Small CNC Mill - any interest in having it in the space?

#21

Ok gotcha

#22

Sorry, just getting into the space for the first time in a good while. I went to have a look at the machine but it’s been completely overwhelmed by the clean room pile of miscellaneous none sense. Would probably be easier to get this thing commissioned if it was moved to it’s future home (I’m assuming in the new metals area?). I’m in tomorrow morning and all afternoon so I could help shift it then. Otherwise I could probably do Saturday morning as well.

I had a look at the manual for the control board which reads like a serial killer ransom note, but between that and some forums posts I had some things to try to get the spindle responding. As an alternative, analog to pwm converters are relatively cheap, perhaps we could go that route?

#23

Heya!

Things have moved on in the past month or so!

We now have a Mesa card for this machine which will completely replace the control board - A Mesa 7I96S:

image
image.jpg1084×804 186 KB

https://store.mesanet.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=374&search=7i96

Best to check with @davidN to see if he has started to integrate it…

Cheers,
Andy

#24

There is a little pc that I got off eBay that’s currently sitting above the computers in the clean room. We haven’t been able to get Linux CNC on it yet, due to a bios password that didn’t come with the machine. Have one more thing to try. I have a raspberry pi 5 to try out as well.

@kyle and I have been looking into the Mesa configuration.

Re the home for the mill… I think that’s still not decided. Think we’re waiting until the metal area is a bit more setup?

#25

Hi All

Mainly commenting so I get notifications on updates, but interested in how things are going?

Chatting to Joe (I think- terrible at remembering names) yesterday and I have a couple of projects that I was advised would be best to use this for, when it’s in action.

Thanks

1 Like
#26

And - happy to help of course, if I can. Absolutely not anywhere near an expert though I have put together a stepper motor + control board for a small CNC using Mach3 before–though it looks from the above like you’re doing it via a different route. But if there’s something I could do that is useful (e.g. helping to move it around/making space/whatever) let me know.

#27

Hey Lewi, it’s a work in progress, but now that it’s been allocated a new home it’ll hopefully move more quickly.

Some things that need to be done:

  • Extend the unit the mini cnc currently sits on to use the little bit of space to the left of the unit.
  • Control computer setup (maybe we’ll use a Pi 5 but still need to check latency etc).
  • Rewiring machine to Linux CNC / Mesa control card
  • Build an enclosure, acquire some sort of coolant solution, maybe a compressor.

No commitment on timelines but I know I’m keen on using the machine again so hopefully soon. Hopefully we can post some updates / post up for help when the time comes, post move.

Until then, I’m regularly in the space and would love to chat about your projects / anything cnc :).

3 Likes
#28

cheers David - sounds great.

By enclosure, do you mean for the electronics/control circuits, or something more like the plastic safety enclosure thing around the existing small CNC?

If it’s the former, I could have a go at making one if that would be helpful. I’ve been playing around with making some custom aluminium enclosures for electronics projects, and have some sheet aluminium that I might be able to use, depending on the dimensions needed.

#29

These are now done!

We were able to use the donated Dell PC + a PSU from @vladisl0th and the old SSD from the ancient laser pc:

IMG_0893
IMG_0893.jpeg3024×4032 3.21 MB

In situ:

IMG_0894
IMG_0894.jpeg3024×4032 2.8 MB

Next steps are to install/configure the Mesa card…

Thanks again to @vladisl0th for the help on this one! And thanks to @Samuel_Pinney for the PC!

3 Likes
#30

Amazing work, thanks @asander1 and everyone else!

I’d like to do the rewire, but will probably need help with the mesa card / linux CNC side of things. Should have some time tonight / tomorrow. Exciting!

I guess a tool page and risk assessment need to be added to the todo list.

@mimeto, the latter. Hopefully the next electronics bits it goes where the old went, which is inside the mill, but its still unknown if it will fit easily. Might take you up on the enclosure if it doesn’t!

2 Likes
#31

I should be able top help tonight or tomorrow night - @vladisl0th got any time as well?

#32

Yeah I have time, I will be at slms at 18:00 today. Tomorrow I have an induction, free after that, should finish at 15:00.

#33

I can bump you to the earlier induction if that helps?

#34

Awesome, then I’ll be done by 12:00!

#35

I’m curious to know how this compares to the existing desktop CNC. From what’s been posted here, I get that this is more suited for metals and it can do steel. I also saw @Kyle mention that it is a much more capable machine than the desktop CNC, but I’m in the dark as to why it is considered to be more capable. Can anyone do a brief introduction of this new addition….

#36

The design of the Mini CNC is a router, and the new one (which we seem to be calling the Sieg for now), is a mill. Routers generally have lots of x and y travel (like the big CNC), but limited z (up / down), which means they are good for flat objects like panels, signs etc. Mills have a lot more travel in z, so can work on a wider variety of shapes.

Why this matters is just down to what you are working on and how it is held in place. Milling metals, even aluminium, requires more downward holding force than can be provided by the clamping system in the mini CNC IMO. I know members have cut aluminium on the mini CNC, myself included, but I had to get pretty creative with how the stock was held in place and even then I was never able to do it accurately over multiple operations (flipping a part for example).

A vice is a good work holding solution, but the moment you add even a small vice to the Mini CNC + the length of a tool, you lose the small amount of z travel available. Even worse when you need a set of parallels on the vice.

Other differences:

Variety of tooling. The Mini CNC is limited to things that fit in its collet, which is max 6mm. I think I have a ER 16 12mm collet for the Sieg, but anything that fits an MT2 taper will fit in the machine, so you could use a fly cutter / face mill which is good for, well, facing / making big areas flat. Boring bar.

The spindles are different. The mini cnc’s spindle is fast but has low torque (good for wood). The Sieg’s is slower with a max RPM of 6k, but it will perform better at slower speeds than the Mini CNC, which makes it more suitable for operations like drilling, face milling and like some have pointed out, cutting steel.

Just a word on cutting steel, it’s a difficult material to mill. There are all sorts of problems that have to be worked around and it requires a fair bit of knowledge I’d say. If you get it wrong you pretty much instantly break something, be it the tool, your part or the machine (spindle bearings). The swarf / chips that it leaves behind is awful to clear up.

There is probably more, but this is already the longest post I’ve made on discourse. Metal / cnc techs can fill in anything I’ve missed :).

9 Likes
#37

Excellent and detailed description! Thanks @davidN

Would like to get the rest of this configured this week - @davidN, @vladisl0th what is your evening availability?

Cheers

#38

Great explanation @davidn, thanks!!!

I’d only like to add that, given the differences between the 2 machine, the Siege will require 2 inductions in order to be used:

desktop mini cnc Mini CNC Machine - Isel CPM 2018

and metal mini mill

so you can familiarise with the different materials before using it.

Thanks
Federico

1 Like
#39

Sure, what time were you thinking?

#40

I’m free in the evenings just about any day expect tomorrow. Will be around at the weekend as well.

Good work so far!