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Hi Russell,

I'm not sure about steel crucibles, I guess it depends on how critical you application is, and what's convenient under the circumstances, If you have nothing else a steel crucible is...

Hi Russell,

20 hours north... That's FNQ :) God's own country I'm told.

Talk to these guys about foundry supplies. Petrobond in particular.


Cast Metal Services 275 Toombul Road,...

Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate it.

The other forum is the woodwork forums mainly the metal working section, I don't know what the CNCzone policy is regarding linking to other forums so I...

Hi Eddie,

I've just finished a heat treatment furnace, and the CNC conversion is getting back to being top of the list.. :)

I did a bit of a write up on casting on another forum, it's by no...

Hi Murray,

The HM52 conversion is in a "holding pattern" state at the moment, I've been distracted by a couple of other projects, and as they reach completion, I'll be back on the CNC...

Hi Ray,

Good to hear it's up and running, I have servo_on whenever system is powered, the servo's will hold position without needing brakes... I'm not entirely sure (it depends on your...

Hi Ray,

The analog input is a voltage input that varies from -10v to +10v, to use the step direction inputs you don't use the analog signals.

You want to configure it for digital inputs NOT...

Hi Landslide,

I haven't done the Y axis yet, but I don't expect to lose any Y axis travel in the conversion.

I will move the factory fitted X axis scale from the rear of the table to the...

Hi Dimitrios,

The drive configuration for +-10v analog control

Pn000 Digit0 =0 Digit1=0 (analog reference) You would use 1 here for pulse train reference

You wouldn't use these...

Hi Dimitrios,

The project is in a parts acquisition mode for the next phase of the conversion. I hope to start finalizing some of the design in the next month.

Thanks for the comments, I...

Hi Mike,

Here is a spreadsheet with the drive configuration, you need to enter this from the front panel of the drive, or, maybe use the Fuji configuration software.

This is for a Frenic 5000...

Hi Mike,

I've written linux modbus drivers for Fuji, Danfoss, PDL, ABB

It's been a while, but assuming your baud rate, cabling, and parity are all set correctly.

If you have a function that...

Hi Chich2,

I haven't looked in for a while, and I'm very impressed to see it up and running!

Well done. Nice to see a big project like yours going along so well.

Watching that video, I...

Thanks, Chich, the motor cable was long enough to leave it connected.

No sense in waiting around, I stripped the head assembly as much as I could, using the knee to support the spindle and...

Z axis progress update,

After playing around with dozens of variations of different ways to do the bearings, I finally settled on NSK 7912A5 AC bearings and housed in a cast mount.

Here is the...

Hi Chris,

I've wandered in from the other forum... here is the HM52 build thread

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/knee_vertical_mills/101115-hafco_hm52_cnc_conversion-2.html

That's the same...

I got a bit of time to do the VFD spindle conversion, after deciding to use the MESA 7I47S I/O card for spindle control, I have ordered one, but delivery will be in October, so in the meantime I want...

Hi John,

Yes, I think that your machine looks better than the HM52, having the ballscrews already fitted is a nice plus.

AC servo's versus brushed DC, it's a long and involved topic, but to...

Hi John,

Congratulations on buying such a nice machine, should make for a good conversion, have you given any thought as to what servos and control software you will use?


Regards
Ray
...

Some test fitting and preload setup for the vxb ac bearings.

Here is a sketch of the bearings,

http://www.backsaw.net/pics/VXB%20Bearings.jpg

After reading all the posts I could find on...

Time for an update on the progress of the x-axis conversion to ballscrews.

Here is the final x-axis servo mounting design.

http://www.backsaw.net/pics/HM52_X19.jpg

Some pictures of the build...

Time for a late night update

It's getting close to the time for machining the ballscrew ends, so I figure I should make sure it's going to work.

The critical things are, not to damage the...

The ballnut mounting for the X-axis is now finished.


http://www.backsaw.net/pics/HM52_X10.jpg
Squaring up and facing the stock, the finish from the indexable face mill is nice.
...

Hi Russell,

Thanks for that, having never posted a youtube video here before, I just assumed it was something I was doing wrong. The other vbulletin sites, where I have posted video you can...

Anyone know what the procedure for embedding youtube videos is?

Just pasting the embed tag doesn't seem to work?

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie"...

Time for a progress update on the project.

The HM52 arrived last week, after a month waiting it's good to finally have the machine so we can finalize some of the design questions.

We are...

Hi Erik,

Thanks for your interest, I haven't finalized anything yet, but the following diagram illustrates how I am thinking of doing it.

http://www.backsaw.net/pics/flange.jpg

The idea,...

Hi Chich,

I can see an enormous amount of thought and planning has gone into solving what is really a very difficult and dangerous problem, I admire the way you have gone about doing it...

Time for an update.

The particular model HM52 I wanted wasn't in stock and deliveries are due mid April, so in the meantime, I am re-organizing the workshop to make room for when it arrives. ...

Hi Chich,

Nice looking machine, looks like it survived the trip half way round the world pretty well.

Looking forward to following the project as it progresses.

Congratulations on a...