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View Full Version : Ebay Chinese Routers (CNC3040) - anyone purchased one of these machines recently?



camhguh
27-01-2012, 02:18 PM
We are considering purchasing one of these chinese routers (CNC3040 K4) but are kinda wary about the quality and reliability of the units. This isnt helped by the obvious manipulation of ebays feedback system to ensure these sellers are showing 99% positive feedback by selling thousands of nail kits for 99p etc.

Have searched around but cannot find much information.

Would appreciate if anyone with knowledge of these units could give us some feedback about how the unit has performed and the buying experience. :confused:

John S
27-01-2012, 07:42 PM
I would also be interested in someone who has actually bought one and what they got.

The adverts are way out of context, some say high speed water cooled spindle but show brushed motors, some say inverters but show a set of brushes.
I'm quite prepared to buy one and have to mess with it like a new controller instead of something that doesn't seem to have any support or spares but I'd like to know just what is liable to drop thru the door.

luke11cnc
27-01-2012, 08:07 PM
a link to the router would help a lot
James

Jonathan
27-01-2012, 08:16 PM
It depends what you want to make with the machine. They don't look strong (unsupported rails etc), but if you just want it for PCBs, engraving or other light work it will be acceptable. If it actually comes with a water cooled spindle and VFD then it's a good deal.


a link to the router would help a lot

Try searching 'CNC3040' on eBay.

camhguh
27-01-2012, 08:16 PM
Hi James,

this is the particular unit that we are interested in

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UPDATED-NEW-CNC-3040T-ROUTER-ENGRAVER-ENGRAVING-DRILLING-AND-MILLING-MACHINE-n1-/230685740094?pt=UK_BOI_Metalworking_Milling_Weldin g_Metalworking_Supplies_ET&hash=item35b5f10c3e

but information on a buyers experience with any similar unit would be helpful.

Philly
27-01-2012, 09:00 PM
I would also be interested in someone who has actually bought one and what they got.

The adverts are way out of context, some say high speed water cooled spindle but show brushed motors, some say inverters but show a set of brushes.
I'm quite prepared to buy one and have to mess with it like a new controller instead of something that doesn't seem to have any support or spares but I'd like to know just what is liable to drop thru the door.


I have the 3040 and Im happy with it, it has no problems with Al. Its a brushed motor and its a nice little machine for the price. I'll see if I have any vids of it in action.

camhguh
27-01-2012, 09:16 PM
Thanks Philly, does it come with any software?

John S
27-01-2012, 11:52 PM
£262 delivery from Portsmouth ?

Sod it I'd ask them if I can't collect or report them to ebay for excessive postal charges.

This one is on trapezoidal screws, the one I was looking at was on ball screws.

bigdazza18
28-01-2012, 12:35 AM
My guess is that they are not actually in Portsmouth and thats why the postage is so high. I was looking at one so let me know if they are actually in Portsmouth and youre able to collect.

tumutbound
28-01-2012, 01:07 AM
I have a 6040 which is similar, just a little larger. It was well packed and arrived without damage unlike some others I've read about. All the machines look the same and are (probably) made by the same people and just sold by resellers on eBay so packing will vary. The only problem I had with mine was a dead driver board for the X axis. Replacements are quite cheap until you add shipping $15 for the board and $45 to ship! I've decided to change mine over to a Gecko G540 controller as I have one spare.
As far as shipping goes, even though they quote shipping from a local point (Portsmouth), it will actually be shipped from China. I know this is against eBay rules but despite having reported a similar offer here in Australia, eBay seem reluctant or uninterested in doing anything about it.

motoxy
28-01-2012, 09:11 AM
I ordered a spindle that came from 'Portsmouth' and I to was suspicious. But it did. I had it too quick to come from China. I think that they are initially shipped to a warehouse and then they do not go through customs again so no vat check. As for the high postage they probably are recovering their initial cost to bring them in to this country. I suspect that they may claim a very low value on initial import, pay a token tax and this too will have to be recovered. So technically ebay will not be interested and we get cheap goods.

camhguh
28-01-2012, 02:07 PM
I ordered a spindle that came from 'Portsmouth' and I to was suspicious. But it did. I had it too quick to come from China. I think that they are initially shipped to a warehouse and then they do not go through customs again so no vat check. As for the high postage they probably are recovering their initial cost to bring them in to this country. I suspect that they may claim a very low value on initial import, pay a token tax and this too will have to be recovered. So technically ebay will not be interested and we get cheap goods.

My thanks to everyone who has responded, its very much appreciated!! :smile:

As we have limited funding, im trying to ensure that we make the correct decision about this purchase and your input has been valuable. I have also watched quite a few videos on youtube about the unit which reassures me that this machine is viable for what we want to do with it.

We will probaly be placing the order either Mon or Tues and will let you know how it pans out! Just have to decide which seller to purchase through.

The only downside is that after browsing this forum and "meeting" the members im finding it so difficult to resist the temptation to have a go at building a machine myself, but time constraints and lack of facilites combined with poor health means that its a non runner for now at least. grrr :cry:

HankMcSpank
28-01-2012, 03:33 PM
That particular seller 'lovehappyshopping' isn't in the UK (but actually Hong kong from recollection)...not sure how they manage tat on Ebay, but duping folks into thinking they're UK based is a bit naughty.

Re importing...I imported a very small CNC machine from Taiwan http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sable-2015-CNC-ROUTER-ENGRAVER-mill-PCBs-engraving-/190631090004?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c627f9754 - though he wasn't the chap I bought it from...it certainly seems with CNC machines asian sellers come & go! I almost bouyght from this seller - http://cncdiy.org/ check out that middle of tha page "we are closed unti mid july 2011" !!!!!, then read the unhappy buyers on his forum - http://cncdiy.forumr.biz/f1-cncdiy-s-machines top post!).

Fortunately, everything went well with my purchase, (it was extremely well packaged), but this is the exception.....it seems just about every CNC buyer importing from asia has a tale of woe (damage or bits not working) ...if you enter into the deal with that in mind, you'll probably be happy with what you get for yer dosh.

Don't forget that you'll automatically get slapped for import duty & VAT by the importing courier ...which can add a chunk to the price you might have envisioned!

camhguh
28-01-2012, 04:33 PM
That particular seller 'lovehappyshopping' isn't in the UK (but a Hong kong from recollection)...not sure how they manage this but duping folks into thinking they're UK based is a bit naughty.

