Steppers for Converting Sieg X2 to CNC?

[stirling]

Jonathan - thanks for your "useful summary" link - good to see you're still your usual patronizing little self.

Irving - thanks for correcting my shoddy maths - however you just model holding torque - most people want their steppers to move - in which case your maths say nothing.

Cret - many years ago when some folks on here were still in short pants - all I had for my first machine were unipolars and I had them wired full coil bipolar. Mariss from Gecko drive (but hell what does he know?) suggested I try half coil instead and the difference was dramatic. Try both (it's allowed) - see which best suits your requirements.

[irving2008]

Irving - thanks for correcting my shoddy maths - however you just model holding torque - most people want their steppers to move - in which case your maths say nothing.

On the contrary, if he's using the original leadscrews he'll need the higher low-speed torque just to get some motion. To a first approximation you get 70% of holding torque up to the corner speed. Agreed the corner speed will be higher with the lower inductance of the single coil, but that's moot if it stalls before it gets anywhere close.

But I agree, he should try it both ways, can't hurt.

[Cret]

Yes by the way. I'm on original metric leadscrews in my X2. I do plan to change to ballscrews but might be quite some time before I can afford to. Probably one axis at a time from the one with most backlash first etc.