Columbo spindle deal

[steve_fedor]

Found this today
http://www.pdscolombo.com/spindle_kit.htm?gclid=CJKi7M_O8JgCFQa-sgodyGib0g

[gundog]

I ordered one thanks for the link.

[tree]

PDS is just up the street from my shop.... That makes it nice anytime I need a collet or anything for my spindle

[angus_hines]

That looks like a good deal.

Without starting a which one is better argument.

Can some one tell me the advantages and disadvantages of the Colombo vs the HSD's?

[cabnet636]

angus i have both, a 5hp columbo 10 years old and still kickin a, and a hsd 3 months old, both strong!!!!

jim

[Brady Watson]

The Colombo's will do 24,000 RPM. The HSDs only 18,000. I find that I need the extra RPM for the type of work that I do on my big machine. However, my HSD 2.2 on my BT48 is fine for everything that I need it to do.

On a 'peeve' level, I like the 5hp Colombo best. It is a super durable spindle that is up to just about any task you can throw at it. The Colombo 3HP is a good unit too, but I absolutely HATE the knuckle-busting castle style collet nut. It makes tool changing slow and sloppy. The HSD 2 & 4hp share the same standard ER nut as the Colombo 5HP. The only other thing that is a pet peeve with the HSDs is the VFD. Adjusting RPM is clunky and not as easy as the Delta-B VFDs that come with the Colombos. At the end of the day, ANY of the spindles sold by SB will get the job done for most SB users. If you anticipate cutting a wide variety or challenging materials, err on the side of 'bigger is better'.

-B

[gordon]

Brady, you're right that erring on the larger size is usually the safest bet, but it is best if you can to evaluate the application of the spindle and size it correctly if it will be dedicated to a specific type of product or material. It doesn't make sense to put a 5HP spindle on a tool that will be dedicated to machining foam or some other lite material.

The mini-nut on the 3HP is a knuckle-buster, the nuts on the rest of the spindles are much easier to tighten.

Adjusting the Yaskawa VFD that ships with the HSD spindles is a little more klunky to manually adjust the RPM on than the DELTA drives that PDS sells with their spindles. To help with this and to make setting the spindle speed in a Part File possible we resently started packaging an RPM controller with all HSD spindles. This allows the RPM's to be set and monitored from the PC through a USB connection and eliminates a need to physically interact with the VFD. We also sell these as a retro-fit item for those that already have a Yaskawa or Delta VFD-B drive.

[cabnet636]

all that and for any one who needs to knoe the guy's at pds are some doggone nice fellows to deal with!!

jim

[wberminio]

Gordon

Does the the RPM controller work with both Alpha and Standard machines ?

[gundog]

I ordered the 3HP Columbo thinking 3 HP would be better than 2.2 HP. The old bigger is better more HP Tim Allen mentality. I cut plastic with my machine so I opted for more HP since price was about equall?

If the collet nut is a pain is there a replacement?

[Brady Watson]

Gordon,
Thanks for chiming in with the latest & greatest options & goodies.

Michael,
The 3HP is fine - it just takes me personally longer to change out tools than the other spindles due to the nut/wrench arrangement. Other than this, it is a kickin' spindle. The 3HP is better than the 2.2 for machining plastics. I just set up a job for a customer that machines cast acrylic. He has an Alpha with Colombo 3HP, since he needs to cut certain jobs at 19,500 RPM to get the right edge quality and throughput time. If you didn't order your spindle from ShopBot, then you will have to call and order an aluminum mounting plate so that you can mount your spindle to your machine. I do not believe that PDS sells these along with their kit, so you'll want to check that out.

-B

[gundog]

Thanks Brady,
I ordered the plate and a new spring for the Z axis yesterday from SB.

Mike

[wberminio]

Michael

Shopbot has heavier springs for the Z?

I've been asking them for heavier springs for more than a year.

Erminio

[gundog]

I talked to Frank @ SB on the phone yesterday and ordered a heavier spring for mine. My machine is a PRS and I originally ordered it set up for a PC router. It came with 2 small springs I was told for the 3 HP Columbo it needed a single heavier spring and for a 5HP it needed two of the heavy springs. I do not have any specs on the springs I just ordered what they suggested. Call and talk to Frank.

Mike

[wberminio]

I spoke with SB about the springs.
The new style Z is suppose to address the issues with the old PRS Z.They don't any springs to hold up a spindle and drill.
Any suggestions?
It is annoying to have to keep propping up the Z after the control box is shut off.

Erminio

[bleeth]

Erminio: Just about any kind of spring in the world and excellent technical assistance is avaiable at Century Spring:

www.centuryspring.com (http://www.centuryspring.com)

Dave

[wberminio]

Thanks Dave
I'm just trying to solve,not a serious,but definitely annoying situation.

Erminio

[bleeth]

Having my spindle dropping down every time I turned my unit off would feel like Chinese water torture to me!

[wberminio]

Dave

It is!

Erminio

[angus_hines]

OK let ask the question a little different.

When it comes to service which is a better unit to have?

Cause really I can't be asked to do a bearing replacement in a PC router just not a time cost effective job.

I bought the router to learn with and I'm learning quickly probably not the best choice for tropical hardwoods. But for now it will do but for now wont last long cutting all this hard stuff.....LOL

So this is all for future planning.

[carlcnc]

Erminio
go to Mcmaster-Carr[Mcmaster.com]
look at gas struts/springs . There are dozens of sizes with different lbs of force. I use one with 25# rating and with 2" more stroke than the Z travel.I think it was about 20$.Takes a little head scratching to figure out how to mount one but they work much better than a spring.
Carl

and last for years.

[cabnet636]

carl has hit a good one!!, i was not going to say any thing as the gas struts i have used were on older stepper machines, but one of the shocks by MC is adjustable, you disconnect the motor and the first move will be for the z to rise, you let out a little gas (very slowly as you cannot put it back in) and adjust until "neutral bouyancy" is obtained.

works like a charm !!

jim

[wberminio]

Carl

I'll give them a try.
Do you have a PRS?

Thanks for the guidance


Erminio