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View Full Version : Milling machine CNC conversion - keep hand wheels for manual operation?



birchy
18-06-2013, 10:17 PM
I'm working on my first CNC conversion. The question is...can I keep the hand wheels so I can also use the machine for manual milling and drilling or should I make it 100% computer controlled?

C_Bubba
19-06-2013, 02:32 AM
Back when I was in your position, I asked a similar question and was told to loose the hand wheels. Think of the mill as having power feed axis controlled by the keyboard (or pendant).
I took the consensus advice and lost the hand wheels and haven't missed them one bit. Besides that, if they have a handle on them and you issue a G00 rapid and get to close, it could hurt!

Clive S
19-06-2013, 09:05 AM
Good point but as Jonathan says it will add a lot of inertia to the screws ...as he spotted it on mine... Clive

Robin Hewitt
19-06-2013, 10:31 AM
I kept the hand wheels, I can't imagine life without the hand wheels, they are really useful.

rnr107
19-06-2013, 11:03 AM
If you really want hand wheels... attach encoders handle wheels to the machine ! :-)
Gives you the feeling of hand turning the handle but without disturbing Mach3 positioning or the danger of spining handles when the computer takes control.

Colin Barron
23-10-2016, 08:29 PM
You see some hand wheels on youtube turning just below waist height and wonder is that safe.