Where to buy spindle

**HipoPapi** · 21-06-2014

Hello there again,

I have done some research and I have concluded that I need a spindle with an ER32 chuck and Maritools in the us sells a special collet that is 7/8 for ER32 that is exactly what I need.

http://www.maritool.com/Collets-ER-C...duct_info.html

If anyone knows a supplier here in the UK that sells those collets please let me know as that would save me a bit on shipping costs and would be great to have a local supplier in case I need replacements. So far I did not managed to find anyone in the Uk.

I have been looking at the air cooled Chinese spindles like this one:

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Air-C...572524003.html

If anyone has experience with those please let me know your thoughts.

I have also found this one and I am leaning towards this one as at least has a brand name :)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...tchlink:top:en

Also this video is quite convincing as the Chinese ones seem to have more like a 0.1 run out and not what they claim.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIdmw5KyO14

At least now I know that I should be counting on 15 - 20 kg for the spindle.

My working envelope needs to be at least 1100 x 600 x 260 mm and on the Z a 250 mm end mill needs to be able to be lift it above the material block. For this I might make a system where I can remove the spindle and reposition it higher when I use the long end mill and lower when using shorter ones.

This CNC will be doing one thing and one thing only ...will be carving ice inside a freezer. There won't be any water as it will be kept at -5 at all times.

Ice is a lot softer than wood but harder than polystyrene. To make you understand it easier when I carve by hand I use a makita GD600 400W

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Makita-GDO60.../dp/B000I6PIQ2

And with this tool and a 100mm x 9mm end mill I can go to full depth and make strokes in the ice. Although I usually do this in two 50mm strokes.

This is what is available on the market, but I don't like it as is not capable to work with the 250 mm long end mill I am planning to use plus I think is way overpriced.

http://www.icesculptingtools.com/ice_pro.htm

So with all this info my next step is to decide what diameter and pitch ball - screws to use and what size stepper motors as when I start making the 3d model would be great to know the sizes.
I see is often recommended to use a belt to drive the ball-screw instead of direct drive, but I dont think that is an option for me as belts and cold don't play well.
My table needs to be steel as although ice is soft is extremely heavy around 150 kg / block.

I think with this size spindle the gentry should be box section steel as well.

I will be doing a lot of 3d work with this cnc and needs to be fest.

I quite like this one but unfortunately is not finished yet:

http://www.mycncuk.com/threads/6457-...my-first-build

I am new to all this and any input and suggestions would be greatly appreciated to get me on my way.

Thanks for taking the time to read.

You can see some of the type of work I do here:

http://vasscsabart.weebly.com/index.html

Csaba

**JAZZCNC** · 21-06-2014

Hi Your Ice sculptures are very nice but do you realise how long Large detailed 3D toolpaths can take.? Air cooled spindles have short duty cycles (the time they can run in one go) and Even at -5 I don't think they will run constantly for the length of time you'll need to cut a large detailed Ice sculpture.?

I would be looking at how long your Models will take to cut and if the spindle will run this long without needing a rest period.? @ -5 it may not be overly long but still you'll need to factor it into the Job and possibly how you toolpath the Job.!