I bought the X-50, which was delivered in late summer of last year. It was unboxed, checked for completeness (which it was), yet still sits - unassembled, on the table I’d made for it. Why? Well, two years ago I was Blessed with a second CNC (my first was a Carveright ‘C’ machine), which is an Axiom Precision 8 (which I love). I’m selling the Carveright, but always wanted a second, 'open bed ’ CNC. At this point in time I can spend a great deal more time in my shop, and the Infinity kinda beckoned to me . But, now, to the meat of this post.
I don’t really want to go the way of the Makita trim router. In knowing that I wouldn’t stay with it long, it (in MY mind) would translate into a waste of funds (I already have a good trim router in my tool arsenal, in the event that I needed one for a job). My aim is to avail myself of the PwnCnc 3-hp 220v (air cooled) spindle behemoth. Would the X-50’s spindle rails (in and of themselves) be beefy enough to support the desired spindle, without issue? And what would be thought about my adding the X-50’s Stiffy Rail to the mix?
I would really appreciate any, and all input on this matter. Blessings to all.
Many people have been using spindles of that size without an issue on the 1F, myself included. The machine will not miss a beat, at least in wood.
If I was going to add something to the machine I would far sooner add the heavy duty Z axis rather than the stiffy. I’m not personally convinced the stiffy will do much for the tasks most 1F users will be asking of it. I’ll still probably end up with one, but the heavy duty z axis is going to have much more immediate and tangible benefits in speed and power.
Echd, I thank you much, for your input. And, yes - methinks that the Z20 slider would be a truly sensible addition to my 1f. I’ll have to look into the cost of it, and see if I could meet to what’s needed to get both the slider, AND the spindle that I want. I am not where the bulk of YOU CNC owners are - regarding making money with your products. Due to my disability (and other, past, time constraints from being in my shop that much) my involvement with my Axiom has largely been within receiving therapeutic values from being in my shop, and doing a few projects that sold - but mostly doing freebies for family and friends. But then, there’s a learning process even within just that :).
But let me ask one other thing, in the event that I could not afford that particular spindle from PwnCNC:
Yesterday, I had also read on a thread, here, where a responder had mentioned how VFD-less spindles were supposed to be better than the ones that were outfitted WITH a VFD (I’ve tried to find it, again, but was unsuccessful in doing so). If you are in any way knowledgeable of those other spindles, please share your input. I’m pretty sure that they would be cheaper than a spindle unit that’s driven by a VFD. And, how would the speeds be controlled on those spindles? Would they incorporate a number-setting wheel/knob much like the one on those trim routers?
And again, in advance do I thank you for your effort in helping me. It is generous, and kind. Blessings.
WOW!! I think that THIS is just what I had peeped into, yesterday, but hadn’t read the whole thing. Pretty informative reading, and mashed me wish that there WAS such a mount for the 1F. Never y, from the description of such spindles - with their much higher grade components, I’m pushed to believe that their prices might be even higher than previously imagined.
I was a bit forward thinking when I ordered my 1F, last year, and also added in the 80mm spindle mount. So, the way it looks, I just may have to save up pennies enough, over time, for that PWNCNC spindle (I am not electronically embodied, enough, to confidently tackle the job of wiring in a VFD to some cheaper, Chinese spindle alternative ).
Note that these dedicated milling motors are still universal motors and do not have the general advantages of spindles (=asynchronous induction motors) (see also Difference Router / Spindle). A spindle, that forcibly needs a VFD, will always be much superior to any universal motor in terms of performance, efficiency and longevity.
But the dedicated milling motors strongly differ from hand trim routers like the Makita or the Dewalt in that the latter are only made for short-duration, hand-held use, and loose their warranty as soon as you mount them into a CNC, while the dedicated milling motors are made for use in a CNC and have an all-steel motor flange, also there are models with ER collets and speed control interface, which makes it easy to let their speed be controlled by the CNC controller and thus by the g-code program.
What I think makes them so interesting, is that they don’t need a VFD. They simply work out of the box, plug-and-play on a domestic sockets, no VFD, no custom wiring, and the wiring for the speed control interface over an analog control line to the CNC controller is easy too.
Yes, of course they are much more expensive than a Makita hand trim router which was already offered under $/€100. But you get something different!
. But, now, to the meat of this post.