What do I need to convert my Proxxon MF70 to CNC Milling device?

Bjor
Wed, 05 Aug 2020 15:34:52 +0000
CNC Routers

Hello all,

I am Ben (nickname Bjor) from the Netherlands and new on this forum. I’m also a novice when it comes to CNC and I have little knowledge of electronics. (Sounds pretty awfull, don’t you think?) So I can use some help with converting my Proxxon MF-70 to a CNC Milling machine. I wil use it for 90% for woodwork and for the rest for milling non ferro materials. After 7 to 8 years I’m tired from milling by hand. The MF70 is a small machine, but I am a N-Gauge modeller (1:160) and I am building modell houses in 1:12, So my machine is sufficient in 95% of the modelling work I do.

As far as I now know I need three steppermotors and a controller and drivers, CAD software and software to send G code to the Milling machine.
I think a Smoothieboard (preferably V2 once it comes available) is a good solution for me. Is it true that a Smoothieboard contains al the electronics my machine needs?
There seems to be lots of software that I can test, once I have the hardware installed. I have two PC’s with both Windows 10 and Linux and a Raspberry Pi model 4B with 4GB memory.

At the moment I have 2 questions (I think many will follow):

1. Which brand and type of stepper motors will suit my MF70 best, given the sort of (hobby)milling I do?
I thereby will refrain from cheap parts from Alieexpress and friends. I don’t need top quality (for top money), but just reliable and secure parts.

2. Are all electronic parts for controlling the device integrated in a Smootieboard, or will I require additional hardware?

I hope I make sense and you can advice me on this.

Greetings,

Ben

10 posts - 3 participants