Re importing...I imported a very small CNC machine from Taiwan http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sable-2015-CNC-ROUTER-ENGRAVER-mill-PCBs-engraving-/190631090004?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c627f9754 - though he wasn't the chap I bought it from). Fortunately, everything went well, (it was extremely well packaged), but this is the exception.....it seems just about every CNC buyer from china has a tale of woe (damage or bits not working) ...if you enter into the deal with that in mind, you'll probably be happy with what you get for yoer dosh.

Don't forget that you'll automatically get slapped for import duty & VAT by the importing courier ...which can add a chunk to the price you might have envisioned!

Thanks Hank!

Unfortunatley its a risk i cannot eliminate if i want to purchase within budget and having imported some electronics from the states am aware of the hidden costs due to import taxes etc etc. ho humm

JAZZCNC
28-01-2012, 08:45 PM
I have also watched quite a few videos on youtube about the unit which reassures me that this machine is viable for what we want to do with it.

Can I just ask what do you intend to do with it.?

camhguh
28-01-2012, 09:03 PM
Can I just ask what do you intend to do with it.?

Hi Jazzcnc

We need to be able to machine acrylic panels (around 5mm thick)

Thicker nylon block (between 10 -20 mm)

Possibly also light aluminium

Doing some development work for a project which means constant changes, updates, redesigns etc. :redface:

JAZZCNC
29-01-2012, 11:52 AM
Hi Jazzcnc

We need to be able to machine acrylic panels (around 5mm thick)

Thicker nylon block (between 10 -20 mm)

Possibly also light aluminium

Doing some development work for a project which means constant changes, updates, redesigns etc. :redface:

Ok I had a feeling you where going to say that.!!. . . . .Now don't get me wrong I'm not saying this to put the machine down or saying it can't cut plastics. . .BUT. . It won't do it easily or produce high quality finish.??

This is something I've pointed out before about these machines.!!. . . . Plastics usually need high feed rates and most of these machines will top out around 2500-3000mm/min if that.?

Even small cutters will want to be running around or above the machines Max capabilty if you want a good finish without melting or pulling. Larger diameter cutters work better because they clear chips better reducing heat therefore melting and tend to give a nicer finish but they need higher feed rates to maintain correct chipload which these machines cant possibly reach or handle.

There are so many parameters that affect quality of cut and finish in all materials, DOC, feed, spindle rpm, and machine ridgidty but unfortunatly with cutting plastics they tend or need to be high.!!. . . . I fear this machine won't be able to handle the speeds/feeds required to cut plastics and give a good quality finish. Esp in materials like acrylic that are sensitive and critical on feed n speeds.??

So my point is YES it will obviously cut plastics but not as well as you might expect and the stress on the machine regards feeds will be high, pritty much flatout all the time, this will have big affect on it's life span which I fear will be short.!!

Don't know if your used to machining plastics or not but go have read and you'll see the speeds/feeds are quite high.

Heres one to look at, it's from over the pond so imperial sized tooling but it all translates and apply's over here. . .
http://www.plasticsmag.com/routing.asp?fIssue=Jan/Feb-07&aid=4539

camhguh
29-01-2012, 12:47 PM
Thanks for the detailed critique Jazz!

And no, i havn't machined anything in forty odd years and certainly not plastics which weren't around then (that i remeber anyway)

However this presents me a with quandry because we would want our prototype finish has to be very good indeed to impress backers and obtain further funding.

We could change many of the parts to aluminium, but would we achieve a better finish using these machines?

I had a look at a similar machine on www.mydiycnc.com but the owner Stephen hasnt replied to my queries and i cannot access his site this morning to double check parameters. There were options to have the machine fitted with different spindle drives (i think). One i believe was a high speed water cooled unit that should do the trick (perhaps! LOL)

Back to the drawing board!

John S
29-01-2012, 01:55 PM
There are ways to get the finish, block out the part and leave 0.5mm on for final cut then clean up all the chips and do a final full depth pass to remove the 0.5mm.

I used to do this on a large CNC mill than has speed and feed limitations and got good surface finish. Personally I have found that the slower you cut plastic the better the finish because at high speed it just wants to melt.

Can you afford to go up to a larger machine like a 6040, these have ball screws and a choice of high speed spindle.

camhguh
29-01-2012, 03:01 PM
I wish we had the resources John but the machining facility budget (lol) is stretched as it is and we will probaly cop for import tax's, vat and whatever else the government can screw out of us. Off course the router is just one item in a long list of things that we have had to buy or are planning to buy to complete the project. We are not VAT registered of course so cannot reclaim that tax.

Mulling it over, it looks like we will have to go with that particular machine and follow your guidelins re getting the best finish we can. Should be ok i think, providing the machine arrives undamaged with the electronics in working order!

Tenson
29-01-2012, 03:19 PM
I got a CNC3040 from eBay member zlx108108108

It came in about 2 weeks, but it was not packed well enough and a couple of bits were damaged.

The seller has actually been helpful and has good communication, they just should have packed it better. Talk to Michelle and say Simon (eBayer: ssashton) told you to talk to them. Tell them to pack the Y axis assembly separately from the main table, and remove the spindle motor from the bracket to reduce the weight hanging on it. Remind them you will want replacement parts if it arrives with damage.

Good luck!

Tenson
29-01-2012, 03:24 PM
Oh, they only listed its value as £100 for VAT ;)

John S
29-01-2012, 03:28 PM
Personally I feel the electronics is the least of the worries. For what you pay for a machine that cost alone is worth the machine if you reckon material and time up.
Personally I'd be happier with a control box I threw together myself

JAZZCNC
29-01-2012, 07:32 PM
I used to do this on a large CNC mill than has speed and feed limitations and got good surface finish. Personally I have found that the slower you cut plastic the better the finish because at high speed it just wants to melt.

Ye John funny temperamental stuff plastics as I know well you know and each has its own unique likes/dislikes and ways of machining.
I've machined one manufacturers’ HDPE that would only give nice finish if cut at high feeds but when tried same setup on another manufactures HDPE at same feeds/speeds it goes into melt down or produces long curly wurly chips which strangle everything. . . . Don't figure.?? Not done much with Acrylic but from what I know and have read it too prefers high feeds.!(often the cure as not been feeds & speeds but blown air.?) . . . .Thou to be honest what concerns me is that even the melt downs have needed to be cut around this machines Max.!

