overview Can you get the most out of your Proxxon MF70?

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Roger

Thanks for finding this and posting. I'll check the small size before I order

I've been away from this thread for awhile. Much appreciate the ideas and helpful advice posted here. Came back as I have a simple jig I needed for scratch building in styrene and brought my MF 70 out and began reviewing the thread updates. FWIW - Going to make the jig out of dense plastic to set bracing 0.04 in from a wall edge.

Thanks again

Bob
 
Thank you for sharing this link; unfortunately the price is, well, really pricey for my budget at this moment...

The estimated duties and taxes are based on $169.25 of product and may fluctuate due to changes in currencies, shipp
 
Hello MF70 group -

I'll preface this by saying I'm a newbie to the MF70 and have only done a bit of milling wood to make jigs and drilling holes in styrene models. I appreciate all of the MF70 ideas discussed in this forum.

What options if any are there for increasing the z-axis travel? I've raised the z-pillar with a 2" z-block, but of course the amount of z-axis travel is limited by the z-spindle length ( the treaded spindle for travel, not the motor connected spinning spindle aka the "turning spindle" or "driver" ). So now I have 2" added z-axis clearance but the mills/bits won't reach low height work on the x-y table.

The extra 2" of height works for me for one specific use cases where I need to secure the tall work to drill precisely spaced wire guage #70-#80 range holes in the end of the piece. ( As an alternative I suppose a drill press with an x-y table would work as another tool for this use case then freeing up the MF70 for milling without the 2" z-block). I'd like to use the MF70 rather than acquire another tool. But by raising the z-pilar by 2" means that for low z-height work I would need to remove the 2" z-block or raise the work above the x-y table. Has anyone extended the z-axis travel ?

Listing the options I see to have a range of z-axis work: 1) Increase the MF70 z-axis travel (feasible? cost? note - I'm obviously not a machinist and don't own a lathe to make the spindle) 2) get a drill press, 2nd x-y table, 2nd vise specifically for the drilling operations (~$500+) 3) have a 2nd MF70 for low work ($$), 4) raise low z-height work above the table with an additional 1" toolmakers vise (appears would add 0.8 inch of the 2 inch "gap") held in the existing Proxxon vise ($35+)

Notes about terminology: I see some potential confusion about the term "spindle". I see "spindle" used for the turning spindle attached to the motor in online discussions and in the USOVO website. This is what I've understood the spindle to be. However the Proxxon manual referenced below it appears to be called a "driver" rather than spindle. The Proxxon manual refers to the threaded z-axis threaded rod as the "z-spindle" part 27100-49.

I'm using these schematic and figures to refer to the Proxxon part names: https://www.proxxon-tools.com.au/downloads/manuals/27110 MF70.pdf
The AU Proxxon manual - I'm referring to the z-axis threaded spindle 27110-49 asking whether this can be replaced with a longer spindle.
USOVO refers to the "turning spindle"

MF70 Tuning - USOVO

www.usovo.de www.usovo.de

thanks in advance for your suggestions, corrections and ideas.

Bob
 
I bought my one and only drill press in about 1970. It cost $300 (1970 dollars). I use it constantly. Although it has stepped pulleys to adjust the speed, I can’t remember when I last needed to do this . I also have a well equipped Sherline mill but for most jobs the drill press is much more convenient.

Today a bench top drill press can be bought at a big box home improvement store for about $100 2024 dollars. While you’re not getting a name brand tool I suspect that this will meet your light duty ship model drilling needs better than your Proxxon Mill. The chunk on these probably won’t close on your tiny wire sized drills but this problem is easily solved by chucking the drill in a pin vice which is then chucked in the drill press.

Roger
 
Hi, Robert.

Proxxon MF70 has become my benchtop tool, I've never removed it as I constantly use it, though I've never experienced the limitation of the Z axis. Frankly speaking, the size of this mill is a limitation on its own. Before investing in various upgrades think if the job you are planning to use will be worth spending $$.
The most valuable, and I think, the right decision for upgrade (in my case) was to replace the collet system to ER11 from USOVO, with the help of our member, as the company doesn't ship to the USA, I have acquired the new spindle wich supports ER11. I consider this upgrade the most valuable among others. This collet system gives you a broad variety of endmills to use as it ranges the colets sizes from 1mm to I believe 8. I have never used anything larger than a 6mm shank, and if using an 8 mm enmill you may damage the motor. Most of my endmills are based on a 4mm shank, and I still have hundreds of possibilities.

