CNC mill questions

[Philip AParticipant @philipa30666]

Now that I've got the hang of my mini lathe I'm starting to dream about a similar milling machine.

As an example, if I wanted to mill something like winch fairlead below, how would a milling machine cut those arcs? Would that require CNC ?

If all I need is the capability to cut arcs then would CNC on just the X any Y axis be enough? Or is there a non CNC alternative I could look at?

If a sieg (or similar) mini mill is converted to CNC can it no longer be used manually?

The Sieg conversion kits seem to go for ~£700, plus cost of stepper motors + controller. Any idea what sort of saving would be made if I made the kit myself? And is a Sieg X2 or SX2P mill capable of making a bit to convert itself to CNC?

Thank you!

[Philip AParticipant @philipa30666]

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

The slot end arcs would be cut with a 'normal' cutter, corner rounding cutters are available to do the slot blend rads. The end rads would typically be done with a rotary table after milling the angles so CNC is not needed. Don't know about the Sieg conversion but all the CNC mills I have worked on do have some sort of switchable electronic hand wheel so all the 3 axis [or more] can be moved by 'hand'

Tony

[EmgeeParticipant @emgee]

Hi Philip

You could make the part on a conventional mill with the aid of a rotary table and internal radiused cutter but would involve a number of set-ups, with cnc the blank material could be drilled and counterbored then screwed down to a sub-plate to allow the rest of the part to be completed with 1 further set-up on a cnc machine.

What does a £700 mill conversion kit contain ? (3 ballscrews, ballnuts and fixing fixings ? )

Emgee

[Philip AParticipant @philipa30666]

Posted by Emgee on 01/11/2020 12:11:46:

Hi Philip

You could make the part on a conventional mill with the aid of a rotary table and internal radiused cutter but would involve a number of set-ups, with cnc the blank material could be drilled and counterbored then screwed down to a sub-plate to allow the rest of the part to be completed with 1 further set-up on a cnc machine.

What does a £700 mill conversion kit contain ? (3 ballscrews, ballnuts and fixing fixings ? )

Emgee

Hi emgee this is what you get for ~£700:

[EmgeeParticipant @emgee]

First step of you want to use CAD/CAM is make the model, either drawn in 2D or 3D in this case Fusion 360 as I need the practice. Picture of the completed model based on your picture.

Emgee

[ZanParticipant @zan]

Philip,

I have converted my sx2 +. Send me a pm n I’ll talk to you

[Author]

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