Unboxing the Taig 5019CR Micro Ball Screw Mill

[@ronniez829]

Congratulations...glad you weren’t scared away by the naysayers who don’t know what they’re talking about. I bought one of the very first of these ballscrew Taig mills and it works great. Here is a key lesson which most owners never learn: operators who “baby” these small power-limited mills with wimpy cuts and slow feed rates are being counterproductive. In doing so they put more of the power into friction rather than producing chips. And then they blame the machine when the spindle stalls, their workpiece gets messed up, and the mill gets knocked out of tram. If you take the time to plan and do the math (or create a spreadsheet calculator like I did) to get parameters correct, you’ll be smiling in amazement and operating with the utmost confidence. Learn about “chip thinning.” That is powerful knowledge to put to use with this machine. There is no need to “upgrade” the spindle motor if you are doing it right. The motor and the belt were chosen consistent with the rigidity of the machine. Make sure that the pulleys are aligned properly and don’t overtighten the belt or it will take a set and fail sooner. (What you might think is too loose, may be tight enough.) The machine isn’t perfect. There is one significant issue that can be corrected with a simple part you can make. And I recommend doing this immediately. The headstock is secured on a dovetail with a clamp that takes a single 10-32 socket head cap screw (SHCS). Even with the dovetail clean and dry and the screw torqued to 60 in-lb (get yourself a Wheeler FAT wrench - consistency is worth the small investment), the downforce generated during milling can and will pull your headstock down a little bit at a time. (When it happens your workpiece will have steps in it, and you’ll be left wondering why!) Taig put a pair of 10-32 holes tapped into the bottom center of the column dovetail. The bottom hole has a SHCS installed to prevent the headstock from falling down and off the dovetail. But the headstock is not normally supported by it. The top hole may be hidden by the default position of the headstock. Figure out where you want your headstock clamped on the dovetail. You can raise or lower it by unclamping, moving and reclamping. (I keep mine up relatively high because I made a quick change tooling plate system which raises the work an inch or more off of the table.) Then make an aluminum bar .375” x 2.25” x [height] with 2x #10 SHCS counterbored clearance holes centrally located and 1” apart. Install that support, then lower your headstock onto the support before clamping the headstock back on the dovetail. That will resist any downforce milling can generate and you’ll be ready to rock ‘n’ roll! Hope you’ll find these tips helpful.

[@AndyVickersNet]

There is some incredibly helpful information there, thank you so much for sharing. I am early in the learning process, but I have also found that you can make decent chips with this even though its a small machine. Chip thinning is a risk for sure. I intend to make another video where I take progressive cuts across an aluminium block at different feeds and speeds and width of cut / depth of cut so I should be able to identify some 'sweet spots' to share. So fascinated by what you have said regarding the headstock. I will investigate that. sounds like a good way to up the rigidity on the Z axis. I would love to see a pic of the bar you made if you have any available. You should sell those, seems like a great way to improve the machine with very little effort. thanks again for all the helpful information!

[@JWB671]

Any chance you can make a video showing this Ronnie?

[@ronniez829]

@@JWB671 It will be a while before I have time to post a video I can share, but if you are a member of the Taig owners Facebook group, I posted a couple of photos in response to Andy’s test cuts video. (In his last cut, the headstock slipped down the dovetail, if that is what you were looking to see. The single 10-32 SHCS secured dovetail clamp is insufficient...a rare design flaw for the Taig mill, which luckily is easy to fix.) My photos were from initial testing of the Taig, to see what it could do when the headstock was fully supported on the dovetail. Once you understand how to calculate the mechanical power required for milling, and learn how to efficiently transmit power from the spindle motor to the cutting action, a ballscrew CNC Taig can chomp like a beast!

[@wh0tube]

I came here to see the taig, but from 2:42 onward I’ve been awestruck by your socket set! 😁👍

[@jensdavidsen4557]

Very well done - I've only been eyeing up Tiag tools - lathe and mill...for about 17yrs now...

[@cpukid00]

SO informational and entertaining to watch! I can't wait to see where the journey takes us!

[@alvinjamir3130]

pro trick : you can watch movies at kaldrostream. Been using it for watching all kinds of movies lately.

[@koleemerson1859]

@Alvin Jamir Yea, I've been using Kaldrostream for since november myself :D

[@coleharvey2678]

@Alvin Jamir yup, been watching on KaldroStream for since november myself :)

[@TT-qo9dv]

Nice little machine 😊

[@yourebadatmakingstuff3475]

Nice video on a very underrated machine!

[@dynosaur5291]

I have the same machine. Mine came ready for plug and play with USB for a Windows 7 computer. I'm not sure where you got your CNC setup from or if you bought a complete CNC package with the mill but depending on the Taig dealer sometimes you can get one already ready for USB connection. I paid just under $2500 for everything. I was also one of the earlier folks who got the ballscrew version when Taig first came out with it. Before that I had the manual leadscrew version. These are nice machines and it can actually make somewhat large parts if you know how to use it.

[@AndyVickersNet]

I got mine without any controls but I used a gecko G540 motor controller with GRBL on an Arduino UNO. Made a PCBs to hook it up so I my whole control system was less than $300 so I'm at around $2270 including motors and its also USB plug and play with windows 10. Really not bad to get you going.

[@danielescobedo7968]

@@AndyVickersNet Thanks for Sharing That was going to be my question.

[@IntelliTrance]

Can you post a link to the Parallel to USB Board in your online shop?

[@riccardodipietro4400]

Do you still sell the boards? i cant find your website

[@gekigasky]

Great video! Seriously considering buying one of these very soon. Please consider investing in a better microphone.

[@AndyVickersNet]

I recently found out that the rode mic I was using has a known flaw where it picks up WiFi signals and it causes the hum and popping. The fix was to wrap it in aluminium foil 🤣

[@gekigasky]

@@AndyVickersNet Just saw this. That's pretty funny.

[@JarppaGuru]

12:05 even we have 30k machines on work you have fuctureplate and tool measure LOL

[@AndyVickersNet]

??

[@samuraimachinetools]

Oi mate, if you just spent 3000 more you could have a Samurai 120! Wait I mean if you spent nothing more you could have a Samurai 120! 😂

[@AndyVickersNet]

Congrats on being the first CNC Dickins ;-) kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2S3mX1_gtiobtk

[@samuraimachinetools]

@@AndyVickersNet and if you just spend 200k more you could have a DMG Mori!