My personal view on this machine is that it will be ok initially but fail quickly if pushed too hard.!!. . . It's cheap price dictates cheap components have to be used.
It's compromised in several key area's like unsupported rails and acme screws, probably both very cheap quality. The electrics are basic and again questionable regards quality and I've seen several mentions of issue's with them in various places.

I would say for a first time machine then Ok Maybe because it's cheap-ish.? . . But for special project and where it would need to shine in both quality and performance not mention longevity then I'm sorry but I'd be giving it a wide berth.!!

Camhgu I can appreciate your urgency and need for it now, but you have to ask your self can you afford for it not to perform as you might like or hoped it would.? Or the down time if unreliable.?
Buying ready made plug n play packages can be a good quick start-up if they are good quality but equally can be a right expensive time eating night mare if cheap and nasty.!!!. . . . The saying " You get what you pay for" apply's at this level I believe.

That said I wish you good luck.

camhguh
29-01-2012, 11:32 PM
Thank you and thanks once again to all who responded, this forum is certainly a wonderful resource in all things cnc related!

I will let you know how we get on in due course :)

camhguh
30-01-2012, 05:27 PM
Ye John funny temperamental stuff plastics as I know well you know and each has its own unique likes/dislikes and ways of machining.
I've machined one manufacturers’ HDPE that would only give nice finish if cut at high feeds but when tried same setup on another manufactures HDPE at same feeds/speeds it goes into melt down or produces long curly wurly chips which strangle everything. . . . Don't figure.?? Not done much with Acrylic but from what I know and have read it too prefers high feeds.!(often the cure as not been feeds & speeds but blown air.?) . . . .Thou to be honest what concerns me is that even the melt downs have needed to be cut around this machines Max.!

My personal view on this machine is that it will be ok initially but fail quickly if pushed too hard.!!. . . It's cheap price dictates cheap components have to be used.
It's compromised in several key area's like unsupported rails and acme screws, probably both very cheap quality. The electrics are basic and again questionable regards quality and I've seen several mentions of issue's with them in various places.

I would say for a first time machine then Ok Maybe because it's cheap-ish.? . . But for special project and where it would need to shine in both quality and performance not mention longevity then I'm sorry but I'd be giving it a wide berth.!!

Camhgu I can appreciate your urgency and need for it now, but you have to ask your self can you afford for it not to perform as you might like or hoped it would.? Or the down time if unreliable.?
Buying ready made plug n play packages can be a good quick start-up if they are good quality but equally can be a right expensive time eating night mare if cheap and nasty.!!!. . . . The saying " You get what you pay for" apply's at this level I believe.

That said I wish you good luck.

Just a thought Jazz, before we push the buy button with trepidation, lol, do you have any alternative suggestion bearing in mind that £700 is all we have available?

JAZZCNC
30-01-2012, 06:14 PM
Just a thought Jazz, before we push the buy button with trepidation, lol, do you have any alternative suggestion bearing in mind that £700 is all we have available?

Unfortunatly without suggesting DIY which even then you'll struggle with only £700 to get machine, control box and spindle then I can't suggest anything.

Jonathan
30-01-2012, 06:50 PM
do you have any alternative suggestion bearing in mind that £700 is all we have available?

I doubt it, the £700 limit is unfortunately too low unless you make it yourself.

This, for example, would be a good start:
(Not suggesting you should buy any of these parts yet, clearly you will want to first draw the whole machine to work out exact sizes)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-SBR20-sets-3-ballscrews-RM1605-3BK-BF12-3-couplers-/250589755832?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a585039b8#ht_942wt_1087

That's a bit bigger than you're after however you can ask the seller for different lengths if that's a problem.
Add to that 3Nm stepper motors, drivers, breakout board, PSU, wire and 50V drivers and you'll easily get good feedrates fort around £210 in total as long as you don't get all that from England. Once you add on the price of a spindle and the frame it's over £700 and probably more like £1000. However since the machine has supported rails, ballscrews and a good control system so it will be out perform the CNC3040 by much more than that price difference implies. Plus from making the machine yourself you will learn, as I did, a lot more about how it works and be able to troubleshoot it much more easily.

I have cut acrylic on a similarly small low power machine and obtained a good finish. So long as the chipload is correct and the depth of cut is not so high as to cause significant tool deflection the finish should be good.

One thing that helps here is single flute tools:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5x-157-Carbide-CNC-Router-Bits-Single-Flute-Tools-17-/140424028533?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item20b1eca175#ht_2855wt_1037

(That's just the first one I found, shop around for the cheapest and get the smallest flute length you can safely use as that reduces the tool deflection, resulting in a better finish.)

Since the feedrate is proportional to the number of flutes on the tool, the rpm, diameter and chipload, if you use a single flute tool the feedrate is proportionately lower than with 2 or more flutes. Similarly if the rpm is low, which it has to be as your spindle on that machine says it only goes up to 9500rpm the feedrate is also low. The relatevely low rpm is not so bad as the surface speed is lower, causing the cutter to heat less reducing the chance of melting the acrylic. Chipload is the 'width' of the chips, or put another way the distance the tool moves per revolution divided by the number of teeth.

According to Gwizard feedrate calculator (google it) the chipload for a single flute carbide tool in acrylic is about 0.1mm for 6mm tool and 0.06mm for a 3mm tool when limited to 9500rpm. That gives 600mm/min for 3mm or 1000mm/min for a 6mm tool. If you got a better spindle and used a 6mm tool at the reccomended rpm (12700rpm) the feedrate is 1400mm/min, still well within the 2500mm/min reccomended in the eBay listing, assuming that rating can be trusted!

So in conclusion I'm confident the machine is capable of cutting acrylic with a good finish, but still I would not let that persuade you the machine will do you need. You will have to take shallow cuts, so the overall time to cut a given thickness will be greater than for a more rigid machine. If you really want a good finish on acrylic then get a laser cutter, but that'll cost a teensy bit more than £700 and is not as versatile! Alternatively look into other ways of finishing, such as buffing the edges to get an optically clear finish.

It would cut aluminium, but nowhere near fast enough for it to be worthwhile so it's hardly worth mentioning. Similarly I cut titanium sheet on the router at school (roland camm PNC2300A, probably weaker than the CNC3040) and yes it worked, but prematurely wore out the machine and took forever! It was worth it as a one off as I really wanted the part but it would be foolish to try it regularly.

Saying 'the machine can cut material x' isn't saying much, whatever the material is unless you know how fast it can cut it (i.e. material removal rate, often measured in cm^3/min).

