When a CNC Retrofit Slowly Turns Into a Full Rebuild Workshop 54 2026-01-03 | I bought this Maho MH400E CNC mill thinking it had a simple controller problem.That assumption turned out to be optimistic.In this video I explain how a planned CNC retrofit slowly turned into a full rebuild:why I stopped patching an inconsistent system, emptied the control cabinet,removed the servo motors, and decided to reset the project back to zero.
A Much Simpler Servo Motor Adapter Workshop 54 2026-03-04 | After sharing my servomotor adapter design in the previous video, the feedback from the community led me to a complete redesign. The new design is simpler, has fewer parts, and — most importantly — I can make most of it myself on my lathe.In this video I walk you through what changed, why, and how I'm planning to make it.00:00 - Intro00:07 - Community feedback00:25 - The new design02:47 - Why not Xometry03:35 - Tools & materials05:16 - What I'm not making myself05:32 - Corner radii05:54 - Next steps
CNC Retrofit: Servomotor Adapter Design & Engineering Challenges Workshop 54 2026-02-22 | In this video, I walk you through the engineering process behind the servomotor adapters for my Maho CNC mill retrofit. These aren't simple mounting plates - they need to handle incompatible motor interfaces, manage radial loads that exceed the motor's capacity, and fit in tight spaces.I'll show you:- The three main problems I needed to solve- The design iterations I went through- My final adapter design and the key decisions behind it- Why I chose the bearings, tolerances, and retention methods I didThis has been the most challenging part of the retrofit so far, and I need your help. If you have experience with GD&T tolerancing, bearing fits, or precision machining, please share your insights in the comments.Questions I need help with:- Pilot diameter tolerances (0.01mm too tight, 0.1mm too loose?)- Bearing seat tolerances- Advice on mounting the bearings- Is the axially floating outer race a good idea?- Manufacturing help needed!#CNCRetrofit #MachineShop #EngineeringDesign #Servomotors #manufacturingsareemarket 00:00:00 Intro00:01:03 Axis Convention Change00:02:31 The Challenge00:04:11 Mounting Incompatibility00:05:02 Radial Load Problem00:07:12 Space Constraints00:09:31 My Design Solution00:19:53 Flex Coupling Mistake00:23:30 Help Needed00:24:32 What's Next00:25:36 Outro
Servomotor adapter design — a quick status update #engineering #mechanicaldesign #maho Workshop 54 2026-02-01 | A short update on the servomotor adapter design.The design is finished, and the upcoming video walks throughthe thinking, constraints, and trade-offs behind it.
Choosing Servomotors for a CNC Retrofit: It Looked Simple Workshop 54 2026-01-11 | In this video I walk through the process of selecting servomotors for a CNC retrofit.What I initially thought would be a straightforward step turned out to be a lot moreabout constraints, trade-offs, and practical considerations than expected.I compare the original Indramat motors to modern servos, explain why I chose astandardized form factor, and why I ended up with Delta servomotors specifically.We also look at the calculations behind the motor sizing — torque, inertia, cuttingforces — and why going smaller or faster wasn’t actually the better option in thismachine.This video focuses purely on motor selection.The mechanical challenges of actually mounting the motors will be covered in thenext video.Calculations: github.com/johanvergeer/brainvault/blob/main/servomotorCalculations.ipynb00:00:00 Intro00:00:47 Comparing old to new motor00:03:15 Choosing a standard form factor00:04:11 Motor brand selection00:06:54 Motor calculations00:11:50 Wrap-up
This will never happen again — less than 0.001mm runout on my lathe with a new chuck! Workshop 54 2025-10-09 | Testing my new 6-jaw Set-Tru style chuck on the lathe.The indicator needle didn’t even move — easily below 0.001 mm TIR.Probably the most satisfying moment I’ll ever see on this machine 😅
