This spindle kit will be available later this year. I think it might be a good option for those seeking a 110V Air-Cooled Spindle as an upgrade to a trim router.
With the SLB-equipped Altmill, it will use RS485 spindle control but it can also be set up with 0-10V control for those with a Masso G3 equipped Elite.
This spindle wouldn’t be supported by Sienci for OneFinity machines. But users should benefit from Sienci vetting the hardware and providing superior documentation. Canadian OneFinity customers would also avoid the high import duty fees from a US source.
I’d definitely consider this. No, it’s not the ideal solution but it’s an alternative to a Makita router and is way more attractive of a price for Canadians than the pwn spindle. The shipping alone stops me from ordering one of those unfortunately.
No, you can’t use half inch bits but despite what the people on this forum say, that’s not the end of the world. I don’t need industrial equipment for my hobby router.
I installed the AltMill Spindle Kit on a OneFinity Woodworker with MASSO G3 controller. The installation was not too difficult and it was helpful to have most settings taken care of by Sienci before installation. Here are some things I noted during the installation:
The instructions here for PWM control are helpful but should include the options for setting F070 to 0 for 0-10V speed control.
Motor parameter F142 (motor current) is shown as 7A in the “Key” and “Complete” parameter lists for the spindle kit but the as received setting was 12A which reflects the marking on the spindle itself.
Connection to the OneFinity MASSO G3 requires a GX12 6 pin female connector and 4-conductor cable as a minimum. The connector is located at the bottom of the enclosure. The pinout is available in OneFinity documentation. For those not wanting to source the connector and make the cable can purchase a “Control Cable” from PwnCNC.
The router power outlet on the OneFinity Power Supply can be used for the H100 VFD. Physically moving the output trigger for the Router On/Off outlet on the OneFinity power supply from Spindle pin 2 to any other available TTL output (Output 18 is closest) and setting the default output state to HIGH will power the spindle VFD on startup but still shut down the spindle with E-Stop. This may not meet commercial safety standards as the power to the VFD is not removed on E-Stop but is very convenient for home users nonetheless.
It doesn’t look like the dust boot supplied in the kit will be a good fit.
I also have a From-To wire list and an updated/corrected version of Sienci’s VFD parameter list if anyone else wants to give this a go.
At the Hamilton Woodshow in November Sienci also had a 65mm Makita router clone with speed control prototype allowing the controller to set the speed instead of using the dial at the top of the router. They said that it would work with both the Onefinity Buildbotics and Masso controllers. Sienci was expecting to launch it in 2025.
I used to think that 1/2 bits were overkill for this (hobby) application until I tried one. Significantly improved cuts, I suspect from the changes in shear angle. I wouldn’t buy a spindle that was limited to 3/8.
