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Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2011 2:15 pm
by jor2daje
That would be awesome you should log your conversion so others (namely me) can learn what to do and what not to. Have you looked at getting sherline mounts but sourcing your own steppers and drivers?

Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2011 2:24 pm
by jackssmirkingrevenge
As my experience with the sentry gun amply demonstrated, I'm pretty much a clean slate when it comes to electronics so I would much prefer to pay a little extra for a complete tried and tested off-the-shelf package, particularly one offered by the same manufacturer of the mill...

Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2011 4:42 pm
by al-xg
Definitly the CNC mill/lathe over the 3D printer, many more useful parts can be made with the machine tool especially for a spudgunner.

Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2011 4:51 pm
by POLAND_SPUD
Have you looked at getting sherline mounts but sourcing your own steppers and drivers?
yeah that kit is a bit overpriced

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2011 1:39 am
by jackssmirkingrevenge
al-xg wrote:Definitly the CNC mill/lathe over the 3D printer, many more useful parts can be made with the machine tool especially for a spudgunner.
My thoughts exactly, and as pointed out before, a 3D printing head can conceivably be added to a CNC mill.
yeah that kit is a bit overpriced
... but you have to look at the bigger picture. I'm very sure I can source all the materials I need for much less than half the price of the Sherline kit - the question is, do I have the time and knowledge to put to together, compared to a plug-and-play kit?

Computer says no :?

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2011 3:36 am
by POLAND_SPUD
you can print oversize and mill important features down, much like a casting
that's the main reason for having both an additive process such as 3 d printing and uhmm that other process (lol forgot the right word)...

though right now it is cheaper to just take a large diam. ABS rod and mill it down than use 3d printing...
3d printing is still in its infancy and while I realize there will be no progress without ppl who spend a lot of $$$, experiment and finally contribute... I know it will be better for most spudgunners to build/or buy a good mill that can accept a printing head in the future
alot more than couple hundred maybe 1k for their kits.
@jsr
most comparable kits that I've seen (electronics + step motors) cost around 200-300$... So 1000$ for the setup offered by sherline is a rip off

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2011 4:47 am
by jackssmirkingrevenge
POLAND_SPUD wrote:most comparable kits that I've seen (electronics + step motors) cost around 200-300$... So 1000$ for the setup offered by sherline is a rip off
Links!

This is a little dearer: http://www.microkinetics.com/conv_kits/ ... erlinemill

This is the Sherline package contents:
CNC upgrade without computer for existing 2000 series mill—includes 6705/6715 mount kit with three stepper motor mounts, three 67127 stepper motors, 8760 4-axis driver box, power supply, cables and Linux/EMC control software on CD. (Driver box attaches to your computer with 25-pin parallel cable.)
If there's something comparable and cheaper, let me know ;)

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2011 10:10 am
by al-xg
Not much to the mechanical side of that kit, seems like the Sherline is pretty much already set up.

Is it meant to actually do 3D milling ? that page only really seems to be describing 2.5D milling.

It doesn't mention spindle speed control either, but I guess it must just wait for speed to be set between operations.


So its really only getting a driver with a good compatible post processor.

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2011 12:25 pm
by jackssmirkingrevenge
al-xg wrote:Not much to the mechanical side of that kit, seems like the Sherline is pretty much already set up.

Is it meant to actually do 3D milling ? that page only really seems to be describing 2.5D milling.

It doesn't mention spindle speed control either, but I guess it must just wait for speed to be set between operations.

So its really only getting a driver with a good compatible post processor.
The upgrade kit features three stepper motors and mounts, but the driver is four axis, I presume this is for the optional rotary table.

I don't think the spindle speed can be adjusted automatically - though I don't see this being a problem.

The instructions are quite daunting, even if the kit is "plug and play" I still have a LOT to learn...

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2011 1:49 pm
by al-xg
After scanning through the instructions, there is actually less than I thought to this package.
Most of these instructions are G-code examples.
It's pretty easy to pick up, but you shouldn't really have to use it, it's still useful for checking through programs if something does go wrong. Edit: That said...

Ah no support for Windows ...
Would you run in under Linux then ?

And it seems no CAM software is included ? EMC only controls the hardware, no G-code generation ?

EMC does support real 3D milling (and a lot more), but writing that manually in G-code would be fun :lol:

This does end up being quite expensive really, considering all the software is free anyway, you can get similar control boards for less than 150€ (including ones with USB, not parallel port :))

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2011 2:12 pm
by jackssmirkingrevenge
Hmmm...

Stepper motor mounts are around $35 each, that's $105.

Sherline motors are $65, I'm sure I could find something cheaper.

Let's say $400 for mounts, stepper motors and control board.

That hardware part I can begin to understand :D

CAM/CAD/G-code/EMC on the other hand, these are just letters Image

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2011 2:49 pm
by dewey-1
JSR;

You need to contact USGF for more information.
Always better to get it from the horses mouth rather than the other end. :D

In case you did not see this;
http://www.sherline.com/CNClinks.htm

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2011 3:30 pm
by al-xg
Stepper motor mounts are around $35 each
Buy one mill the others :D


Computer Aided Manufacturing, Computer Aided Design, (I'm guessing those ones were just extra letters for your point :))

G-code isn't just letters, it's numbers too ! It just describes step by step what the machine does and how it does it, so a load of X, Y, Z coordonates describing the tool movements, and G functions that control speed, rotation direction etc...
EMC (Enhanced machine controller) is some software( amongst many others) that controls the stepper motor driver. You give it G-code it controls the machine accordingly.

You can either write the G-code manually, or you can design a part in CAD, use CAM to generate G-code and give it to software like EMC to finally get you part made.

Just came across this site and tried out the CNC Simulator software they mention, that could be quite useful to get to understand G-code. I'm guessing you could through in the examples given on the Sherline website, and see what they look like in the simulation.

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2011 4:12 pm
by Gun Freak
Ma bad. :roll:
I was like, so much for that :D

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2011 4:18 pm
by jor2daje
mill all the mounts haha, I saw someone on youtube, who made cheapish mounts by hand with an easy to machine plastic. Then used the cnc to make nice time consuming aluminum ones.