Gunner Asch wrote:

On Wed, 18 Aug 2010 11:43:47 -0500, "Pete C."
wrote:


Ignoramus11933 wrote:

As I was messing around with text engraving, I realized that it would
be very cool to have a high speed spindle.

There is, apparently, a wide variety of purpose made and adapted
devices that are used for this:

http://www.cnccookbook.com/CCHighSpeedSpindleAddOn.htm

The best so far, looks to be this:

http://www.cnccookbook.com/img/Other...Manifold_1.jpg

This is a Bosch Colt palm router attached to the quill. It seems to be
nicely made, and low profile.

In my case, I can use a changeable toolholder to do the attaching, so
that it is easy to take off:

http://www.shars.com/products/view/1...nd_Mill_Holder

This way, I could run a 1/8" end mill at 30,000 RPM, without using the
main mill's spindle bearings. I would use a brake to hold this
assembly in the quill.

It would be, as I said, a quick change setup, easy to be swapped
out. I would just need to figure out a safety interlock mechanism, so
that the main spindle would not be turned on accidentally with this
thing mounted.

It would seem that a holder is easy to make from 6061 or some such,
and the whole project can be done under $200.

I engraved some text yesterday, which took something like 19
minutes. I did it at 2,400 RPM. At 30,000 RPM, it could take only 1.5-2
minutes.

i

That palm router setup is nice. I like the idea of the pencil air
grinder though, you could install one in a modified end mill holder and
run the air line up through your unused draw bar hole which would mean
no offset from the normal spindle location to deal with.

That leaves no place for his spindle encoder and a rotating air
connection at the top of the spindle.

Sure it does, his encoder will operate just as well on a hollow shaft as
on a solid one...