Guys...
There is another thread or 2 here on SMC regarding quality of US vs Asian made products. Truth is that you can get good or bad from either. Surely we have to (at least to ourselves) admit that we shouldn't expect the same quality from 2 products with vastly different prices. Yet we do.
One of the most glaring examples of this is comparing a $200 handheld router to a $2000 3 phase spindle. Happens all the time. A Yugo compared to a BMW. Yes, in either case they will get the job done, but yet there is no reasonable comparison. The reality is that many of us cannot afford a BMW. That's fine, I am one, but I don't try to make a comparison saying that my Chevy compares with a Beamer. Cuz it don't.
My current project started out as a control retrofit using the relatively new (less than a year) Acorn Control by Centroid. Centroid isn't new, as they have been producing industrial controllers for 30+ years. What is new is their foray into the small CNC and DIY markets. They use the fairly common these days forum approach for the majority of tech support, with the addition of seldom seen (on others) close monitoring by factory techs and engineers. Like the "good ones of old" there is a good number of CNC savvy users that also populate their forum.
I purchased 2 generic Chinese "6090" machines from an online vendor. The first was up on the bench measured and squared up, a few minor electronics changes, UCCNC installed, test run, calibrated, custom macros installed and listed for sale on this forum on a Sunday night, sold within hours and was being uncrated in Brooklyn, NY the following Friday noon. Shows the power and value of this forum.
The second was a different story. Missing pieces, out of square, wiring errors, gantry beam was 1/8 out of parallel with the table/frame, the list goes on. Since I had a mission of serious upgrades anyway, I did a "frame up resto mod" to coin a hot-rodding term. The links below show the first 3 videos of ?? showing the build and what I did to "blueprint" the machine.
What's important here is to learn what we can learn. The differences in these two builds were obvious. That said as a service tech I have seen over a hundred machines, assembled by inexperienced users, that were worse. I have purchased US made machines that were worse. I have seen DIY machines that were waaaaay worse. What is important to learn is that if a CNC owner wishes to take the time, these machines can be amazingly precise. Some of that "quality of build" lays at the feet of the original assembler at the factory, the rest with the daily operator.
Most shop guys don't have the equipment to test and verify CNC machines like I do, but there is huge amount of information that the cut will tell you. I always look for what's wrong, most owners seem to assume a machine is right and blame software when problems arise. These 2 little machines were my 17th and 18th respectively. Each has been an enjoyable learning process, and I wish I could keep them all. Sadly to fuel my expensive hobby of modding CNC machines I need the proceeds from the sale of this one to finance the next.
The current "Acorn Project" machine is a long term demo. I will use it for my journey into learning the Centroid Control system. After a few weeks it seems near the top of the list with everything going for it. Once I am familiar with the control system, a 4th axis will be added and the machine will be used as a demo machine at Jim McGrew's Aspire Camp in April alongside those from various other mfgr's.
Enjoy:
PART 1: https://youtu.be/g9JoS18-nXA
PART 2: https://youtu.be/rDtjBturMA0
PART 3: https://youtu.be/-kiKIQrRgig
Reply With Quote
