Hello Matt & John here. Excited CNC Newbies

[m.marino]

I agree with Irving on this one. The large spindle with increased ability does NOT have enough weight to require re-tuning the motors but does have enough power to do pretty much anything you will need for a good bit of time to come. Fair warning you might find the 3040 type machine to be a very temporary item in your shop or at most the one for the small jobs in the very near future if you start getting into any larger signs or panel work. Also be aware that the Break out board/ drivers have a known history of not lasting long.

Best wishes and best of luck with your work. Welcome to the forum and hope things go well from here.

Michael

[Jonathan]

It would still be wise to check the tuning of the motors when you have installed the new spindle, since although the increase in mass of the gantry is not that great, if the machine is already set close to the limit you could have problems (or vice versa).

Annoyingly the price of these spindles doesn't drop much for the lower power (0.8kW, 1.5kW) spindles, so it's far better value to get a 2.2kW spindle however that might be a bit too heavy for the gantry? You would never actually draw 2.2kW from the spindle, but may still approach it's limit since the power rating is significantly reduced at low speeds. This makes drilling aluminium more difficult for instance if you get a lower power spindle.

[matt83]

would anbody be able to recommend a uk based company where I could purchase a spindle motor from of the shelf?

[JAZZCNC]

Its unlikely any retuning is necessary. A new spindle motor isnt going to be significantly heavier in the scheme of things than what you have (had?) and the issue, if there is one, won't be stepper performance, but gantry loading.

Irving there's a massive difference in weight between the rubbish he had and the WC spindles and the Z axis stepper on the 3040 is not very strong so it will affect tuning.
Expect having to drop the acceleration and possibly velocity.?

Also think about the mounting has the WC spindle is much longer and larger than the standard and will need a good mount making and possibly new back plate.?

[Jonathan]

would anbody be able to recommend a uk based company where I could purchase a spindle motor from of the shelf?

Spindle ... but that's only the 2.2kW one.

Virtually everyone on the forum who has one of these spindles bought it from China on eBay, so I'd be very surprised if you have problems doing that. The price difference is huge and you'll get it in under a week.

[irving2008]

Irving there's a massive difference in weight between the rubbish he had and the WC spindles and the Z axis stepper on the 3040 is not very strong so it will affect tuning.
Expect having to drop the acceleration and possibly velocity.?

Also think about the mounting has the WC spindle is much longer and larger than the standard and will need a good mount making and possibly new back plate.?

Hmmm, if you say so Jazz... The quick google suggested otherwise but it may be I wasn't looking at the same thing. On reflection, given the flexible nature of the beast you may well be right about needing to drop the acceleration since the gantry isn't the heaviest thing and even a small increase in spindle mass might be a large percentage of the overall moving mass.. I was thinking it was a small increase, say < 15% or so

[JAZZCNC]

Hmmm, if you say so Jazz... The quick google suggested otherwise but it may be I wasn't looking at the same thing. On reflection, given the flexible nature of the beast you may well be right about needing to drop the acceleration since the gantry isn't the heaviest thing and even a small increase in spindle mass might be a large percentage of the overall moving mass.. I was thinking it was a small increase, say < 15% or so

Hi Irving sorry if I came over wrong.? Wasn't having a go just that I've had my hands on one of these things and the spindles are biggest pile of shite and proper mickey mouse. I've also had plenty of the small WC spindles and they are probably twice the weight of these spindles.!

Some thing else I think will be a factor that I didn't mention at time will be the strain the extra weight will put on the Z axis bearings which again are cheap units.!