grasp electronics to some extent. It is a time sink. Further you may need access to a mill to do parts of the conversion.

Personally I'd go the DIY route. You can then put the knowledged gained to work on even more CNC hardware like a forth axis.

Hello,

I am new to these forums and have been milling for three years and have finally decided to get my own cnc mill. I have had my eyes on desk top machines for a while now and am looking at either converting if easy enough an x3 or buying if its worth the money a sieg KX3

Sieg KX3 CNC Hobby Mill - Arc Euro Trade

If there are retrofit kits you have used before and are straight forward could you please give me any help on this matter.

I will be milling Ally and Brass as my two main materials. I race model cars and would like to make my own as my manual mill limits me.

Are there any machines out there people are looking to get rid of or can recomend companies. I need movement on the mill of around 300mm by 160mm on the X,Y Axis so the X3 is perfect though I can get away with smaller areas.

I will appreciate any help.

Tris