Has anyone done an X2 conversion? An improved dog implied that a cynical trader was in the process of, but that was some time ago.
The table seems straightforward, perhaps with an extended table from AET, but the problem is the X-axis, which on the models I have seen has at least a mm of slop. Replace the rack with a leadscrew/ballscrew? Is the head heavy enough that the weight will keep the backlash away during operations?
Any other thoughts/experience/tips?
Thanks
-- Peter Fairbrother
Who would skip and who would plod Or who would lie quite still-ly And who would ride backwards on a giraffe Stopping every so often to laugh by Mike Heron
ps still haven't found 1.5 mm sq Al rod/bar. Thanks for the offlist suggestions though.
Simply CNC did one at one stage but dropped it as they said the newer designs didn't lend itself to a decent conversion. Don't know what was meant by that but the Z axis is rack and pinion travel as standard.
I was looking at the newer X1-L this morning over at Arc Euro whilst collecting some Christmas goodies.
Note to Ketan: Checked the van when I got back and your guys had forgotten to load my Christmas box into the van, was this an oversight ? or were the four scrap and splintered pallets it ?
Now that it's got the longer table on it has roughly the same features as the X2 other then a smaller motor. The X1-L certainly looks a better base model to start with but I supposed the answer lies in whether the work envelope is big enough.
Value for money it certainly is, about 3 years ago I paid £400 for a manual Taig less drive motor to convert to CNC. Given that these have a stupid spindle as regards work holding, only
6mm collets in metric available and they run alloy table on alloy slides the X1-L at £280 complete with drive motor is far better value.
In fact reading Arc's site unless I'm mistaken the X1-L has a larger table and travels that the X2. Also according to their site CompUcut do a conversion for an X1but they power the quill at 30mm travel sooner than the whole head at 230 odd mm. Reason given is that the head is overhung and causes wear but as the screw is at the back this isn't surprising. It may pay to look carefully at placing this in front of the column to equal the weight out.
Do you mean the slop on the Z axis? X/Y seem fairly reasonable (0.001"-0.002" or thereabouts when correctly set up) but Z has about 60 thou of backlash which would tie in with the mm figures you mention.
I have a decent ballscrew here to throw on the Z axis when time permits, but I can't see it being a "Sunday afternoon" job. :-/
Taig now offer an ER16 spindle for the mill - you can fit it to the Taig lathe also if you like - so the workholding side of the Taig mill is improved these days. However, I have to agree on the cast iron vs ally construction - the X1 is going to be considerably stiffer.
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