Mini Mill Questions

colu41

colu41

Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Messages
1,598
I got a few random questions. All somewhat mill related.

I can't for the life of my find a video or instructional for replacing the plastic gears. The way I'm looking at it seems like I'll have to take half the machine apart. Any tips would be great. I just got my mill and I'm pretty sure one of the plastic gears broke. Already ordered the belt drive conversion so, I just want to get those things out of there.

Another question, can "reconstituted" turquoise be milled? Or will it crack and shatter? I've had a chunk for awhile and finally found a project I can use it on...

Last question. For the short time I used my mill, it was great! Until I broke a gear. I understand these X2 Minis are cheap, but they work for what I need. Any other HAVE to have upgrades for this machine? The belt drive is on the way. I was also thinking about the Air spring kit. Is there anything else I should look for? Later this year may think about the Fusion kit, but thats later :)
 
You do have to take half the machine apart to replace the gears, but it's not that hard to do. I would strongly recommend, however, that you get the belt drive conversion kit from Little Machine Shop instead of replacing the plastic gears. The machine will run much smoother and quieter, give you wider speed variability, and you will never again break the gears.
 
Tony Miller said:
You do have to take half the machine apart to replace the gears, but it's not that hard to do. I would strongly recommend, however, that you get the belt drive conversion kit from Little Machine Shop instead of replacing the plastic gears. The machine will run much smoother and quieter, give you wider speed variability, and you will never again break the gears.
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My belt drive just shipped today :)
 
Yeah you do have to take most of the machine apart to get at the gears.
My gears broke internally. I just put the belt drive on and run it that way. So what if the gears break again? Probably will but I will deal with that when it happens.
 
TJ Smith said:
Yeah you do have to take most of the machine apart to get at the gears.
My gears broke internally. I just put the belt drive on and run it that way. So what if the gears break again? Probably will but I will deal with that when it happens.
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Thats what I was afraid of. I was thinking of just getting them out so I DONT have to deal with it later. lol. Id rather not have a bunch of plastic parts bouncing around in there possibly screwing something else up.

Can the internal gears be removed from the rear side of the head? Or are they taken out threw the primary spindle?
 
When your belt drive kit arrives, it will contain directions to take it apart and get the plastic pieces out. Then you don't have to worry about it. It sounds daunting, but if you can make a knife you can take the head off the machine and get it back on.
 
Tony Miller said:
When your belt drive kit arrives, it will contain directions to take it apart and get the plastic pieces out. Then you don't have to worry about it. It sounds daunting, but if you can make a knife you can take the head off the machine and get it back on.
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Haha I figured that. I just don't like getting into things that I'm not 100% about. But then again I did build my 2x72 & my HT oven so...I think I should be ok. Thanks for that Tony.
 
all i did was finish the job of busting off one of the grears all the way off then ran the belt drive (ooo and took the shift lever out )
 
Lieblad said:
Is "reconstituted" turquoise a mixture of turquoise dust and a resin of some kind ?
If so, It should machine as well as any other similar composit material.
I made some stuff of a 'manufactured marble". Worked ok, But buffing out would not get too shiny, I did not expect it to, the exposed stone particles polish differently than epoxy filler. I never tried an overlay coating, Left it as satin sort of finish.
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Thanks Lieblad. I believe that it is resin based, but wasn't a 100%. I'll give it a go.
 
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