Milling machine conversion

Hi all and thanks for the add.I have been using my Amadeal AMA25 now for the last couple of years and set about making a CNC router.However...due to a change around in my workshop the router has had to be put aside because of lack of room.This has led me to thinking about converting my milling machine to CNC which is why i`ve joined this forum.With the router i got as far as building my Z axis bearing system along with the X and Y (i also built a copy carver a few years back aswell),gantry etc but now i`m going to convert my milling machine i`m hoping for some help with the motors i would need along with the lead screws etc...so any help would be gratefully appreciated.I`m hoping to see some great pics of projects either built or in progress and will be updating as and when i get going.I build a host of things that i put my mind to in my workshop on my milling machine and mini lathe so i`m apt at building and not totally a newbie to projects but as stated i would need some help and information with the motors,control board and then obviously the software.Many thanks again and i look forward to hearing from you guys......All the best :tears_of_joy:

Welcome,

First and best advise is don't buy a thing until your sure it's correct for your needs. Avoid kits like the plague they are 99% time not suitable or miss matched.
Even then if you thik your sure then it's still worth running by the forum because we may have better or cheaper alternative.

Next best advise is when your ready start asking questions no matter how dumb you may think they be. We all will have asked them or thought them at some time.

Good luck

Many thanks... No worries with the kits... I wouldnt buy them anyway. I'd be machining my own adapter plates etc myself on the handwheel. One bit of advice i was looking for in particular was, was i able to turn a stepper motor with a handwheel or would i have to de-clutch the motor. I was looking at having both options of CNC and hand wheel if you know what i mean. I'm assuming i'm going to need Bipolar motors as opposed to Unipolar for a stronger torque if i'm going to be machining metal (i mainly use aluminium but occasionally mild steel)

You'll be fine to leave the stepper motor engaged when machining manually. Don't leave the handles engaged when driving with the stepper motor, as their extra inertia will greatly increase the torque requirement.

Well yes you can turn steppers while power is off but it's not very smooth with potential to damage the drives so not recommended really. One option is to use Pulse generator for manual operation of the motors but this gets involved but is do-able.

Yes you want Bipolar motors and how you wire them will determine how they perform. For best Torque you'd wire them in series but the speed will be lower for same volts and Torque drops off fast as speed rises.
Wiring in parallel is more common because it gives torque higher up the speed curve.

Fortunatly if you buy 8 wire motors you have the option to wire either way so if you wire series and find it's not giving what you require you can just rewire and run in parallel.
Depending on the volts you run then series will most likel suit a slow mill best.

I looked at converting a small vertical milling machine. Mine was a Sealey model but as far as I can see it was very similar to yours in spec.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sealey-SM25.../dp/B000RO681O
I had already fitted ballscrews and steppers to another project and was looking to turn this machine into a dedicated CNC mill. When I stripped the table to look at the leadscrews I came to the conclusion that all was a bit compact to shoehorn ball screws into there. The existing screws were only supported in a single end bearing and the crossheads so unsupported at the outer end . Not sure if that would suffice
I wonder what sort of gear is fitted into the CNC variants of these machines. I think it would be good toget a peek in order to get an Idea what you may wish to replicate.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by John11668

I looked at converting a small vertical milling machine. Mine was a Sealey model but as far as I can see it was very similar to yours in spec.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sealey-SM25.../dp/B000RO681O
I had already fitted ballscrews and steppers to another project and was looking to turn this machine into a dedicated CNC mill. When I stripped the table to look at the leadscrews I came to the conclusion that all was a bit compact to shoehorn ball screws into there. The existing screws were only supported in a single end bearing and the crossheads so unsupported at the outer end . Not sure if that would suffice
I wonder what sort of gear is fitted into the CNC variants of these machines. I think it would be good toget a peek in order to get an Idea what you may wish to replicate.

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The OP's AMA25 is almost twice the size of the sealey.
As for a sealey conversion... I say.. 'don't do it'.

From experience of my one:
Yes you can fit 1605 in there with a little work.
Don't use thrust bearings on chinese C7 screws use Angular Contact ones instead.
The 350w motor stalls very easily even with light cuts on various tools.

If you're wanting to do a conversion save up and get the next machine size up. (Likely the VM25LV @£400 more)
I have both the Sealey type (Sieg X2) and have recently got the AMAT25LV.

Comparison, well...... One is a cutter, the other is a toy!!! Even with the solid column upgrade fitted on the toy.

Sorry but I did not check the size of OP's mill.
As I now check the Amadeal website it seems that a lot of their machines have a 25 designation but not always a lot of dimensions , so easy to presume it would be comparable to Sieg SX25, Sealey SM 25 etc. I stand corrected on that.

With regard to bearings I found that using the bearing blocks supplied for, or with the screws gives the most convenient set up. These bearings are available in pairs , (one floating, and one fixed but with a preload locking nut)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ballscrew...97.m4902.l9144
Delivery is a bit slow from the far east at the moment .

With this arrangement however there may have to be a significant stand off for the stepper in order to accommodate the flex coupling. In my case the standoff dimensions were 60mm and 90 mm. This does not have to be a problem .