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  1. #1
    The time has come to replace my black & Decker router with another router or a spindle air cooled or water cooled. For me it is a bit of a mine field on what to pick, now I have a budget of not over £200 and I would prefer if it was less.
    I manly cut up to 6mm ply and balsa but I do have one job to cut out some brackets from 6mm aluminium,
    now I know that a spindle is a lot quieter but what size, the router I had was 600 watt will a 600 watt spindle do the same job. Would I be better going for water cooling and spending a bit more or will air cooling be just as good and what about VDF for control, there is a 1.5kw spindle air cooled with a 1.5KW VDF inverter for under £200 just add mounting. Or would I be better going for a 600Watt air cooled spindle with a power supply for Mach3 with mounting for under £150. considering my budget?
    What would be the easiest way and best way considering my budget? Or should I just stick with the noise of a Router?

    Mike.

  2. #2
    Forget the router and go with a spindle, but you should give serious consideration to the speed range you need. G.

  3. #3
    Thanks for the quick reply Geoffrey.
    Ok spindle it is, the router is out. My old router speed was 30000 the spindles that I was looking at has there speed range 3000 to 12000 for the 600 watt and 24000 for the VFD and spindle all my bits are single flute and V bits.
    What do you mean about speed range
    what speed range should I be looking for?

  4. #4
    I was thinking about ensuring that the speed range for the spindle is suitable for the materials you are cutting. I don't know what the lowest speed the 24k spindle will run at, but that is probably your best bet. G.

  5. #5
    It doesn't say what the slow speed is on that spindle, but as you can see I cut mostly balsa and ply but I still have this 6mm aluminium to cut and There may be another job if this one works out.
    What do you think about the min watts I could run. Also is the VFD easy to set up I see the reading are in Hz and I do not understand what Hz are in relationship to RPM?

  6. #6
    The relationship between frequency (cycles per sec. or hz) for the motor speed is cycles per minute (3000 at our mains frequency of 50hz) divided by the no. of pairs of poles on the motor. The motor will actually run at a slightly lower speed due to slip. I am fairly sure that is correct, but am talking from memory of of nearly 60 years ago!!! G.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Bush Flyer View Post
    Also is the VFD easy to set up I see the reading are in Hz and I do not understand what Hz are in relationship to RPM?
    rpm = (frequency (Hz) x 60 (seconds)) / number of pairs of poles.

    so for example: a 4 pole motor connected to 50 Hz mains supply. rpm = (50 x 60) / 2 = 1500
    This is the theoretical speed, the actual speed is rather less because the motor need 'slip' so it works out about 1425 rpm at the rated load.
    My spindle is rated at 24000 rpm at 400 Hz so it must be a 2 pole motor

    number of pairs of poles = (400 x 60) /24000 = 1, therefore number of poles = 2

    edit: Geoffrey, looks like we both posted at the same time
    Last edited by EddyCurrent; 28-12-2013 at 04:09 PM.

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Bush Flyer View Post
    Thanks for the quick reply Geoffrey.
    Ok spindle it is, the router is out. My old router speed was 30000 the spindles that I was looking at has there speed range 3000 to 12000 for the 600 watt and 24000 for the VFD and spindle all my bits are single flute and V bits.
    What do you mean about speed range
    what speed range should I be looking for?
    I just checked here Cutting Speeds - LittleMachineShop.com
    and for a 6mm cutter is says about 2500 rpm for aluminium, I'm no expert on this though so just using the figures given. This implies you do need some speed control and 3000 may be a reasonable lower figure. Having looked at spindles, in some cases 24000 rpm is a special case in that it needs bearings to suite, 18000 rpm max. may be a cheaper route.

    Also very important, the power of the spindle is usually quoted for max speed, so a 1.5kw 18000 rpm spindle would deliver 1.5kw at that speed only. At a lower speed it would be derated so would deliver considerably less. With this in mind and the fact you want to cut aluminium at low speed then a 1.5kw spindle would be the minimum I think.
    Last edited by EddyCurrent; 28-12-2013 at 04:40 PM.

  9. #9
    Thanks that helps. I have found a 800 watt spindle Frequency: 400 Hz speed 0-24000 R/Min with a 1.5Kw VFD in my price range and its water cooled would be nice and quiet. Would just need coolant pump Radiator and tank I think this is the way I will go if you think this would work for me?

  10. #10
    The spindle power output is roughly proportional to the speed, so at just 3000rpm you only get a fraction of the rated 1.5kW. The question to ask therefore isn't, 'what is the minimum speed the spindle will run at?', it's 'at what point is the power output of the spindle too low to be useful?'.

    If the list of materials you are cutting is complete, then the 1.5kW spindle will be fine. The only thing it would struggle at is if you need to drill the aluminium, but if you've got a pillar drill that's clearly not a problem.

    Quote Originally Posted by EddyCurrent View Post
    I just checked here Cutting Speeds - LittleMachineShop.com
    and for a 6mm cutter is says about 2500 rpm for aluminium, I'm no expert on this though so just using the figures given.
    With a 6mm carbide cutter you'd use around 13000rpm.

    Quote Originally Posted by Bush Flyer View Post
    Would just need coolant pump Radiator and tank I think this is the way I will go if you think this would work for me?
    Yes and you wont even need the radiator if you have a good size tank of water/favorite solution.
    Last edited by Jonathan; 28-12-2013 at 04:39 PM.
    Old router build log here. New router build log here. Lathe build log here.
    Electric motorbike project here.

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