I am now finding my CNC skills, learning and ability to make what I want is being hindered by my Spindle Motor setup which I never really managed to get running properly with the Mach3 PWM and ended up running my Mill Spindle with an external Pot hanging out of the controller.

Anyway, the limitations of having this thing revving its nuts off at 10,000 revs max, it’s time to move on only this time I want as much advice as possible before I throw more cash out the window.

I’m looking at a water cooled 800W Spindle Motor and a 1.5Kw VFD on FleaBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/0-8KW-WATER-COOLED-SPINDLE-MOTOR-1-5KW-VFD-MILL-GRIND-GERMANY-BEARING-VARIABLE-/250959558703?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3a6e5af82f

Some of the questions I have are:
1.   I don’t seem to be able to find any way to interface this into Mach3 other than a straightforward On/Off

2.   Looking at the termination panel image I think it looks like I could use a Charge Pump Circuit from the PWM output on Pin but I’m not too sure.

3.   Is it possible to control the Motor Speed with Mach3?

4.   Where does the water bit come into the equation, How does the water circulate?
 
5.   Do I need a circulating pump and a cooler setup?
 
6.   The run-out claim of 5 microns seems a bit farfetched – what can I expect the run-out to be?

 Has anyone bought one of these and what are the pitfalls?

Can anyone give me a thumbs up on this please.

Please look here:
http://www.rchobby-net.de/fraese/index_fraes.htm

Thanks Lazy Bee, I know my German is a little rusty having lived in Duisburg for 4 years in the 1960's, but I don't seem to be able to find anything pertinent to my enquiry.

As a general caveat but a kind, well-meaning reference to your information it may be quite wise to advise the website owner or author to install the Google Translate application on the site, it is a free service.  I can imagine that there are probably quite a few people who would benefit from the information on this site, but are put off or misled by the language barrier.   

Hello,
I think the most informations you can find on the homepage from rchobby.

1.   I don’t seem to be able to find any way to interface this into Mach3 other than a straightforward On/Off

You can use the input "VI" for pwm signals from Mach3.
The "REV" input you can use for forward and backward.

2.   Looking at the termination panel image I think it looks like I could use a Charge Pump Circuit from the PWM output on Pin but I’m not too sure.

"VI" is for pwm input.

3.   Is it possible to control the Motor Speed with Mach3?

Yes with pwm (0 ... 10 V) and "VI".

4.   Where does the water bit come into the equation, How does the water circulate?

On top of the spindle are 2 fittings for water input and outlet. The water circulates through the spindle housing (see homepage http://www.rchobby-net.de/fraese/spindel3/spindel33.htm).

5.   Do I need a circulating pump and a cooler setup?

Yes. An other way is to use a large buffertank (10 l) and than you can use the spindle for a hour or so without cooler.

Please have a deeper look in your frequency converter manual. There is the most described.

LazyBee

Bugalugs.....Did you go with this spindle and how did it work out if you did?

I have one similar and am  not having success with it.  My fault for sure.

Thanks.

Yes, and it works really well. I had to change my Spindle Motor Break-Out Board (BOB) away form PWM to one which works with Step/Dir Control I'm not in my Man-Cave at the minute but I think it was made in the the UK. Someone on this forum recommended it as a very good alternative to the Chinese Cr@p I was trying to use. Extremely helpful people with excellent after sales service.

Once it was set up and supplied with a decent supply of motor coolant it works very well indeed.

If you cannot find out who the BOB "builder" was, get back to me and I go and get my notebooks out.

Good Luck

Keith