On 2011-09-22, Bob La Londe wrote:
Ok... I really need a high speed spindle machine that is bigger, faster and
has better wear characteristics than the Taig. The Hurco is coming along
nicely, but it definitely does not have a high speed spindle. Not even
close. I've played with the idea of just using a router on it like I did
the Taig, but then its kind of a headache to deal with switching spindles in
control. No horrible, but not great. I have not found a speed multiplier I
can afford so I was thinking about making my own belt drive spindle with
pulley's to multiply speed, and then just mount it with a router-esque style
spindle mount on the quill of the Hurco. Yeah, it's a lot of work, but with
some planning I would not have to do any controler changes when going from
one spindle to the other. Just load a different machine profile depending
on which spindle I planned to use. This leaves coolant spray. At 25K-35K
RPM even a 1/32" cuter throws coolant everywhere.

Are you sure of this statement?

i

I put the Taig in a full
enclosure because of it, and it works pretty good. Putting the Hurco in a
full enclosure is problematic at best. If I stick with 5000 RPM and slower
machining with the stock spindle (not suited for my most common jobs) I
could use a fence on the table, like Iggy and other have used on their knee
mills, but it won't even come close to containing the spray of a high speed
spindle. Maybe some form of accordion way covers that slide on rails inside
the the top of the fence pushed back and forth by the quill?

Alternatively, I could just use the Hurco to make gantry style router
machines. Well some of the parts. My concern then is (as the title of this
post says) is rigidity. Most gantry router machines are made out of
aluminum. Since I actually push a cutter hard enough to momentarily bog a
1HP router from time to time would they be rigid enough for the job? I
really don't have or plan to have the facilities to melt and pour cast iron
so my thoughts were could I get somewhere in between by making the gantry
routers out of C-channel steel. The Hurco could certainly do all the
cutting on it. My big concern is that I recall discussions here and
elsewhere about harmonics, etc in regards to why machine tools are machined
cast iron rather than steel.

No I can't really afford the step up to a "real" high speed machine yet.