Swarfing
30-01-2012, 09:37 PM
A bit selfish Jonathan making a school loose there cnc machine because you WANTED a part made :redface:

Shame on you

Jonathan
30-01-2012, 09:48 PM
A bit selfish Jonathan making a school loose there cnc machine because you WANTED a part made :redface:

Shame on you

It was my friend who did it actually, was just more convenient not to mention that in the last post but I should have. The teachers were fine with it as I guess they didn't expect it to be a problem, and my friend paid for the tool. The part was a 0.7mm thick titanium undertray for a model car to protect the Texalium (also cut on that machine). I made one too, but I did it with the guillotine and cutting with a dremel at home, then anodised it...so he naturally wanted his to be better than mine! This was about 5 years ago. If he had known what we know now he probably wouldn't have done it. Apparently it finally stopped working last year due to electronic faliure. I wish they'd asked me before dismantling it for parts as I'd have happily got it going with mach3.

Interestingly the machine is 'cable driven'. There's steel wire/rope wrapped round drums and attached to the gantry, so no backlash (I think). After dismantling it some time later and adjusting the belts it was OK.

camhguh
30-01-2012, 10:00 PM
Thanks Jonathan, good points and some more information for us to digest :)

John S
30-01-2012, 10:33 PM
I love it when these ijit's at school wreck these machines.
Got a Roland PNC 2200 and a PNC3100 mill for £160 the two a few months ago :whistling:

Jonathan
30-01-2012, 10:36 PM
I love it when these ijit's at school wreck these machines.
Got a Roland PNC 2200 and a PNC3100 mill for £160 the two a few months ago :whistling:

I remember...

http://www.mycncuk.com/forums/showthread.php/4005-Hewing-hall-millgrav

Wish I knew how you find these things!

Wreck is going a bit far considering it was used for several years after...just needed a bit of TLC and was a bit noisier!

Swarfing
30-01-2012, 10:39 PM
Well that Mill Grav belongs to Roger and he has torn it apart already to improve it :naughty:

JAZZCNC
31-01-2012, 12:53 AM
Well that Mill Grav belongs to Roger and he has torn it apart already to improve it :naughty:



:joker:..........

modcube
01-02-2012, 06:31 PM
I've recently bought this one:

http://www.ebay.es/itm/230685740094?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

I asked the buyer for the item location, and he answered this:


dear friend
please do not worry ,we have this item in UK warehouse ,i have shipped theitem from UK warehouse already
and i will send you the trackingnumber later ,then you will beliive we ship theitem from UK warehouse

I hope he is not lying...

camhguh
01-02-2012, 07:44 PM
I've recently bought this one:

http://www.ebay.es/itm/230685740094?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

I asked the buyer for the item location, and he answered this:



I hope he is not lying...

LOL, We have just ordered the exact same unit (ebay uk) but not had any response from the seller yet....i doubt tho that it would cost nearly another £300 or so to deliver from Portsmouth to Nottingham!

JAZZCNC
01-02-2012, 07:48 PM
I've recently bought this one:

http://www.ebay.es/itm/230685740094?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

I asked the buyer for the item location, and he answered this:



I hope he is not lying...

1 POST.!!!. . . . .Sniff sniff sniff. . . . . Erm Cod.. .:rofl:

Swarfing
01-02-2012, 07:55 PM
The other reason for the high postage is to so that the do not have to pay Ebay loads of money on the sale price of the kit. Makes sense but does confuse a bit but that is why it looks so cheap.

luke11cnc
01-02-2012, 09:24 PM
yes I believe ebay doesn't get a penny from you for postage charges and I think it's the same for paypal.

But for £300.00 I would collect it my self

James

camhguh
07-02-2012, 12:46 AM
Well..its arrived! :) Our chinese 4030 cnc machine....no tracking number...no email communication...but delivered this morning. It was very well packaged and looked as if it needed to be! I assumed it started out box shaped but there were no edges visible on delivery! I rolled it from my front door thro to my kitchen where it will live for a while!

Everything survived intact, no damage and the spindle works fine, quieter than i thought it would be although it might sound a lot louder when actually milling some material. Now just need to cobble together a working pc with xp to run mach3.....to be continued!

John S
07-02-2012, 01:28 AM
If you are stuck for a PC I have just bought a job lot, all installed with XP, COA sticker and license, Mach 3 installed and tested [ no license - demo only ] and a few freebie programs like CAD and a DXF convertor

camhguh
07-02-2012, 01:49 AM
If you are stuck for a PC I have just bought a job lot, all installed with XP, COA sticker and license, Mach 3 installed and tested [ no license - demo only ] and a few freebie programs like CAD and a DXF convertor

I have lots of pc bits and pieces that we have accumulated through the years John, but if i cannot cobble one together then you might just have the answer :smile:

How much are you asking for one of those machines?

modcube
08-02-2012, 12:04 AM
Mine has arrived too, all perfect, extremely well packaged. Tomorrow I'll try to install emc2 to check if it's working ok.

camhguh
08-02-2012, 12:35 AM
Mine has arrived too, all perfect, extremely well packaged. Tomorrow I'll try to install emc2 to check if it's working ok.

The tracking number arrived in my email this morning...the machine was delivered yesterday lol

Not used it in anger yet...getting our heads round mach3 etc...should be able to give it a run tomorrow for real!

modcube
13-02-2012, 11:21 PM
The spindle has dead, it started to smell really bad and after that (2h of non continuous use) it stopped working, one coil is burnt. 5352

Tenson
13-02-2012, 11:28 PM
Have you measured the resistance across the coil to confirm it is broken? If it is, then you might be lucky enough to find the break and solder in a bit of new wire. However that is probably hoping too much as the wire has enamel on it to stop it shorting to the other strands next to it, and if it got hot enough to brake, then the enamel around that wire and others near it will also be melted. You will have a number of shorted turns. Anyway you might manage a repair but most likely to need a replacement.

... if you do, can I have the broken motor?

modcube
13-02-2012, 11:47 PM
Have you measured the resistance across the coil to confirm it is broken? If it is, then you might be lucky enough to find the break and solder in a bit of new wire. However that is probably hoping too much as the wire has enamel on it to stop it shorting to the other strands next to it, and if it got hot enough to brake, then the enamel around that wire and others near it will also be melted. You will have a number of shorted turns. Anyway you might manage a repair but most likely to need a replacement.

... if you do, can I have the broken motor?

