Taig Ballscrew CNC Mill - Free Frame Modification - Part 1

[@nickp4793]

See video description for taig thick dovetail part number and grabcad link of spacer. Also there is a part two: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mKnPZ4OXib1lfa8

[@nathaniellangston5130]

I'm really surprised just how good those edges look on such a tiny CNC. Seems like top of the part gets a bit of vibration but still looks pretty darn good for a home CNC!

[@microwave221]

It seems like you added a decent amount of capacity to the machine with a few clever modifications. I just came across Taig while looking for a modern equivalent of a Hommel uwg, and I like the versatility and modularity of them. I guess you are pretty satisfied with yours if you own two, so thank you very much for sharing this video

[@nickp4793]

For about 2000 USD they are worth it. Making the mods I did is essential, IMO. Without it, the working envelope is too small. Some things are still not that great on the machine, but its not bad for the price. I bought the second machine because someone was selling a used one that was too good of a price to say no. It has ballscrews, whereas my older one that I bought new 15 years ago has leadscrews.

[@christopherstephen9607]

I'm going to have to make that mod on mine good work sir

[@diditwork370]

Hey you should get shorter flute end mills with a corner radius you will notice a big difference. I wouldn't go longer than 1xD. You try any surfacing with a ball nose end mill?

[@nickp4793]

Thanks. All my end mills are from carbidetoolsource.com. 3 flute for aluminum. But they have sharp edges. I have not tried surfacing yet.

[@nickp4793]

Oh, for this test I purposely wanted to push the mill with a long end mill and larger diameter end mill. This one was the biggest I had that fit in an ER16 collet. I wanted the first cut on the shifted ways to be super aggressive (for a taig) to really test the modification I did.

[@diditwork370]

I have zero experience on micro machines but many years on large CNCs. I've never run a 3/8 in aluminum less than whatever the max RPM of the machine was. 6k spindle goes 6k. 18k spindle goes 18k. I wonder if the old motor would give you more torque at higher RPM. Maybe check out variable flute end mills if you're not getting anywhere. I use them all the time at work in aluminum.

[@nickp4793]

@@diditwork370 The belt was slipping in this video. I think in the next video (or 2 later) I had changed to a servo motor, and a cogged belt. That would go at 9000RPM nicely. I don't like running it that fast simply because the machine is in my apartment and its too loud at that rpm. Ha ha, hobby machining has different considerations than big boy machining:)

[@diditwork370]

@@nickp4793 I was just trying to help your set up regardless of what motor you're using. Shorter tools and high RPM are good on every machine, big or small, when using tiny cutters. You should try some surfacing. I'm really curious how the machine would handle true 3 axis.

[@connorbabcock8197]

Hi Nick! Looks like you really enjoy your taig. I am considering buying one, but am really discouraged by the overall size that can be machined. How much more travel did these mods give you? Im looking for something that can do 14inches X 7 inches. So not too far off from the taig, but far enough to make me question it lol

[@nickp4793]

Hi Connor. It can't do that big, even with these changes. I think its 11" on X, and 5.5" on Y. I can double check later when I'm at the machine. There is one member of the Taig FB group that got 8" on the Y, by ordering the Z ballscrew from Taig and installing it on the Y axis instead of the Y screw. I think the only cheap new way to get the travel you want is one of the bigger manual mills at littlemachineshop and do a cnc conversion on it. Or, if you have the space, get an old used "big boy real cnc" from ebay and retrofit a hobby controller on it. Or, build one from scratch using epoxy granite or steel and welding.

[@skopilianos]

Hey Nick, awesome Mod! Are you using the stock Taig spindle motor on this? Speeds and feeds seem fairly aggressive for a Taig.

[@nickp4793]

Yes this video had the stock spindle motor and pulley arrangement and the belt slipped on me. On the next video I swapped over my consew setup from my older leadscrew taig and it works much better.

[@nickp4793]

Here is the next vid with the consew swapped in: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aovZl6GJZrBgn68

[@bladerunner757]

Good video! I will have to try this on mine. Just wondering - how do you manage chips? I have mine set up somewhat similarly and already have chips everywhere haha.

[@nickp4793]

Ha ha, I don't! That is the next thing I have to build, some sort of enclosure. This machine is in my apartment living room...

[@bladerunner757]

@@nickp4793 You've got me beat there, mine is in my apartment bedroom lol

[@dynosaur5291]

Which tooling plate is that? Looks like a Saunders plate but it seems bigger.

[@nickp4793]

Yes, its the Saunders plate. But I got the one marketed for Seig X2, not the Taig. Its 20" x 6" and fits fine. Its only $50 more than the plate marketed for the Taig.

[@pauldiaz4273]

Hey nick, do you have any issues with your DOC’s, When climb milling, causing your table to walk away using ballscrews system?

[@nickp4793]

Hi Paul, no issues with climb cutting. Actually that’s all I’ve ever done on both this ballscrew machine and a leadscrew CNC Taig I had before it. I think one time a couple years ago I conventionally cut a part just to see if the tolerances were any better and they were the same, so I kept climb cutting. No issues with depth of cut except the motor might bog down if too deep and/or too wide. I don’t think I uploaded a video, but my recent formula for cutting aluminum 6061 is 3/16” to 1/4” solid carbide 3 fl endmill from carbide tool source, 9000 rpm at the spindle, 3/8” doc, .020” woc, 75 IPM feed rate. *edit, this is with the consew motor and a cogged belt. If you use the oem belt, it will slip. The oem motor may also stall out. Also this is with the upgraded frame I show in another video. With the stock frame these numbers may throw the tram out.

[@wantafastz28]

Any chance anyone has any files for end stop mounts?

[@nickp4793]

Check the Taig FB group. I think I saw some in there in the files section, or in the general comments section.

[@wantafastz28]

@@nickp4793 no Facebook for me. Thanks for the reply tho.

[@nickp4793]

@@wantafastz28 Try grabcad.com. Search "taig" a lot of stuff will come up. I have the whole mill there modelled.

[@andrewlozinak273]

Is this the deepgroove 1 ?

[@nickp4793]

It’s a Taig. Deepgroove is a reseller. It’s not his design.