CNC 3040 Collet size and other questions?

Hi,
New user here , but have done my best to use the search function first ;-)

Totally new to CNC and possibly one of a few who has recently taken the plunge on an ebay CNC 3040.

Though arriving fast and well packed from Portsmouth, best offer shaved a few quid off total cost, another poster dessribed the box as round with foam, that sounds about right, thogh absolutley no docmentation.

If may ask some really basic questions, is there a basic setup guide for Mach3 with the CNC 3040 with YooCNC controller anywhere that anyone could point me to?

Basic assembly, the cap screws holding the steppers are presumably HT steel is it advisable to use some antiseize paste, coppaslip, graphite, Loctite 2 million quid a tube type stuff to stop them welding themselves in?

Collet size and type, the cutters supplied appear to be just over 3mm diameter, in another post on this forum a poster suggested using Toolstation`s cheap HSS router cutters , these are in a 6mm/ 1/4" diameter format.

As far as can understand from other forum posts CNC3040 and other Chinese spindles are likely to have an ER11 chuck, though some mention that it may be an incompatible ER11b chuck (?) .

If can establish and how, what king of chuck is mounted , is it as simple as changing the collet to accept 1/4" cutters?

Realise that low cost air cooled spindle is running slower than a large router , but it would seem an economic, albeit slow, way to practice without killing cutters at 5 quid + a pop.

Much appreciate help already got from reading through past posts, hope haven`t asked questions that have been answered multiple times before.

Cheers
Adam

If may ask some really basic questions, is there a basic setup guide for Mach3 with the CNC 3040 with YooCNC controller anywhere that anyone could point me to?

Yes you can download the machine manual from the ebay sellers site and that contains the basic mach3 settings

http://www.jinlantrade.com/ebay/3020t/CNCusermanual.doc

Basic assembly, the cap screws holding the steppers are presumably HT steel is it advisable to use some antiseize paste, coppaslip, graphite, Loctite 2 million quid a tube type stuff to stop them welding themselves in?

If you already have any of those then they wont do any harm but i wouldn't buy specifically, never found removing cap screws from aluminium a problem even in harsh areas

As far as can understand from other forum posts CNC3040 and other Chinese spindles are likely to have an ER11 chuck, though some mention that it may be an incompatible ER11b chuck (?) .

Yes i have read this as well and would like clarification also before purchasing a set of cutters.

If can establish and how, what king of chuck is mounted , is it as simple as changing the collet to accept 1/4" cutters?

Yes you need a collet that will take the shank of whatever drill size your using and I believe that the max for ER11 is 6mm

It is certainly an interesting learning curve :)

Hugh,
ER11 is 7mm max, they list the collet sizes in reverse order so a 6mm collet is the largest size it will hold as it's actually 6 - 5mm

A 7mm collet will actually hold 6mm and fully closed and 1/4" at 6.35 although it's not recommended to run fully closed but get a 6mm collet.

Cheers John, thank you!

Hi Adam - and welcome.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Musht

Hi,
Totally new to CNC and possibly one of a few who has recently taken the plunge on an ebay CNC 3040.

Though arriving fast and well packed from Portsmouth, best offer shaved a few quid off total cost, another poster dessribed the box as round with foam, that sounds about right, thogh absolutley no docmentation.

---

You mention that you managed to shave a few quid off with a best offer - what 'best offer' did the seller accept - can you please link me to the Ebay ad your bought from?

Was it actually shipped from Portsmouth (thereby no nasty import/VAT duties)

What was the final 'delivered price' to your door?

Cheers,
Hank

Hank, you're implying you want one?!

If the bolts get a bit stuck it's a good thing. I had problems with some bolts working loose on the machine I made until I thread-locked them so I'd recommend doing the same.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jonathan

Hank, you're implying you want one?!

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I actually am waiting on someone getting more stock of the CNC machine I'm after ...but I'm not 100% convinced that the price is going to be the same as it was - and I'm already operating at the end of my comfort zone - so always looking for a plan B!

Hi Hank,
Guessing that there is probably one vendor with multiple ebay I.D.s, for any number of reasons , ebay is not really that seller friendly , as all the CNC 3040`s were listing as shipping from Portsmouth.

Picked the one with highest price balance loaded on shipping, we all know it dosen`t cost 283 GBP to send 45Kg across the U.K., but considering ebays rake is listing fee, plus 10% of buy it now price plus around 5% to paypal, playing along with the P+P dodge allows us punters a lower price.

Picked a vendor ID with lowest machine /highest P+P balance and made a best offer that totalled with P+P 648 GBP , accepted a couple of hours later, paid Monday package arrived DHL from within UK on Wednesday morning.

The adventure begins...

Cheers
Adam

Much appreciate the link Hugh, makes things a bit less daunting.

Steel into aluminium, well lets just call it `alloy` that Japanese motorcycles are made from has caused me trouble in the past.
Then there was Honda`s Comstar wheels, alloy rims with stainless spokes and alloy rivets, just add salt water..

Though from Jonathan `s comment mebbe see if they`re inclined to rattle out befor application of anything suppose.

Thanks John, just to check for running a 1/4" / 6.35mm shank cutter really want a ER11 6mm collet? and possibly safest to order a ER11 nut as well in case supplied version on spindle is an ER11A?

Much appreciate the help.

Cheers
Adam

I got the following from Arc Euro Trade and it fitted my CNC3040 letting me use 1/4 shank router bits.

ER11 Collet Nut - 050-110-11530 - £6.95
ER11 Collet 1/4" - 050-110-11240 - £6.00

The nut thread was a little tight but after a drop of oil and a few uses it is working nicely.

Thanks for that Tenson, its reassuring, especially to know to expect it to be tight on its threads :-)

Other thought had for low cost tooling is Dremel and clone cutters, these normally have a 1/8" shank and should fit supplied collet.

See that a Dremel is spindle of choice in some builds, do have an interest in milling PCBs amongst everything else ;-)

Just to update , Dremel and Dremel alike, 1/8" 3mm shank cutters, do fit nicely in supplied collet , been zipping through softwood with some Aldidl rotary tool cutters.

Proxxon tooling is 2.35mm diameter, different collet size.

Dremel branded tooling is ludicrously expensive, quite a lot of lower cost HSS and engraving bits available without the brand tag on them.