Proxxon Rotary Tools

[ForestRoyse]

I'm considering buying one of the following Proxxon rotary tools for use as my ShapeOko spindle:

http://www.proxxontools.com/store/pc/vi ... roduct=206
http://www.proxxontools.com/store/pc/vi ... product=13

The first model with the cast aluminum head claims a max. runout of 0.001".
Is anyone else using these or does anyone have direct experience with Proxxon tools? Would one make a decent long-term spindle? The only disadvantages I see are higher price and potentially top-heavy weight distribution.

[RedOko]

IIRC somebody is already using them with a 3d printed mount.

[edwardrford]

One of the other users is using that tool: http://youtu.be/79myctP8CtA

[jb77]

Hi,

I ordered the first one here in europe.
The first one has a mounting piece made of aluminium. So maybe it will be more stable.
Suprisingly its a lot cheaper here, then in the States.
I'm looking forward to get it, but I have to take a look, how to mount it on the shapeoko.

For that I ordered also a cheapo rotory tool, which fits in the standard spindle mount.
With that, I will try to manufacture a fitting spindle mount for the proxxon.
I'm looking forward to that process...
And I will update my progress here. So, shapeoko, come to me over the ocean

[orcinus]

Please do update when you get around to mounting it.
I've got a Proxxon micromot i'd like to use on a ShapeOko too at some point and would be very interested in how it turns out for you.

Edit: re - experiences with Proxxon, don't have any CNC experiences, but as a hand-tool it's been awesome. The weight is nicely distributed and it can take a beating (don't throw stuff at me - i've actually used it to balance some heli rotors in a pinch, with no ill effects on the bearings). It's not too powerful, but it's rather precise and seems pretty durable.

[Max Metz]

Another option I have been looking at is the Proxxon Micromot flexible shaft (Flexishaft Micromot 110/P), this would appear to enable any rotary tool with a 3mm chuck/collet to take advantage of a dual bearing accurate aluminium head - the small size of the pointy end would increase the cutting area of the Shapeoko and the cutting tool weight load on the z axis would go down considerably. About $45 on Amazon.

[DrRob]

I asked my friendly neighbourhood tool shop proprietor about the possibility of using a flexible shaft for a CNC mill, and he told me that they have a twisted wire cable inside and the faster you run it the hotter it gets - if you run it too fast, the wire will get hot enough to do bad things to the lubricating grease inside the shaft.

We also had a long discussion about the price differences and availability of 1/2" mill ends vs 1/4", and I think I've come to the conclusion that it would be cheaper in the long term (or even the medium term) to buy a 1/2"-capable tool. I wish I could source one of the Dewalt ones (see other threads) in the UK at the kind of price you can in the US...

Rob.

[Max Metz]

DrRob, after having a chat with the Proxxon distributor in Australia late Friday, the bearings in the flexible shaft will be no match for those in the aluminium headed tool mainly due to the small size of the Flexishaft handpiece. So it seems this is yet another reason to suggest I was on the wrong track.

There is a new model of the ib/e for 2012, an ibs/e, with a new motor - it has a grey motor casing instead of the old yellow one.




When the motor brushes go on the ib/e (ibs/e), the speed electronics often go with them. Perhaps regular motor bushing replacement would be prudent - though at what interval I don't know.

Despite this, the robustness and accuracy of the tool seems to be the best out there, ib/e's are retrofitted to replace the spindle on expensive Roland machines and perform far better than the original.

The other point of interest is that the bearings on Proxxon rotary tools will still wear and can be replaced - even replaced with long life ceramic bearings which have been specially made in china for the ib/e (ibs/e) tools giving far greater bearing life.

Finally there are two ways to buy this premium Proxxon tool, in the retail packaging with case and accessories or as an industry item with just the tool on its own - this last way drops the price by about 15% I was told.

My real interest in the Proxxon flexible shaft was the reduced footprint on the z-axis, which increases the cutting area while reducing the weight in the same axis. No worries, as I learnt a lot from looking into the possibility.

[kf4mot]

So is a mount for the Proxxon readily available or am I going to have to cobble something together myself?

[edwardrford]

I think this might help. Have a look at the bottom of the proxxon in the first picture of the thread.

http://www.shapeoko.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=505&p=4817&hilit=proxxon#p4817