Yes, I measured the resistance to confirm it's broken. As you mentioned it seems it has melted so it can be very difficult to fix. I will contact the eBay seller (love-happyshopping) and I'll try to get a new one (the product page says: "1 years free warranty"). I'll keep you posted.

camhguh
14-02-2012, 01:02 AM
The spindle has dead, it started to smell really bad and after that (2h of non continuous use) it stopped working, one coil is burnt. 5352

Do you think it was a "refurbished" unit? Is there any sign of wear around the area where the brushes run?

Did the spindle jam on a cut?

John S
14-02-2012, 01:09 AM
That's a bummer but at least it will give us an insight into how good the warranty / claim setup is from the Portsmouth guys if you can keep us in the loop ?

Tenson
14-02-2012, 02:25 AM
Do you think it was a "refurbished" unit? Is there any sign of wear around the area where the brushes run?

Did the spindle jam on a cut?

My one said 'used motor' or something to that effect. It seems good in my case though. I'm guessing they will replace without issue.

Also it occurs to me that the max operating voltage for these motors is 154V which is 110V (US mains) rectified to DC. I had been wondering why the required volage was so high when many powerful DC motors are more like 35-50V.

Musht
14-02-2012, 02:31 AM
Think thats where some of the saving is, spindle on mine have had the brushes previously changed with too big a screwdriver.

Spindle driver circuit is on the very basic side, it will allow the motor to stall at low revs and has no back emf protection at all.

Hope your vendor is responsive, please do keep everyone informed.

Cheers
Adam

Tenson
14-02-2012, 03:22 AM
Think thats where some of the saving is, spindle on mine have had the brushes previously changed with too big a screwdriver.

Spindle driver circuit is on the very basic side, it will allow the motor to stall at low revs and has no back emf protection at all.

Hope your vendor is responsive, please do keep everyone informed.

Cheers
Adam


Care to share a picture of your spindle drive circuit? :)

Musht
14-02-2012, 04:04 AM
Care to share a picture of your spindle drive circuit? :)

will get some lid off shots tomorrow :-)

modcube
14-02-2012, 10:47 AM
Do you think it was a "refurbished" unit? Is there any sign of wear around the area where the brushes run?

Did the spindle jam on a cut?

Maybe, the brushes are at half use (compared to the replacement ones), and as I said I've only used it 2 hours. The spindle stopped on a cut (it's not jammed, I can spin it manually).

modcube
14-02-2012, 11:02 AM
This is the answer I've got from the eBay seller:


dear friend
if the spindle has problem ,we will exchange a spindle to you ,we pay the shipping cost
friend ,th e picturer you sent us can not be opened
could youplease resend it to us again?
(You can upload the picture video to web www.photobucket.com then give us the video link or you can send it to [email protected] ), and describe the problem, then we will see the problem and know how to resolve it. The more detail that you show the problem, the more quickly we can resolve this problem for you.


He seems quite responsible.

Musht
15-02-2012, 04:26 AM
Lid off pics, Yoo CNC controller:


spindle control;
Device numbers been scrubbed off the two power trannys, it does the job of controlling speed but a decent D.C. drive or change to VFD spindle somewhere down the road.

Paralell in breakout, now know why E-Stop does nowt, its physically connected to the probe pins ;-)
Being brought up on usenet not hugely fond of v-bulletin ,seem to jump from needing approval to not, to posts awaiting approval, dunno about spam situation but it don`t encourage new posters...

Cheers
Adam
535553565357

modcube
15-02-2012, 05:15 PM
i would still open an ebay/paypal case asap then explain you had to do it as a formality..then keep an eye on case expiry dates.

I'll wait a little longer to open a case, the seller has sent me this e-mail:


dear friend
i have hand your pictures and your problem to the factory ,once we get reply from them ,we will reply you immediately

camhguh
20-02-2012, 12:20 PM
Well...guess what...we have a problem...after around four or five hours intermittent use the z axis is misbehaving....when i jog down it goes up and when i jog up it goes down...hehe not... bloody Chinese gremlins!!!

The odd thing is that we can move the gantry to a certain position on the bed and it works fine but within a limited area. Because we need the parts urgently we are running it for the moment in this manner but its a pita!

I think because it works ok in one area of the machine that the problem is most likely to be with the wiring and not the driver boards...at least im hoping so..because any issue with the wiring would be a lot easier to resolve!

Forgot to mention that we are using Mach3

Anyone come across a similar problem?

modcube
20-02-2012, 12:52 PM
Well...guess what...we have a problem...after around four or five hours intermittent use the z axis is misbehaving....when i jog down it goes up and when i jog up it goes down...hehe not... bloody Chinese gremlins!!!

The odd thing is that we can move the gantry to a certain position on the bed and it works fine but within a limited area. Because we need the parts urgently we are running it for the moment in this manner but its a pita!

I think because it works ok in one area of the machine that the problem is most likely to be with the wiring and not the driver boards...at least im hoping so..because any issue with the wiring would be a lot easier to resolve!

Forgot to mention that we are using Mach3

Anyone come across a similar problem?

This is definitely a problem with the wire, I've found some people (http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=20420.0) that had this problem too.

Musht
20-02-2012, 02:03 PM
Unless its`s possible to set some sort of safe area that reverses Z-axis in mach3?

Wiring does sound like the suspect, as price of copper has increased so has the thickness of the insualtion and thinness of conductor on some Chinese gear, looks like the right wire until strip it open.

Straightforward to test with multimeter between connectors of controller and stepper connector, give everything a good waggle and roll the axis by hand, look for open and short between wires.

let us know how you get on.

Jonathan
20-02-2012, 02:07 PM
i jog down it goes up and when i jog up it goes down

If that's the only problem it implies the direction setting for Z in mach 3 is set the wrong way. Could try going to "Config"->"Ports & Pins"->"Motor Outputs" then changing "Dir LowActive" on the line for Z. However if it's working fine in another place that's not going to help you. The only things that can change the motor direction is the state of the direction pin on the stepper driver, or changing the polarity of either phase. The latter surely cannot happen, so I'd put a voltmeter on the Z-axis driver direction pin and see if it looks right.

Whereabouts are you in Nottingham? I'm at University of Nottingham so if you don't get it sorted today I'm happy to come and have a look as it shouldn't be far?

Musht
20-02-2012, 02:53 PM
second coffee of day ;-) , dodgy stepper 101, change the connectors over on to another axis, see if problem follows driver or motor.

jcb121
20-02-2012, 03:04 PM
there is a way to reverse the motors in Mach without messing with pins and stuff. I have done it on my machine for both Axis.

it's in some sort of options and there is a table and one of the options in the table is Reverse and you can just change it from a cross to the Tick and it will be sorted.

