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Making of a spindle
« on: November 22, 2006, 12:37:09 AM »
Hello group.
I have my router fitted with a 3.5Hp makita router (9,000-22,000rpm) it works great with wood and plastics. I was trying to mill aluminum last week, and i found it to be a little unsuitable. I couldnt take depths of cut and feed speeds as formulas stated (not even 0.050" depth of cut, cutter fully engaged 0.25" diameter at 30ipm). I think a homebuilt milling spindle would be appropiate. maybe 2,500 to 5,000 rpm would be better with less runout, and more rigidity. What would be needed to make a spindle?

Can I just buy bearings, an R8 arbor, drawbar, collets and R8 collet shank, machine a housing for this and put an AC motor coupled with a timing belt?
Anything else im missing?
I have a travers tool catalog, and I just cant find the arbor and drawbar, do these have to be machined too? any drawings?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Offline Graham Waterworth

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Re: Making of a spindle
« Reply #1 on: November 22, 2006, 03:38:23 AM »
It would be much easier to get an old spindle out of bridgeport or similar machine and drive it with a belt and pulley system on an external motor.

Making one involves a lot of messing about, turning, milling, heat treatment, grinding, and then if you want good running it must be dynamically balanced.

High speed angular contact bearings cost a fortune.

Not for the faint hearted.

Graham.
Without engineers the world stops
Re: Making of a spindle
« Reply #2 on: November 22, 2006, 11:19:53 AM »
thanks for the reply Graham,
I thought it was too good to be that easy.
Ill look into a used bridgeport spindle, and Ill ask www.littlemachineshop.com to see if their spindle assembly can take a bigger motor.
Regards
Fernando

Hood

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Re: Making of a spindle
« Reply #3 on: November 26, 2006, 07:16:55 PM »
Fernando
 Where you from, I could probably hook you up with a Bridgeport spindle/quill (knackered bearings) for the cost of shipping, but if you are not in the UK I think it would be too expensive.
Hood
Re: Making of a spindle
« Reply #4 on: November 26, 2006, 07:26:23 PM »
Hood,
Thanks for the offer, I live in Mexico!
I talked to littlemachineshop.com and he told me his unit would handle a 2HP motor @5,000 RPM.

Hood

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Re: Making of a spindle
« Reply #5 on: November 26, 2006, 07:33:48 PM »
Good you are sorted cause Mexico is a bit too far from Scotland ;)
Hood
Re: Making of a spindle
« Reply #6 on: November 26, 2006, 07:43:16 PM »
Just a little bit.
lets see if it works well
cuz cutting aluminum with a makita router just didnt work that well

Hood

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Re: Making of a spindle
« Reply #7 on: November 27, 2006, 03:15:49 AM »
:)