I think I paid just under $400 a couple months ago for the HY 2.2kw 240v spindle VFD package. The water pump was junk though. The impeller was missing. But I don’t think HY makes the water pump. So far the motor and VFD have worked just fine. I also bought this. I have the control panel mounted near the monitor and the VFD mounted out of sight. The only issue was HY uses hot glue to keep the cable from pulling out of the circuit board. I had to carefully cut it with a razor blade.
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Nice data comparisons
Real quick. Advantages/disadvantages between 65mm and 80mm spindle? Other than size and weight.
Main advantage to me is being able to run 1/2" shank bits that I own or aren’t available in 1/4" shank bits. A 3/8" spiral bit with a 1/2" shank is far more rigid than a 1/4" spiral bit so I get less deflection due to cutting forces. I don’t really need the additional HP/torque of the 80mm spindle.
1/2” bits - finding out that the dovetail bit I want to use is only available in 1/2” shanks.
And isn’t bigger always better???
It is more weight though - I upgraded to the X50 rail (stayed at woodworker size) to compensate. It might be overkill though - but so far it works well.
The smaller spindles also optionally allow 110v input power - the larger 2.2kw spindles seem to be 220v input only.
Ok, so if I want the ability to run 1/2 inch shank I HAVE to go with 80mm. And I do… Thanks
Hey everyone. I love this thread and reading all the comments and solutions.
I am very hopeful to get together some options for
80mm Spindle 2.2kw or 1.5kw (have not decided if the ER20 is worth it)
Air Cooled
VFD package
Ideally from someone that readily sells into Canada
Thanks, if anyone could share what they went with and from whom that would be awesome!
Something to consider is large diameter cutters do require more power. You can get 110v 2.2kw spindles but they are going to max out your 20a outlets. If you have 220v available that’s the better option
Hi guys after doing some more research. I think this may the bets of all the worlds
2.2KW Air Cooled 80mm
HY VFD
The shipping just sucks. Any one find anything better? or am I missing anything with this package?
Thanks,
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For comparison purposes, check out Automation Technologies - they have VFD and spindles in stock, and provide USA-based support. I’m not affiliated with them in any way - just purchased my spindles there. This is the one I bought: High-Torque Stepper Motor, Stepper Motor, Driver, Stepper Motor kit, DC Servo Motor, DC Servo Motor kit, Stepper Motor Power Supply, CNC Router, Spindle, and other Components.
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Mike I had made a purchase from AliExpress and found that delivery and more important for me was the difficulty in getting product support. I found this to be a very frustrating purchase. If the company you purchased from provides quality service I will be looking here when I finally upgrade.
To be honest, I haven’t tried to contact them - haven’t had any need. They are based here in the USA, so I’m assuming that getting ahold of them would be easier than China. At least that was my theory! Check out their website, and their Contact Us page - they have a sales email address if you’d like to try them out.
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The real advantage to me is rigidity. A trim router when the day is done is just a trim router. It was newer engineered to be a spindle and it’s duty cycle was never meant to be used more than a few minutes at a time. It’s shaft is using either bushings or low cost bearings and you won’t find more than 2 in any trim router. The fact that many can get by with this setup amazes me.
If you want to cut soft metals, something a trim router was never meant to do, you will need to support the tool rigidly. Some have posted aluminum projects done with a router and to me, as a journeyman machinist, they look as if they were made by a hungry rat. Sorry no offence if you’ve posted.
Throw in the 1/2 inch capability and it’s win win. Half inch shanks are used throughout industry and are strong rigid tools. And even a low cost Amazon special will last a long long time cutting wood.
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Hey John,
The Makita RT0701C trim router is not even approved for use in a stationary machine such as a CNC. In the Instruction Manual manual it says:
TRIMMER SAFETY WARNINGS
Do not leave the tool running. Operate the tool only when hand-held.
I agree with you, but it still depends on whether the rigidity of the Onefinity’s Z Slider and X gantry can keep up with the rigidity of the spindle axis and of large shank tool.
I’ve measured the X Axis deflection with our220 volt air-cooled spindle. I set up a dial indicator under the bottom rail of the X Axis with the spindle located at the left limit. I zeroed the indicator and slowly brought the spindle to the middle of the axis. There was no readable deflection recorded. It should be noted that my indicator measures in half ten thousand of an inch, So my only real result is that the potential deflection is under .0005 inch. I feel this to be a safe load on my OF machine.