I will find out for you later.

camhguh
20-02-2012, 03:20 PM
Thanks for your thoughts on the problem folks, much appreciated!

Will give some of those ideas a try later on when were finished milling out our latest batch of bits and pieces! Were somewhat constrained noisewise because of neighbours so have to be prudent.

Tenson
20-02-2012, 04:02 PM
The reversed direction was a joke right? I think it confused a few.

Anyway it does sound like wire, as said just move it to a malfunctioning position and test the continuity with a multi-meter. At the motor end you probably don't have access to the bare wire so you could push a pin through the wire insulation into the core and then you can test from that.

To be honest though, wire doesn't tend to break, the connection points do, at the plug and at the motor. You might end up needing to open the motor case to check where the wire joins.

camhguh
20-02-2012, 05:49 PM
The reversed direction was a joke right? I think it confused a few.

Anyway it does sound like wire, as said just move it to a malfunctioning position and test the continuity with a multi-meter. At the motor end you probably don't have access to the bare wire so you could push a pin through the wire insulation into the core and then you can test from that.

To be honest though, wire doesn't tend to break, the connection points do, at the plug and at the motor. You might end up needing to open the motor case to check where the wire joins.

No joke sadly, thats what it does. Starts out on z+ for instance then reverses to z- or other way round.

If i jog the gantry around i can feel that there is little power on the zaxis motor because i can move it manually until it gets to a position on the bed where power has obviously been restored, then it feels similar to the x y motors. Guessing that its a cable/connector problem of some sort. On closer inspection the cables do not look new and are probably reused.

JAZZCNC
20-02-2012, 06:47 PM
Well...guess what...we have a problem...after around four or five hours intermittent use the z axis is misbehaving....when i jog down it goes up and when i jog up it goes down...hehe not... bloody Chinese gremlins!!!

The odd thing is that we can move the gantry to a certain position on the bed and it works fine but within a limited area. Because we need the parts urgently we are running it for the moment in this manner but its a pita!

I think because it works ok in one area of the machine that the problem is most likely to be with the wiring and not the driver boards...at least im hoping so..because any issue with the wiring would be a lot easier to resolve!

Forgot to mention that we are using Mach3

Anyone come across a similar problem?

Could be a dodgy keyboard and it's just coinsidense it happens to be working in one spot to the other. If you have another KB it's Certainly worth eliminating for what it takes.!!

Tenson
20-02-2012, 07:06 PM
Good point, mine didn't work right with the spindle running as it caused EMI. Have you been trying this with the spindle off?

camhguh
20-02-2012, 08:02 PM
Thanks for the input guys! Yes i have tried it with the spindle not running, didnt make any difference! As soon as its finished milling the current bits and pieces then will have a look to see if i can pin it down.

Thanks for the link Modcube...looks like its a known problem with these machines?....hope this one's the same...easy fix!

camhguh
21-02-2012, 11:26 PM
Thanks for the input guys! Yes i have tried it with the spindle not running, didnt make any difference! As soon as its finished milling the current bits and pieces then will have a look to see if i can pin it down.

Thanks for the link Modcube...looks like its a known problem with these machines?....hope this one's the same...easy fix!

OK..had a chance to investigate further but not resolved yet....been able to confirm that its a cable problem but unable to track down where exactly. Have to try and keep it going for the moment because we need the parts lol.

Checked out the control box internal wiring which appeared ok...no loose wiring etc and everything solidly bolted down.

camhguh
22-02-2012, 02:59 PM
If that's the only problem it implies the direction setting for Z in mach 3 is set the wrong way. Could try going to "Config"->"Ports & Pins"->"Motor Outputs" then changing "Dir LowActive" on the line for Z. However if it's working fine in another place that's not going to help you. The only things that can change the motor direction is the state of the direction pin on the stepper driver, or changing the polarity of either phase. The latter surely cannot happen, so I'd put a voltmeter on the Z-axis driver direction pin and see if it looks right.

Whereabouts are you in Nottingham? I'm at University of Nottingham so if you don't get it sorted today I'm happy to come and have a look as it shouldn't be far?

Sorry i missed your offer to come and sort us out Jonathan, lol, much appreciated mate!

At the moment we are able to run ok on approx 50% of the bed without problems which enables us to continue and produce parts (for the moment anyway!)

In the meantime I will make up a new cable if i can work out what the connectors are!

Philly
22-02-2012, 07:54 PM
Sorry i missed your offer to come and sort us out Jonathan, lol, much appreciated mate!

At the moment we are able to run ok on approx 50% of the bed without problems which enables us to continue and produce parts (for the moment anyway!)

In the meantime I will make up a new cable if i can work out what the connectors are!

Try the yellow cable that connects to the Z axis connector on the parellel board. I had a similar fault and it turned out to be loose in the socket.

Phil

camhguh
24-02-2012, 02:46 AM
Thanks for the suggestion Phil!

I made up a new cable this evening and although i havnt tested it in anger yet, the z axis does seem to work ok while moving the gantry back and forth.

Hopefully problem solved!!

JAZZCNC
24-02-2012, 09:23 AM
Bugger me my machine went and did this yesterday.!! . . . I've just transfered all my control box into a new larger box. . . . I knew straight away what it was and to be honest I'm embaressed that I didn't think about it in your case.:redface:

It's one of the Dir pin wires thats either come out at drive or connection/wire come lose in motor. To be honest I didn't expect it to behave how it did.? I expected it would only move in one direction but it infact it was moving in one direction then changed direction randomly.!!

camhguh
24-02-2012, 03:25 PM
LOL , its catching, must be a virus going round!

Anyways were back up and running ok after replacing the cable...must have been a spot somewhere along the length of the cable where there was a breakage but making contact depending on where the gantry was positioned.

Thanks once again for all your input its been very helpful and much appreciated as usual!

camhguh
24-02-2012, 07:58 PM
Ho Hum...now what?...the spindle motor brushes have worn out!! After approx 6hrs intermittent running!!

Plus the remains of one have dropped inside the motor..lol..

So the saga continues....

JAZZCNC
24-02-2012, 08:07 PM
Should still be under warrenty shouldn't it.?? . . Or is that has much use as the spindle.!!

