[AndiKid]

Hi I hope this finds everybody well in this great forum. I have been a member of cnczone for quite a while and finished a complete build of a cnc plasma table (3m x 2m)

I now look for input on a lathe and mill conversion.

I have a lathe which compares to the one in the attachment and I own the Mill in the attachment.

Where are the deciding factors that make the conversion difficult?

I am looking to again use the candcnc package (incredible company great products and great support)

Then remove the wheels and build a bracket to hold the stepper motor for each axis

Then mount the steppers and connect the shaft to the existing spindles of the machines

Use mach3 mill and mach3 for routing

Problems I see are backlash compensation (but Mach3 has a backlash compensation)

Could you please lead me to where it is not so easy as it seems?

[will gilmore]

Backlash compensation has its limits. If you want to get the most from your machine you should consider ballscrews.

[Skyfire]

Backlash compensation has its limits. If you want to get the most from your machine you should consider ballscrews.

[/I]I agree. the backlash compensation maybe only work well when cutting a direct sigle direction and reverse then(so this should work with lathe). But for mill machine, it will not work well if cuting a curve like a circle. the backlash gap may cause the cutting not stable and result in bad finishing surface and distortion. This is caused by the keep changing cutting force direction. So the ballscrews are some necessory here.

If keep using the current screws I guess T type ones, DOUBLE NUTs for every axis are very necessory to eliminate the backlash.