Converting my Taig mini mill to CNC

Posted by: @rob_1967

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Hi All, Presently I am a month away from testing the electronics but all major parts are being shipped to me now. At first I would like to use the AccelStepper library, if anyone has links or code examples on how to setup my mini mill, code wise? Like my parameters to my specific screw pitch on it is 1/2"x20, and my spindle motor is 1/5hp. Then maybe an example on how you would face mill a 5"x5" block of say aluminum as an example.

So my steps here in English would be to:

1. set home location 0,0,0
2. flip switch to spindle motor (manual)
3. lower z axis .003"
4. travel down x axis 5.25"
5. move in y axis 0.25"
6. travel down -x axis 5.25" (etc and repeat until the 5"x5" block is faced off)

If anyone has a similar coded example for this I would appreciate the help.

Thank, I look forward in seeing your replies!

Have you searched on Google or Youtube yet? It sounds like you may not have many years of programming experience, so I wonder if this is a good starting point. Why the accelstepper library? Have you 'played' with the accelstepper examples? After the examples, use the example that most closely matches your needs, then modify that code a very small bit at a time. I would NOT put a tool in the machine yet, and would place the carriage a fair way from the head so no collision is likely as well as having a 'dead man switch' in my hand. On the other hand if you just want somebody to write the code for you then I am not sure if anybody here can help.

Well yeah it may be over my head and I may just load GRBL, or LinuxCNC. But no, not looking for anyone to write the code, but if the code is already available that they know about then that would help jump start me on this project. And if I can do it without the library then I am open to try that also.

@rob_1967 I have heard good things about GRBL. If it will do the job, that would be a good way to go. It depends to some degree on what your objective is. If you just want to get your existing Taig converted to a CNC then GRBL is the answer, but if you are doing this as a way to learn some programming skills then that is a different story.