metalworking pillar drill experiences

[Clive S]

I just picked up a Super X1LP HiTorque Mill - Belt Drive - Brushless MT2 Metric for £500 and another £120 will convert it to full cnc. I woulod consider spending the extra and getting a far superior machine with capabilities going forward.

It would be interesting to show how you can covert a mill to full cnc for £120 decent drives cost around £60 and motors £30 each etc

[lucan07]

It would be interesting to show how you can covert a mill to full cnc for £120 decent drives cost around £60 and motors £30 each etc

3 Axis TB6560 Driver Controller Board
Nema 23 Stepper Motors 1.26Nm/175oz-in 2.8A x3
24V 10A power supply
Cost £60 with delivery and VAT
Already spun up each axis separately (cutting 5mm acrylic/3mm Aluminium for a print bed) with 2:1 geared pulleys on Arduino Nema 17 42oz handled Z axis without problem on less than a 1/4 of proposed power.
Building 3d printers etc for years so plenty of stock parts laying around but to buy would be no more than £60, casings etc will be 5mm Acrylic I pay £0.37p for A3+ so well within budget.
Will be posting build, this machine is a mini 250 watt all I need, and as much as I would like to carry into a 1st floor flat and run without annoying neighbours.
Doesn't require anything larger from my experience its not for production operation its to produce occasional parts as such is adequately specced.

[cropwell]

3 Axis TB6560 Driver Controller Board

Very popular for generating 'magic smoke' !

[magicniner]

Very popular for generating 'magic smoke' !

+1 Based on personal experience.

[magicniner]

3 Axis TB6560 Driver Controller Board

If all three axes work when it's delivered you've done well, until one inevitably fails and makes the entire board junk :-(

- Nick

[lucan07]

So far in last year I 've used 8 of these boards and none have yet had any problem all used in small machines cutting 1/2" Lexan, I did the electronics for a company that built their own machines, so either I am lucky or have a good supplier.
Will let you know if I get a bad one.

[cropwell]

Multi axis driver boards do not have a good reputation on this forum. There may be some makers in China who are less attentive to quality and I am wary of the safety and reliability of electrics made in China where inferior materials have been used in manufacture. I suppose if you buy from a UK dealer with a good reputation, you have a better chance that they have sourced a good supplier, but you can never be sure. UK, German or American made electronics may be more reliable, but for amateurs like me, they are just too pricey.