The next upgrade I would think of replacing the motor, a brushless motor would do the trick but... I couldn't find the same size, and other suggested motors required to raise the housing, and others to redo the spindle and change electronics so this idea bites the dust.

I did upgrade all of my axes X, Y, and Z with thrust bearings, this is a cheap and very effective upgrade. I said it is a must upgrade you should do even before the first use. It improves precision and makes operation much smoother.

So if you require the Z axis higher, I would consider a different mill to begin with. You don't want to invest $$ into a device that costs $350.00, IMHO
 
Thanks Roger - I think the drill press is a realistic option. The Little Machine Shop DP might be an option at the higher end. Thanks for the suggestion of chucking the pin vice as a solution for holding wire gauge drills - I had wondered how to get a drill press with collets vs. the 3 jaw 1/4 inch chuck. I'll need a compound table and vice for holding the work and drilling holes in line and spaced correctly on the dp. I see that MicroMark has a $ 15 High Precision Micro Pin Vise that will hold drill bits from #61 to #80 in a 1/4 3-jaw chuck.

Since posting my original question I found that our Ukrainian poster had this video on replacing the "lead screw" (what I've been calling the z-axis spindle)
"Precision vertical lead screw for Proxxon MF70 milling machine. (part 1)". He had raised his z-column as I have and wanted the greater z-axis travel as well as removing backlash. Way beyond my skills! But intriguing to watch. I suppose if I could find a 6 mm dia threaded rod with the correct threads I might be able to replace it but I imagine I'd encounter unforeseen challenges. Such as getting the stop nut off!

Volodymyr did however show at around minute 9 how to remove the z-spindle / lead screw stop nut from the plastic cover so that I should at least be able to replace the lead screw washers with bearings when I figure out what he did exactly. I'll have to buy or modify a wrench to fit the tight access in the cover to get at the nut. Or maybe Volodymyr ground some of the plastic back to get at the nut as shown v. quickly at 9 min 19 seconds. I don't see how he got his open end wrench in the tight spot otherwise. Neither my Park Tool 11 mm, nor Craftsman 11 mm open end nor 11 mm socket fit inside of the raised plastic ridges around the stop nut (27110-48) holding the lead screw to the cover.

thanks again,

Bob

​

 
Jimsky said:
Hi, Robert.

Proxxon MF70 has become my benchtop tool, I've never removed it as I constantly use it, though I've never experienced the limitation of the Z axis. Frankly speaking, the size of this mill is a limitation on its own. Before investing in various upgrades think if the job you are planning to use will be worth spending $$.
The most valuable, and I think, the right decision for upgrade (in my case) was to replace the collet system to ER11 from USOVO, with the help of our member, as the company doesn't ship to the USA, I have acquired the new spindle wich supports ER11. I consider this upgrade the most valuable among others. This collet system gives you a broad variety of endmills to use as it ranges the colets sizes from 1mm to I believe 8. I have never used anything larger than a 6mm shank, and if using an 8 mm enmill you may damage the motor. Most of my endmills are based on a 4mm shank, and I still have hundreds of possibilities.

The next upgrade I would think of replacing the motor, a brushless motor would do the trick but... I couldn't find the same size, and other suggested motors required to raise the housing, and others to redo the spindle and change electronics so this idea bites the dust.

I did upgrade all of my axes X, Y, and Z with thrust bearings, this is a cheap and very effective upgrade. I said it is a must upgrade you should do even before the first use. It improves precision and makes operation much smoother.

So if you require the Z axis higher, I would consider a different mill to begin with. You don't want to invest $$ into a device that costs $350.00, IMHO
Click to expand...
Thanks Jim -

Wise advice. I've gone down the upgrade path with PCs in years gone by when actually the more cost effective and time efficient approach would be a different machine.

The USOVO upgrade parts are nice looking and I assume very high quality. Too bad there isn't a source to buy them here in the US.

BTW - any tips on getting the lock nut off the z-axis spindle / lead screw ? Very tight quarters and I can't get any wrench or socket I own on that nut.

I think the low cost approach for me is to use the 2" z-spacer block when needed for the precise drilling operation on tall work pieces, then remove the block when I'm working low. Probably a 10 minute switch.

thanks,

Bob
 
TrainGuy said:
BTW - any tips on getting the lock nut off the z-axis spindle / lead screw ? Very tight quarters and I can't get any wrench or socket I own on that nut.
Click to expand...
If I recall, I put the flat screwdriver between the nut side and the nearest wall and turned the crank. This was about 5 years ago, so it might be an inaccurate suggestion.
 
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