The only reason I might have for moving fast is that I am mounting an extruder head on the machine for 3D printing.
Wow! Can you elaborate on this. I did not that one could buy an extruder head to mount on a CNC mill. Info please? Links?
Join the RepRap forum. Lots of people building their own machines. A 3d printer is basicly a very lightly built CNC that moves very fast if possible. When I look at pictures of most of them my brain just screams "IT"S NOT STIFF!!!" and then I read the tales of woe about ripples in the print etc. I am anxious to see what my machine, which has a build envelope of about 12" x 12" x 18" high and is made from very stiff and accurate THK rails can do.
A few guys with machines running Mach 3, you use the spindle stepper output to drive the stepper motor on the extruder. I bought an extruder kit from QU'BD and that was a mistake. It looks very nice, but it has so many flaws you have to conclude it was designed by someone that has never seen a 3D printer! As a result I haven't gotten mine working yet because I am making some new parts for it. Fortunately I have a CNC not a 3d printer with an extruder that doesn't work. There are some good ones out there and it pays to ask those who are actually using them.
I also bought a temperature controller and a silicone heater for the build platform as I am interested in doing materials that need the heated bed or they warp. A word of warning, the parts sold for 3D printers are often poorly designed and even more poorly made! "Oh! you want mounting holes on that circuit board? Do they have to line up?" What a circus! However I am trying to join so who am I to complain?