John S
24-02-2012, 08:31 PM
Got a single speed Kress here if you are stuck and a mounting.

camhguh
24-02-2012, 10:17 PM
Got a single speed Kress here if you are stuck and a mounting.

Thanks for the offer John, not had a chance to take this piece of crap apart yet to see if its recoverable...will do so tomorrow and decide what's best way forward.

Edit: Stripped it down and cleaned out gunge and brush/spring remmants etc.
Bottom bearing dosnt feel right but will run it later to test.

Ran it but its eating the brushes and sounds terrible...probaly bearing problems..

camhguh
24-02-2012, 10:31 PM
Should still be under warrenty shouldn't it.?? . . Or is that has much use as the spindle.!!

lol jazz, the list is getting longer by the day!

Musht
27-02-2012, 10:15 PM
The Z axis wiring fracture is contagious, mine is just exhibiting identical symptoms.

There`s a cheep Chinese mill FAQ to be started here....
Current small Chinese mill FAQ thoughts ;-)

Out of the box;
Check the connections inside the control box.

( had E-Stop button connected to limit switch header on parallel breakout)

Check the bolts on the frame for loose or stripped threads.

(Stripped thread on carriage bolt, worked loose, no problem space to put bolt in place)

Check the life left on spindle brushes.

(couple of premature spindle failures reported)

Make up 4 core stepper driver and 2 core screened loom for Z- axis and spindle for when the original fails.

(early failures reported)

Cheers
Adam

Musht
28-02-2012, 09:47 PM
Todays update, its not Z-Axis wiring , its the Z-axis driver, new loom to z worked for about 3 seconds before the driver chip let the magic smoke out.

Guessing ite because tiny fan only breezes over X Y heatsinks leaving Z to cook itself.

Anyone got a spare TB560AHQ that they could sell, paypal waiting?

John S
28-02-2012, 09:54 PM
Sure you got the wiring right ? Seems funny if it worked intermittently but 3 seconds after you put a new cable on it goes Phut.

Wouldn't be the first time says John S who *has never ever * done this :whistling:

Musht
28-02-2012, 10:03 PM
Going to double check wiring and report back , but description of after `repair` action not entirely accurate.

It did same as it was doing , i.e. random reverse of commanded jog, then wirked properly for about 3 seconds before smoking the driver.

If anyone is familiar with the YOO CNC boards , take it green LED is +V supply and red is something to do with step, very flickery red LED on dying board just before smoking.

(edit) Now got a spare on the way thanks to another member :-)

camhguh
29-02-2012, 01:43 AM
Anyone know where i can obtain the original spindle motor carbon brushes from ? (other than waiting from china)

They are approx 6mm x 3mm x 10mm

Musht
29-02-2012, 01:01 PM
Haven`t tried them yet but http://www.solenttools.co.uk (http://www.solenttools.co.uk/) stock a wide range of not cheap brushes.

camhguh
29-02-2012, 02:01 PM
Haven`t tried them yet but http://www.solenttools.co.uk (http://www.solenttools.co.uk/) stock a wide range of not cheap brushes.

Thanks, looking at them this morning, trying to find a camera that works to send them a pic!

Musht
02-03-2012, 11:26 PM
Thanks to another member purchased a spare TB IC in the post.

Easiest to remove them by snipping all the pins off the chip , then mop up the solder and pins off the PCB.

Mounting new IC is straightforward, it clips over the board and holds itself inplace whilst soldering.

Unfortunately in this case , didn`t entirely solve the problem, Z fine going down, stalls and whines going up, hmmm

Transfer to Y axis , whines, lack of power.

PCB back under the magnifier, toasted thin ground track from what looks like 1R0 current sense resistor, put wire in from nearest pad to ground pin.

Result, fully working Z axis driver board.

Just one wiring anomoly now, must have reversed ppahses because motor is runnig reversed, up is down and down is up, do I have to get the soldering iron out again or can I reverse it in Mach3?

Cheers
Adam

P.S. Also contacted vendor, who has asked for a picture of the damaged board so that they can send me out the right spare part under warranty, have just repaired in meantime to keep running.

JAZZCNC
02-03-2012, 11:42 PM
Just one wiring anomoly now, must have reversed ppahses because motor is runnig reversed, up is down and down is up, do I have to get the soldering iron out again or can I reverse it in Mach3?

Yep go to ports & pins-Motor outputs and change Dir lowactive. So if ticked un-tick or vise versa.

camhguh
12-03-2012, 06:09 PM
Before I forget yet again, a public thank you to JohnS for the loan of a single speed Kress (he also machined up a collar to make it fit inside the original motor clamp) allowing us to carry on machining!

JAZZCNC
12-03-2012, 06:37 PM
Before I forget yet again, a public thank you to JohnS for the loan of a single speed Kress (he also machined up a collar to make it fit inside the original motor clamp) allowing us to carry on machining!

Aww dispite what every body says about him he's a nice old bugger.!!. .:joker:

modcube
12-03-2012, 08:03 PM
Today I've received the replacement spindle from the ebay seller love-happyshopping, it doesn't seem new but at least works, I hope it will last more than the first one... Anyway I'll probably buy a kress spindle.

Musht
19-03-2012, 11:50 AM
Just to add to the FAQ ;-)

Spec on the spindle supplied:

https://sites.google.com/site/cncdiyorg/e240-spindle

Cheers
Adam

camhguh
10-04-2012, 09:01 PM
Well surprise surprise...yet another issue....y axis now misbehaving....similar to z axis problem so guessing that yet another cable needs replacing!! ho hum!


Edit: Yep replaced cable...now running ok again...PITA!!!

dopamine
11-04-2012, 05:14 PM
can anyone suggest a good, reliable company that sells cnc routers in China?

Jonathan
11-04-2012, 11:07 PM
can anyone suggest a good, reliable company that sells cnc routers in China?

No.

Your first post on this forum suggested you want to build your own. Why not? It's the only cheap way to get a good machine.

Tenson
24-04-2012, 10:06 PM
I thought I'd share a couple pictures of what my eBay CNC3040 was doing today. This was making a pocket in 6061-T6 (heat-treated and artificially aged) aluminium.

Initial go-around.

5835

Pocketing
5836

Jonathan
24-04-2012, 10:25 PM
Finish looks respectable on the flat, but a little rough on the sides?

Looks like a 2flute HSS cutter? What diameter, spindle speed, feedrate, depth of cut and stepover did you use out of interest?

My machine is currently running cutting a huge aluminium sheet at 780mm/min with an 8mm single flute carbide at 2mm depth of cut. It's been going for hours at that...

