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Author Topic: My Balding Beaver  (Read 70593 times)

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Offline cnc-it

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Re: My Balding Beaver
« Reply #40 on: February 23, 2009, 03:59:39 PM »
Ah yes my mistake mines a VC35 !! It seems to have the same size bed though...

John.

Offline cnc-it

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Re: My Balding Beaver
« Reply #41 on: March 01, 2009, 12:57:20 PM »
Hi Overloaded just noticed that NC25 is on US Ebay. Looks better than I first thought.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270319314231&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:Watchlink:middle:us

Here is some information for any body who might be interested.

Machine size 1.8m wide x 1.9m long. 

It will either have a KTK or contraves DC spindle drive.

The Beaver uses a Specher+Schull  Sestep 400 micro processor  (large black box) in the side cabinet for all the I/O commands. The ladders are burnt onto eproms in the control and sort out all the I/O for the tool changer, coolant etc .

The Specher+Schull sestep 400 replaces the  Fanuc PC model B  which is normally plugged into the Fanuc motherboard.
The fanuc 6m system software is on the Fanuc rom board which is plugged into the motherboard.

All the Fanuc boards are in the back cabinet on the Beaver including the power supply for the screen and pendant.

The tool changer arm has a bank of air solenoids on board to control the claw and retractable arm. The arm rotation and up and down movement is all air operated.

Tools can be loaded at the carosel  (left hand side) or at the spindle and are Cat 40 taper .
Standard is 18 tools with an option of 36 tools.

The Beaver VC15 uses Cat 45 taper.

Check this link to see a tool change cycle  on this Beaver VC15!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfR4C3ySLMw

John.

« Last Edit: March 02, 2009, 03:00:26 AM by cnc-it »
Re: My Balding Beaver
« Reply #42 on: March 01, 2009, 01:22:25 PM »
Thanks for the info John.
This does look to be a fine machine, but a little too massive for me right now.
I wish I had more room, this would definetly fill my bill.
RC

Offline cnc-it

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Re: My Balding Beaver
« Reply #43 on: March 02, 2009, 02:55:36 AM »
Your welcome RC thought it would add some interest to the thread :) I'm hoping to do a Galil /Mach3 conversion on my Beaver VC35.. just need to do some more reading on the forums yet before I get  started!!

John.

Offline Hood

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Re: My Balding Beaver
« Reply #44 on: May 26, 2009, 03:36:50 PM »
Not any progress I am afraid, hopefully there will be soon as I will have some storage space for the steel and bits and pieces I dont use every day so will hopefully have a bit more room to do things to the mill.
 I have however got a toolchanger for the Beaver, well not actually got it yet but have agreed a price :) I dont think it will fit directly on but I should manage to make the needed modifications and it will save me a lot of work as I was previously intending to make one from scratch.
Hood

Offline Hood

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Re: My Balding Beaver
« Reply #45 on: November 13, 2009, 10:44:03 AM »
Bit of progress on the mill, welded up a new control cabinet that was big enough for drives and controls instead of the original two cabinets I had. Obviously that meant totally rewiring everything, which was a PITA but worth it.
 Decided to get things running and tested before I went to the hassle of making an enclosure for it and have done some air cuts so far and hopefully some real cuts this weekend.
This vid shows the air cuts of a circular pocket at 8M/min, accel of 1000mm/s/s and spindle speed of 1000rpm.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zyjwK2jCXI

Below is a bad pic of the new cabinet, space is too tight to get a proper picture. Wiring has since been tidied up :)

Hood
« Last Edit: November 13, 2009, 10:47:01 AM by Hood »
Re: My Balding Beaver
« Reply #46 on: November 13, 2009, 01:43:11 PM »
Looks great so far Hood !
Glad to see someone is making progress..... ::)
How are you comong along with the changer ?
Bravo,
Russ

Offline Hood

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Re: My Balding Beaver
« Reply #47 on: November 13, 2009, 01:57:30 PM »
Have decided not to go with that toolchanger. The pullstuds that the Beaver uses are very long so the arm wouldnt have enough travel so all that I would have been able to use was basically the chain. I have been messing around with a few design ideas for a changer but so far have not decided which way to go.
 Priority is to test the mill on a cut then if thats good I will decide how to make the enclosure and where I will have the control panel situated. Once that is all done then I have a second  turret to fit onto the lathe. If I live long enough then I will move onto the toolchanger for this :)

Hood

Offline Hood

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Re: My Balding Beaver
« Reply #48 on: November 15, 2009, 07:55:42 AM »
Did a test cut today to see how the mill performed. Nothing exciting but was nice to see it doing this cut, my Bridgeport Rigid Ram would have been squealing at this. The material is just mild steel and the cut is 8mm x 8mm at a spindle speed of 1700rpm and feed of 300mm/min. The surface finish was good with no sign of vibration at all.

Vid here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sEiPBpOFxQ
and below is a pic of the cut.

Hood

Offline Dan13

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Re: My Balding Beaver
« Reply #49 on: November 15, 2009, 10:38:43 AM »
Looks good Hood! Very impressive cut.

What is the top spindle speed you can achieve with your AC servo?

Daniel