Hello from Grenoble

[lewiss66]

One question about the Column of the SX2.7.
Do you know if it has the same column as the X2.7?
Thanks

[lewiss66]

One question about the Column of the SX2.7.
Do you know if it has the same column as the X2.7?
Thanks

[Doddy]

I don't know.

I thought, but only thought, that the X2.7 and the SX2.7 were different only in the electricals / high torque motor, drive, control box and electronics. The spares break-down on Arc's website indicate they are at least substantially similar. But "know" - no, I don't know.

I'm being nosey - why that particular question?

[lewiss66]

Ok, I was just reading a comment on the video of CT's X2.7 mill:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhlwHcUE078
When tkarlmann asked to CT about his point of view about his column and CT replied that it was awfull...and he showed this photo:
https://ibb.co/qgfr952
It appears at the end of their comments that it's not clear if the SX2.7 and X2.7 share the same column.
That was my concern...

[Doddy]

Ah understood. I think the comments from CT, earlier were:-

"hour glassed dovetails on the Z axis,"

Okay, that would be a bit of a deal-breaker. I understand different importers do some level of their own QC, or have at least established a quality control with the OEM. Arc may have done some of this (though for a low-end mill like this - and please remember I do have one, I'm not having a pop) - there's a limit to how much time they'd spend on it. In my experience - I've had no problems at all with the dovetails on Z, though I'll admit to not having measured them. I don't see any significant movement at different heights. If I get chance I might DTI it just to check.


"rough areas in the casting,"

None seen on mine o the machined surfaces. As for the rest of the casting - unless it's structural then who cares?

"a few small voids here and there in the casting,"

Not noticed. At least not enough to worry me, and I did get pretty intimate with the column. I've drilled more holes than there were voids, certainly!

"and most holes and pins seemed to be hand drilled and tapped as they were all over the place"

Yes, and this is the pain-in-the-arse - the dowel holes are almost certainly hand-drilled - I was trying to transfer all major holes onto paper, to measure and transfer into components into Fusion for CNC conversion and - yeah, no rhyme-no-reason other than being eye-balled/hand-drilled. But the main mounting points are, from memory, accurate. It's the work of a couple of minutes to measure yours. At the end of the day it just means that any conversion you have to measure twice, cut once. If the dowels worry you then drill and taper-ream new dowel holes once you have end-plates in place (from memory the only pins were on the end plates).

[Doddy]

Just another point - there's a Seig Facebook group where someone has a seig spindle-controller mod that takes 0-10V / Directionk signalling for CNC conversion. Very similar in design to other boards for other Seig machines. I found that too late for me (particularly as I'd trashed my BLDC controller) and I'd replaced the spindle motor with a servo.

[lewiss66]

Ok, Good to know your point of view and thanks a lot for your quick and clear response.
Now I'm reassured...
Maybe it could be possible to weld the left over holes in the cast iron to keep the strengh even Just a stupid statement here :)
I've heard also that so was thinking about adding a vertical plate at the bottom in beetwen the open side of the C shape column to strenghen the cut for steel. Well, maybe overkill for hobbyist.
Do you mind providing the link of the facebook group project?
Thanks

[Doddy]

Don’t know about links but just search for the group name “Sieg Machinists User Group”, there’s very little traffic in there but what there is appears to be comprehensive

[lewiss66]

Got it!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/560605051411947

There is another one:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/940071046173484

[lewiss66]

Doddy,
Good idea to replace the spindle motor with a servo. Speed is all it needs to cut aluminium!
But you are seing that servo motors are able to run with this 10V board?
Looks like there won't be enough voltage for a big spindle