I just wanted to share an experiment I am doing with my MPCNC - mounting a 2.25 HP Dewalt DW618!
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Machine specs:
~20.5 inch by ~30.5 inch by ~5 inch working space, 0.75 Inch EMT, powered by 72 oz-in steppers from StepperOnline off of a RAMPS board, DRV8825 stepper drivers from V1 and a 90mm spindle mount designed by myself.
Let me say this up front: The MPCNC can not make use of the 2.25 HP available to the DW618 (DW660 is ~0.80HP). The reason for this experiment was almost singularly for noise reduction with tooling I already owned. I ended up with value added in that the speed control used in higher end routers counters for drive load (increases voltage to maintain RPM) and the 618 can use 1/2" shank bits.
Early Results:
You can stand next to the 618 and have a normal conversation while it’s cutting with the speed dialed down. The MPCNC doesn’t seem to mind the extra weight, but it did cost me a small amount of cutting space as the mounting diameter is 90mm (the mount runs into the rail before the center carriage). I’m going to experiment with using larger end mills to rough parts leaving slightly extra thickness for finishing passes with smaller bits.
I’ll update this thread over the next few days as I have time to play with this more.
Interesting and thanks for including all the info. Is this the first router you have put on there or have you tried others? I can’t think of any specific tests to run but I guess in general I am interested to see how that plays out.
I was thinking of doing the same thing, buy with my trusty Ridgid router, which btw needs a 92mm mount, just because I already had it. I might give it a try now!
It is leaps and bounds better than the 660 in terms of noise, obviously, but it’s surprised me how well the MPCNC handles the ‘extra’ weight. I’ve been running the 618 at it’s lowest speed setting cutting .75" MDF at 25mm/s with a 1/4" two flute straight shank HSS bit doing 1/16" (~1.6mm) passes. In truth, the machine doesn’t feel stressed and I am going to run it deeper tonight. I may even do a few test cases at a few DOCs and speeds. I don’t like to run too deep given how long my X axis is.
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Pay no mind to my on-the-spot dollar tree foam board enclosure… I’m working on something better now.
If you’d like, I will email you a version of the mount for 92mm. PM me your email address. I’ll also post it to thingiverse after I find time to do some very minor revisions.
I have a 618 and always considered it too heavy, but i’d also like to make a go of it. Do you have the STL for that mount? Because it’s widely considered to be too big for these CNCs, i can’t find any mounts out there
Is there any chance you will be making the still file for this available soon? I’m willing to try it out in whatever state it is in. The only router I own is the 618 and this is the only reference I have found for an mpcnc mount for it.
I still use the 618 all the time! Just not on the MPCNC.
I went back to using the DW660. Sometime after I posted this we sold our house and moved. Just recently I’ve started using the MPCNC again. The 618 is a fantastic tool, but is not suited to the MPCNC. What attracted me was the ability to turn very large end mills for surfacing and how quiet the machine runs. I was using feeds around 10mm/s and as deep as I could without noticeable deflection (because the 618 never, ever, not even once, bogs down, blinks, or even acts surprised. It just shrugs and chugs on with the look of boredom as if it was watching paint dry).
After running it for a while I noticed several drawbacks. My Z axis screw started squealing from the extra weight and the router would work it’s way out of parallel with the deck. I think this is an issue with my inability to find good fitting conduit locally (I take a mic to the store once in a while…). Other than surfacing operations I never really used a cutter larger than 0.25 Inches anyway. Also, while I never had this happen, I can see that if the 618 gets off track with a larger mill it’s going to break something on the MPCNC.
I may have the file on my laptop at home but I’m a little hesitant to post it as I don’t believe it’s a good idea. I’m planning to rebuild the machine as a 1" OD burly build and use the 611.
Excuse me, but would you happen to still have the mount for the DW618 by chance? I realize it’s been a couple years, but I figured it’s worth a shot.
Thank you very much