JAZZCNC
24-04-2012, 11:35 PM
I thought I'd share a couple pictures of what my eBay CNC3040 was doing today.


I'm amazed that spindle managed that and will be even more amazed if it survive's cutting more than 3 before giving up the ghost.!!



My machine is currently running cutting a huge aluminium sheet at 780mm/min with an 8mm single flute carbide at 2mm depth of cut. It's been going for hours at that...

Don't it break your heart seeing all that expensive Aluminium turn into expensive floor glitter.!!:sorrow:

Jonathan
24-04-2012, 11:55 PM
Don't it break your heart seeing all that expensive Aluminium turn into expensive floor glitter.!!:sorrow:

I've estimated it's about 25kg of swarf from this sheet once the 30 hour program has run! Then there's the other side...:numbness:

Tenson
25-04-2012, 12:11 AM
Its a 2 flute solid carbine 3mm bit from Cutwell. Done very slowly indeed at 65mm/min and 0.5mm cut depth. I think I could have done it at 1mm cut depth for the pocketing, but I didn't want to push it since the cutter already snapped once finding a good speed! I also put some marker points where I need to drill holes; much quicker to make holes with the pillar drill.

Still, the machine ran for about 3 hours no problems :)

Tenson
25-04-2012, 12:16 AM
I'm amazed that spindle managed that and will be even more amazed if it survive's cutting more than 3 before giving up the ghost.!!


It's done 2... more to go!

The spindle is definitely too low power for this stuff. It was sooo slow. 3 hours to do a 60mm square 8mm deep pocket. Still the motor actually sounds smoother than before.

Scott
15-05-2012, 11:42 AM
Sorry to jump in on this thread but i have the 3040 mill how did your machine handle the extra weight of the kress???
becouse i have the small 0.4kW (0.54HP) arc eurotrade highspeed spindle i`m thinking of fitting to mine

Boovey
16-06-2012, 07:23 PM
I purchased a Chinese machine Tuesday a 1220 x 1220 and I took it back and got a full refund Thursday! My personal advice is do not bother absolute piece of shite !!!!!! Junk . I cut out a 250 mm square from 18mm mdf and it was 1.75 mm out of square . I am going to save a bit more cash and buy a decent uk built one .
Buy cheap buy twice !!!!!

John S
16-06-2012, 11:05 PM
Boovey,
Which one did you buy ?

Boovey
17-06-2012, 10:04 AM
Gm cnc 1220x1220

mugginsjm
06-10-2013, 11:11 PM
I have the 3040 and Im happy with it, it has no problems with Al. Its a brushed motor and its a nice little machine for the price. I'll see if I have any vids of it in action.

Hi
I'm new to the forum and to CNC. I've just taken delivery of a rather battered CNC3040. Can you tell me if it is normal for the X and Y axis motors to be very stiff to turn by hand. The Z is quite free. I've powered it all up and Z runs fine. The other 2 motors just make a humming noise. I've reconfigured the pins to drive X with known good channel Z but it still won't run. Do I suspect motors, wiring or warped drive chain. I will attempt to get a replacement but am not holding my breath.
Any guidance appreciated.
thanks
John

JAZZCNC
07-10-2013, 01:20 AM
Hi
I'm new to the forum and to CNC. I've just taken delivery of a rather battered CNC3040. Can you tell me if it is normal for the X and Y axis motors to be very stiff to turn by hand. The Z is quite free. I've powered it all up and Z runs fine. The other 2 motors just make a humming noise. I've reconfigured the pins to drive X with known good channel Z but it still won't run. Do I suspect motors, wiring or warped drive chain. I will attempt to get a replacement but am not holding my breath.
Any guidance appreciated.
thanks
John

Wouldn't bother with replacement try for a refund and get or build something better.!!

Sounds very much like you have mechanical problems rather than Electrical if other Axis won't move when connected to Z axis drive. Very much doubt it will be dead stepper they are sturdy things and the fact you have 2 non moving Axis makes me think Mechanical.

So I'd start by removing the motors from screws and checking if they spin on there own drives with no load.?
Then work back from there removing ballnuts from the mounts first and spinning screws to see if end bearings are binding or the ballnut it's self has jammed.
It will become obvious whats causing the problem when motors are off.!!

~andy
07-10-2013, 09:40 AM
Ballnuts! 1404 trapezoidal screws :rolleyes:

I guessing they might be a wee bit stiff to turn by hand anyway.

mugginsjm
07-10-2013, 11:31 AM
Wouldn't bother with replacement try for a refund and get or build something better.!!

Sounds very much like you have mechanical problems rather than Electrical if other Axis won't move when connected to Z axis drive. Very much doubt it will be dead stepper they are sturdy things and the fact you have 2 non moving Axis makes me think Mechanical.

So I'd start by removing the motors from screws and checking if they spin on there own drives with no load.?
Then work back from there removing ballnuts from the mounts first and spinning screws to see if end bearings are binding or the ballnut it's self has jammed.
It will become obvious whats causing the problem when motors are off.!!

Hi thanks for the response. My hobbies are woodturning and electronics, with very little mechanical experience. Hence building one is a bit daunting. I did as you suggested and removed the motors. The X motor didn't run but then after re-installing it, it did. Wiring? The Y axis motor (disconnected from drive) would not run at all on any pins, obviously faulty. Is it normal for there to be lateral movement, maybe 2mm when I pull along the X axis by hand.
thanks again
John
PS have asked for refund.

JAZZCNC
07-10-2013, 03:31 PM
Ballnuts! 1404 trapezoidal screws :rolleyes:

I guessing they might be a wee bit stiff to turn by hand anyway.

Ye I knew chances are they would have Trap lead screws but easier to say ballscrew and ballnut has if new to cnc they would probably recognise those terms better than saying Leadnut etc .!! . . . . . . But in any case they should still turn by hand easy enough if Trap Lead screws.

JAZZCNC
07-10-2013, 03:38 PM
Is it normal for there to be lateral movement, maybe 2mm when I pull along the X axis by hand.
thanks again

Yes quite normal if it's Knackerd.!! . . . .Which by the sounds then it is.!

There should be NO lateral movement or Slop in any direction on any Axis. You will never cut correctly or with any accuracy if there's movement in any direction. Circles will be Ovals, edges will have steps at start and finish points and generally rubbish finish quality and poor accuracy.

. . Honestly Push hard for the Refund.