Clarke milling machine CNC conversion CMD1225D

**Jonathan** · 04-05-2017

I still use it most weekends. It's a surprisingly good machine for the size, I think due to having substantial bed slides then for example an X3. If you're looking for a machine to fit on a workbench, I'd certainly recommend it.

Here it is milling a keyway in a titanium shaft:

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About the only change I've made to the machine recently is to add a spacer block of steel under the column, to drill the end of this shaft:

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Some general milling of aluminium:

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**natec** · 04-05-2017

Thanks, I'm definitely going ahead with it. What kind of feeds and speeds are you running for aluminum? Looks like you're taking a pretty healthy cut in the last photo.

**Jonathan** · 07-05-2017

Originally Posted by natec

Thanks, I'm definitely going ahead with it. What kind of feeds and speeds are you running for aluminum? Looks like you're taking a pretty healthy cut in the last photo.

From memory, 2150rpm (spindle max), 5-6mm DOC, 400-600mm/min with a 4fl HSS-co roughing endmill in the last photo. That's a bit of an exception though - standard, not roughing, endmills are quite a lot slower.

**SimonCNC** · 06-02-2019

Hi

This looks awesome, i have a CMD1225 now and am thinking of doing the same, what did you do with regards to the Z axis?

The Y and X look quite straight forward, but the Z is puzzling me on what to do with regards CNC, with the setup that comes out of the factiory it looks like there is loads of backlash on mine.

thank you in advance.

Kind regards

Simon