I can't find 100% confirmation that this setup would work. I have the machine in my cart, I just need to find out if the spindle is too heavy for Lead with High-Z. Thanks.
I can't give 100% confirmation that it wouldn't work, but coming from an 80mm 1.5kW spindle user, I'd be extremely nervous. I'm running with a half-width, low-Z machine right now, and I'm already worried that I may have trouble when I go to the full-width gantry, never mind high-Z (not that I'm planning to let that stop me - I just don't know that it's a particularly good idea). Even the 1.5kW is a lot of weight to send swinging around at the top of a tall gantry like that, so, even if everything else works out, you'll probably find yourself having to dial the acceleration way back. You may also have to strengthen your gantry somehow, and you'll probably also want some sort of spring or counterweight assist for the Z. The heavyweight stepper probably won't have any trouble, but you're likely to find the spindle drifting (or doing something faster than drifting) downward into the spoilboard when the power is off. If you do go ahead with it (or, based on your post's timestamp, if you've already gone ahead with it), I'd love to hear how it goes - and I'm sure I'm not the only one. While I'm sure I'm not the only one here running a larger spindle, things tend to get pretty quiet - as you no doubt noticed - whenever anyone asks about them. -Bats (translation: "I'm sure I'm not the only one with bad ideas...")
It's not just the weight of the spindle that's a problem. You will also have a spindle that could overpower the chassis. If the cutter digs in too deep for example, the spindle won't give up but the frame may yield to the excessive forces generated.
I agree with this statement. I have experienced this 3 times. Its a little scary the first time. I will admit I tried diving in to my foxhole that wasn't there. Anyways now there is a foxhole to dive into! Even the wife said when I came out of the room "that didn't sound right". Well anyways I was cutting out a profile of a part and the 3 flute 1/4" bit on the Makita 701c router decided to grab and started to climb its way down into the part making the loudest noise I ever heard. I had to take apart z end because all the eccentric wheels needed resetting. I have to do this 2x. Now I'm changing gears. Rebuilding Sphinx style router with linear rails.
I had this happen on aluminum with my Makita. For a brief period of time, I was cutting 1/4 aluminum plate in one pass at 900 mm/min. Then suddenly, I was in need of a new endmill. Mine was due to the endmill not being locked in well enough.
