After getting the control software set up and making sure it was communicating with the machine, I took some time to clean the mill. Because we plan to replace the bed, saddle, table and column, I didn’t anal retentively clean the machine like I’d normally do, but did make sure to free up any stuck parts and stone any burrs.
This proved much easier than expected – all of the parts came apart easily and even the cleanup was not too bad. One of the oil metering valves was gummed up, but we’ll just hand oil that machine way for the short period we’ll be using the mill to bootstrap parts. The only tricky part in reinstalling the unit was figuring out which limit switch corresponded to which position (each axis has three switches – an axis negative limit, an axis positive limit, and a homing limit).
Word to the wise – if someone out there disassembles a similar machine in the future – label them.
I am by no means a CAD/CAM expert, but I fired up Fusion 360 and was pleased to note that there is an Intelitek G-code post processor listed. I encountered a bug where unless you specify “Clearance Height” in the ‘Safe Retracts’ setting under Post properties, the G-Code generation would throw an error. Googling around, this is apparently a known issue.
With a little bit of trial and error, I was able to create code to mill a simple ¾ thick aluminum square using an adaptive clearing tool path at 2,000 rpm and a 5ipm feed rate on a 3/8 HSS end mill (the largest that fits the X1 with an ISO20 spindle).
After several false starts where the end mill would dig into the work when rounding corners and jerk the part loose from the MDF backing I was using to secure it, I realized the cutting profile set in Fusion was too aggressive for my back yard work holding solution. In the interest of completing the test I reduced the adaptive clearing “optimal load” setting in Fusion to take shallower side cuts and … voila … she’s alive.
My general impression of the mill after its first use in anger is that the spindle motor is plenty capable and the software performs surprisingly well given the price ($0), but the machine rigidity is likely to be an issue cutting anything other than aluminum due to the small frame. In particular, the column is relatively narrow and the head doesn’t have a lot of meat attaching it. This will definitely be a design consideration for the replacement.
That said, it is a sound little piece of equipment. For someone planning on sticking with aluminum and wood, this would be a killer CNC setup “as is”. But as I intend to work with mild steel, changes will be needed.