Shop Update
It’s getting crowded!
Just a fair warning, I’m going to be deep in the weeds for a bit.
After picking up the first SNK Prodigy I was able to get a second one that had a bad spindle. Of course at a discounted price. The first Prodigy was an older version that didn’t have all the updates. I did a few updates and replaced some bearings. The Fanuc control was the older version that uses the CRT screen which means the CF card reader was inside the cabinet on the bottom side of the machine. I would have to power down the machine open up the cabinet and insert the card, then close everything, turn everything back on and re-zero the machine just to load a new program. Not that I have to do it every day but when I do it’s a pain.
The newer(bad spindle) machine has all the updates. Bigger belts, manifold lubrication, Fanuc iO TC which has the card reader next to the screen and a few other small design updates. So I decided to take the spindle from the old machine and put it in the newer machine. The spindle had been replaced at some point given it’s near perfect condition. After fighting with a few stuck parts I had the newer spindle in the newer machine giving me the best of the best. Moved all the programs, installed the tools, taught the machine where the tools were and made some parameter changes and we were making parts.
I’m still impressed with just how simple these machines are. For the most part they are easy to work on and clean. BUT I still really like the Ray Fung machine. It’s bigger and a lot different and in some ways more complicated but a slant bed is great, it has a built in parts catcher, huge coolant tank, and the controls(after learning them) are a breeze and very intelligent. It’s only a few years newer but has so many convent functions. Take coolant as an example. On the Prodigy I have to switch to MDI Mode, load program page, type in the “M08; insert” code and then run the code. to turn it off again I need to type in the “M09; insert” code. On the Ray Fung, I just push the coolant button. Same goes with the spindle, parts catcher, and the other AUX accessories. Ok enough tech talk. It’s getting crowded! I’m still on the fence to either sell or keep the older machine after I get the spindle fixed. It’s a good machine but I just don’t know that I really need it right now. I have thought to just set it up for a few specific parts and keep it just for those and never have to program it, adjust the tooling etc. I’ll get the spindle rebuilt and put it back together and go from there.
The newer Prodigy is near complete. I’m waiting on a custom collet to hold some titanium hex bar for the dice I’m making. The brass bar is 0.505” and a 0.5” collet works fine but the titanium bar is 0.52” and is just too tight for the 0.5” collet. Found a 13mm collet but it’s taking a long time to get here.