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Hey John, hey all,
It’s nice of you to go straight to the machine and take measurements. But what I meant was not how much it sags due to the weight at a standstill, but the deflection under load.
A milling bit does not go through the workpiece as it does through butter. Rather, the force with which each flute lifts the chip creates a counterforce that wants to bend the tool. And by tool I don’t just mean
- bending the milling bit,
but also - bending of the spindle axle and the play in its bearings,
- deflection of the spindle holder, caused by play in the linear bearings of the Z rails
and last - the deflection of the X gantry on the X rails (perpendicular to the X axis), which would be a compound of bending of the X rails and of play in the linear bearings).
Here are some strong leverage forces at work, which multiply the force that acts from the workpiece’s resistance to chip removal and feed, and must not be underestimated.
I.e. the suspension of the spindle holder on the Z rails is the weakest point of this machine. This is where the greatest leverage is at work because the spindle is a certain distance from the Z rails. The above-mentioned radial forces on the tool, which arise during milling and feeding, exert a great deal of force on the linear bearings of the Z axes. These bearings and the Z rails themselves are not particularly large on Onefinity CNC.
Furthermore, a large leverage force acts on the deflection of the X gantry on the X rails. It may be funny when Ben Myers steps on the X rails with his son and shows that these 35 mm hardened steel tubes with 6 mm wall thickness only bend a fraction of a millimeter. But at the end of the lever, here: at the end of the milling bit, these fractions are multiplied by the length of the lever = at the end of the milling bit(!). And it’s not primarily about the rigidity of the hardened steel tubes themselves, but rather that every bearing has play, here: the linear bearings that run on these tubes.
The Onefinity CNC differs from the many available portal milling machines in that the Z Slider is rather delicate, if you have in mind the heavy Z Sliders with large plates to put you custom spindle holder on which you find in professional portal milling machines.
If I want to judge how it looks with the rigidity of this portal milling machine, I would install a measuring device that measures this under load, while it is working. Right now I’m thinking of how I’ll do it.
Did someone measure the deflection at a standstill by placing a dial gauge at the end of the milling bit, placed towards rear, and then grasp the whole spindle with the two hands an trying to bend the whole Z slider towards oneself and forth? What did the dial gauge show?
Forces that occur on the bit when milling can be quite large too.
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If what you would like to be measured as you have stated, could be measured, I believe the Onefinity would perform quite well given its price category of CNC’s. Much better than its competition. If you are comparing it to industrial machines costing a lot more then it will be an unfair comparison. The Onefinity team has designed and produced an affordable CNC machine that has allowed thousands of woodworkers to enter the CNC world who otherwise would not have been able to afford to. The fact that you want to see how these machines perform to industrial standards is a testimony to the quality of the Onefinity.
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Hey Alden,
you are totally right. That’s why I ordered one, and for professional use.
However I will measure its accuracy/bending once it’s here and mounted.
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I look forward to seeing your results.
I have the 110v/2.2KW VFD and the 2.2KW spindle. I have spent two weeks pouring over, “recipes” for the Pd settings. Jason Stewart was even gracious enough to hop on a chat with me and see where the issue lies. No joy. The problem may be between the keyboard and the stool! There are just so many opinions/variables! Plus, the HY VFD’s are pretty finicky. Sure, they provide the means of resetting to factory defaults and starting over. Some say you shouldn’t/don’t have to do that. Others say, “RESET and start over!” so…I have ordered a 1.5KW kit to have. I can’t return the 2.2KW spindle as I modified it, meaning I took the cheap aviation plug off and replaced it with a quality plug. Yes, I wrung out the wiring and used a grounded shielded cable (thanks to Jason’s green cable). I can get the spindle to turn at 24000 using the, “recipe” that is provided here → Blukman 3D/Workbee/QueenBee Pro CNC Spindle Wiring, Inverter Programing & Mach3. Series episode 10 - YouTube but that’s it; it runs at 24000 with no control, even with Pd001=0 and Pd002=1. Weird; the mileage varies. I’m not giving up as the quietness of the spindle and the flexibility seems worth it to me.