Hey guys i was wondring which should i use for my Wood cnc a 1.2KW wood router Shown in picture for about 100$ or less or Should I go for 1.5KW Spindle with VDF for 370$ including shipping?
I can’t help you with a performance assessment. But I do know the big reason for going with a water cooled spindle over a regular router is durability. You have to remember that at most, regular routers might run for 30 minutes at a time, much less in most cases. On a CNC it will be spun up for hours on end. So I’d say get the spindle if you can afford it, or go for a much cheaper router or zip saw/dremel. I know for myself, I’ll be using one of the many zip and/or dremel’s I’ve accumulated over the years until I get all the bugs worked out at least…
thanks @Mat_Helm could you suggest any links for zip or dremel pls??
Haven’t looked for any. As I said, have a few already that I’ve accumulated over the years. @Michael_Bridak_K6GTE I think mentioned he was using a $30 one from Harbor Freight. Not sure if that’s available where you’re at though. I’m sure there are plenty on ebay…
After I burned out a rotary tool, for exactly the reason @Mat_Helm mentioned. Eg it wasn’t design to run continuously for hours. I went with a water cooled spindle. Also is much quieter than an air cooled router. That said, it’s will worth getting the kinks of the mechanics worked out with something cheap first. Just remember a water cooled spindle is much heavier than a router. So z axis will need to be able to take the extra weight. Mine is about 5.5kg
@Daniel_Would
What is 5.5kg in English? Almost a stone isn’t it?
@Paul_Frederick 
I have no idea but I’m sure Google will convert it for you. I live in a messed up world of being English in a generation that got taught metric but whose parents/society still largely used imperial. Hence I drive in miles per hour, but measure in meters.
5.5kg x 2.2046kg/lb = 12.1lbs. Zip and dremel tools are definitely not made for CNC applications. They usually have very small and weak spindle bearings that don’t last very long. Even better quality trim routers wont last long. Go with a real spindle like the one you have shown, or go with a high quality full sized router. Just my 2 cents.
If i may ask guys is the VDF necessary and if so what does it do??
@Daniel_Would
I do everything in Imperial measurements. They taught us the metric system in grade school so I know it. I just find Imperial measurements more convenient for me to use. What are you measuring in meters football fields? We call that soccer here. Our football is a bit different. Soccer is not a very popular sport here either.
I did look up the conversion before I posted. I think it was 0.87 stone or something. Although as I understand it there are different regional conventions for a stone weight. Now I’m reading about the stone on Wikipedia and apparently in the Netherlands they adjusted their stone to the metric system.
@Bijil_Baji yes the vfd is necessary. The spindle takes 3-phase power at variable frequency. The frequency controls the speed of rotation. The vfd converts your mains power to the appropriate 3-phase and let’s you control frequency. So without it the spindle does nothing.
Also, speaking from my own recent experience. This is the point you’ll want other electronics to be shielded from EM interference…
@Paul_Frederick perhaps I should say that I measure in milli-meters
Generally at scales up to about 10m I think in metric, then shift into yards then miles. Though I still think of some things as about an inch thick rather than 25mm. All just horribly confused.
@Daniel_Would
If you’re confused then that is cause for concern. I find the blandness of reading metric graduations somewhat confusing compared to common fractional graduations myself. There are just too many millimeters in a row for me to see what they are at a glance between centimeters. Everyone says that metric is so easy because it is base 10 but I use decimal inches when I have to measure something closely anyways so I don’t see what the big advantage to metric is.
@Paul_Frederick oh, metric is way easier for me in terms of projects. I find base 10 a lot simpler. But ultimately I guess what ever you get used to and can use confidently is fine. Sorry @Bijil_Baji didn’t intend to hijack your thread with of topic tangent.
You could build one of these…
@Mat_Helm would that be strong engough for working on wood
There’s a lot of info in that thread on making one, but yes it would. So long as you use a powerful enough motor. Power supply will be your biggest cost there I think, the motors are extremely cheap though.
Here’s a good video on them I just watched. This guy is building an underwater ROV (to go with the huge ship he’s also building). But everything he talks about applys,
Also a great channel to subscribe to… Gonna post the part 2 to the video above here because it’s the best DIY CNC vid I’ve seen yet…