[Rodm1954]

Hi,
I have almost finished my conversion on the X3 using the CNCFusion Deluxe kit. I still have a little tidying up of wiring and a full enclosure to make. I have set rapids at 2m/min which is my comfort level but it can run much higher rapids. Everything else is on the video.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4vtFdBIfwo

[Splint]

Very nice Rod.

Cheers
Splint

[Rodm1954]

Thanks Splint

[tauntdesigns]

Looking good Rod,

I've been away from the zone for a while and am trying to get caught up. It's good to see how far along you are with your X3 project.

Jack

P.S. Going over to check out your enclosure now... Later

[keith_k98]

Great looking mill.

Keith

[CNCfun&games]

Rod,

See you posted the video in October.

Nice installation, nothing like exercising the machine under
computer control for the first time. Are you using Mach3?

Have you machined any Aluminum yet? if so how did it go.

Congratulations!!!...............W. Smith

[Rodm1954]

Thanks for the feedback.

CNCfun&games
How time flies.
No chips yet as I wanted to finish everything off beofre I use it.

I did an enclosure and coolant so that held things up a bit. I have been helping my son move house and he has heaps of fish breading tanks so lots of time involved in stripping down, moving and setting up those.

I have an X2 CNC'd which has been sold but I still have it until mid January so if I need to do a job I am not stuck for the moment.

I'll be sure to post my impressions of it when I finally push the start button.

Mach3 is the software I use and have been using it for two years now. I only use a small part of this program but have created custom screens for my mill work. I made a Z axis zero touchplate for the X3 and it is so good I have gone back and made them for all my machines (including the X2). Two years of mucking around using the paper shim method to zero "Z" and these things are so easy to make.

[ViperTX]

Details Rod....on the touch plate.....:rainfro:

[Rodm1954]

ViperTX

Have a look on this link.
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36099
These are so simple to make and they are very accurate and repeatable. I can recommend to all to take the time and fit one of these.

[Rodm1954]

Ran the X3 last night and did a 30mm pocket 10mm deep. I ramped the cut and did 0.5mm per pass at 600mm/min. Flooded it with coolant as well.

First impressions are I am disappointed in the finish. Slight chatter marks in the edge of the cut. I haven't checked the pocket for roundness (??) so can't report on that. Not a patch on the X2 hybrid I built and the ballscrews already have a small amount of backlash in them.

At this stage I have no idea where the problem is but will test it some more and report back if things improve.

[project5k]

correct me if im wrong, but isnt chatter a result of a combination of feed speed, depth of cut, spindle rpm and cutter? try it again changing one of these variables, and you should see a difference....

i actually had a chatter problem, and found that if i increased my feed rates, it cut smoother, faster, and quieter... my cutter temps went down, and thus i'm sure that also increases thier life..

[Rodm1954]

Project5k
As far as my mind goes chatter equals flex. I agree with what you are saying that altering some variables will reduce chatter but this is reducing the harmonics. A rigid machine should not produce chatter like I am experiencing.
I cut a couple of jobs tonight and while I improved the finish there is still chatter evedent in the cut. To put this in perspective I am fussy about finish.

I put a dial guage on the column and there is sideways deflection if you exert force on the column.

I think I am expecting too much from a small mill but the X2 I built produces a far superior fiinsh. This has 100mm RHS and large plates supporting the column so obviously this makes a difference.

I am no expert so I am happy to be corrected on anything I have said.

[tauntdesigns]

Howdy Rod,

I don't have another machine to compare the X3 to..... It seems that the column has side to side, and front to back flex. Bummer! When I got my X3 I was thinking the column base was a little to small for the weight of the column and head.

I'm just messing around out in the garage... But I'd still wish it was a little more ridgid.

Cheers, Jack

[DonF]

Its sort of amazing to me that people buy an 850-900 dollar Chinese mill and expect it to be perfect. They are a good buy for the money and bring a workable machine into the hands of many who cant afford anything else. If you can build a better machine for the price - do it and let us all know how you did it (and I'm not talking a under powered x2 / 350w spindle either) , but even if you count your time at a very low hourly rate it will add up quick.

[tauntdesigns]

I bought a Chinese mill, What the ? lol

I did research the mill and am happy with it considering how much I paid. I just wish the column base was a little larger. That would make a good machine even better.

Cheers, People

[Rodm1954]

Hi Don,
Sorry if it sounded like I was complaing. I'm not but I am trying to be objective and tell it like it is. I find that people seem to think they have to over rate their purchase because they made a decsion to buy it.
I am just relating my findings and putting a perspective to it so people who are sitting on the fence will know what to expect.

As for making one I did and don't dismiss the X2 for being under powered as the machine I built if a lot more rigid than the X3 and will cut deeper, faster and has a better surface finish. See attached photo.


Hi Tauntdesigns,
The flex in the column is more a sideways movement and I think the open "U" shaped design of the column might be the cause. If it was a full box shape it would be a lot more rigid. I might look at bolting a RHS to the back of the column to stiffen things up a bit.

[CNCfun&games]

Hi Rod,

Your results don't sound good..... particularly since you are very experienced
with the X2 CNC!
Would it be possible to see a backview of the stripped X3, similar to photo 2?

How is the base & column put together?
How huch does it weigh?
It appears to be bolted sheet metal.

Say it isn’t so!

W. Smith

[DonF]

Hi Don,
I find that people seem to think they have to over rate their purchase because they made a decsion to buy it.

I disagree -Most know they bought a China made small mill. The foolish think thier X3 is a mini bridgeport. I did see your x2 headed mill (nice work!) and for a second I thought about doing somthing similar. When time, trouble and cost were considered it doesnt fit into my needs. The X3 did! I'm sure the design can be improved and with the thousands of x3 owners out there I'm sure the aftermarket goodies for them will keep getting better!

[Rodm1954]

CNCfun&games,
No it isn't so. That is a sheetmetal cover on the rear of the column to house the electronics. The column which is inside this cover is cast and bolts to the base via a flange on the bottom of the column. I don't see a problerm with the connection of column to base and like I said I think it is in the "U" shaped column casting. A closed box casting is many times stronger but you already know that through your own projects.
Sorry I can't get photos for you as it is bolted inside an enclosure.

Don,
Thanks for you thoughts and at least you are realistic about the X3 - I wasn't. My decision to purchase an X3 was partly based on the positive comments about it from this forum. The X3 over this side of the pond is double the price you can get it for so for me it is not a minor purchase.

Had I been aware of the flex I would have strengthened the column during the CNC conversion. It is housed in an enclosure and it is a major job to do any modifications now. In hindsight I should have run the mill in manual mode before I converted.

To put this in perspective I did not expect a Bridgeport but I did expect to do shallow cuts in aluminum and get a better surface finish than I am. I am using flood coolant and a new two flute carbide mill cutter so it has everthing in its favour. The chip size coming off are a good size so it inicates I have the feed/speed fairly right.

I also have a nagging thought that maybe the slop in the geared head spindle is causing some of the chatter so it would be nice to fit a belt drive and eliminate that. Do you know of anybody that does these in a kit?

Looks like my new project is looking at ways of improving the X3 to make it into a mini Bridgeport.

[DonF]

http://www.rlberg.com/CNC.htm
Shows the column about 3/4 of the way down.