Hi ppl,

I know I ve been asking questions and jumping from subject to subject, but I am in my research phase for the CNC that I am building. After I found out that I was not going to be able to use the small bridgeport for my project, I decided to make my own CNC, from ground up (well...almost). Here is some progress:

This is the spindle design, with automatic tool changing capability, that will fit a Mini Mill head from Harbor freight, Grizzly etc.:




It will ride on two angular contact bearing OD: 62 mm ID: 30 mm.
All parts are stell except the orange part and dark green part on the back, which might be made from silicon bronze.

-It features a NMBT 30 collet with standart 45 degree retention knob.
-It has a holding system which is very similar to a quick connect hose fittings that are on compressor hoses. The bright green are the steel balls that will fall into the groove on the spindle when the bar is compressed down.
-It has a die spring which has a rated force of 500 N. It will be under compression when the collet is in the spindle.
-The spindle nose is a standart nose (measurements taken from Machinery's Handbook) , but it is missing 4 screw holes and the two ears that I will add later.
-The system will be activated by a linear actuator.
-The hole running thru the middle is for coolant to the collet.

Please give me some feedback on the design guyz. Oh, and if someone wants to make it before I ever get to it, feel free to do so, but let me know of the progress.

Thx,

H3ndriX