Is anyone running the pwncnc’s spindle ? Does it work better than carbides? Seems like a good product. If you are using one please let me know how you like it. I purchased Carbide 3d’s VFD in August. Has been working great till the other day. Turned it off then next day nothing, no display. Contacted Carbide support and frankly not too happy with them. After going around in circles with one guy I got another tech (was more helpful). He said I would have to send it back and they would send a shipping label. This was before Christmas, never got it. I assume it will not come till next year. I’m back to running a makita router with no sign of getting my VFD repaired.
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Same happened here. Got the assembly, did not work at all. Got a new one delivered. Still had my router, swapped. Got the new VFD set, the VFD controller lit up. Was happy, all installed (all the cable guidance is a challenge …). Now the spindle did not switch on. Customer service also sent me a label for return, and of course expected some days for shipping back and forth. Since I as a happy and proud owner of the VFD gave away my hand router I had to get a temporary, harbor freight has a store nearby, could bridge the 1w+ wait.
New spindle arrived, works like a charm ever since.
You cannot fight physical shipping before in the early 22nd century Dr. Emory Erickson will invent the teleporter, and it might be possible to find a better customer service, but it will be very, very difficult.
That said I think to have a router available anywhere on a shelf just in case sounds like a good idea.
From what I can see from their pictures the spindle from PWNCNC looks exactly the same, just another branding, therefore I do not expect better reliability. I had it several times that the delivered item sometimes are not as durable as the ones you get after some exchanges (end switches). Always the customer support was excellent.
I do not use the CNC to earn a living, and if I do something for friends I never promise a time when something will be done, sometimes my first profession asks for some time. What I see in the videos of professional woodworkers they have just more than one CNC, and can swap them if needed I suppose, or they have some spare parts, I recommend that before switching the company. (even as a hobbyist I have some end switches, one controller, and a router as spare parts available, now I do not have any breakdowns where I need them any more knock on wood…)
I added the PwnCNC water cooled 65mm spindle in September. I had a couple of installation issue but got them worked out.
It has been good and I like that the display for the VFD can be removed and mounted remotely. I have that at the front of my table and the VFD at the back.
I don’t have a ton of hours on it but it’s been great so far.
I also have the PwnCNC 65mm spindle, air-cooled. Been running it since July pretty regular with no issues. I agree with Cullen I like the detachable display/remote and the fact it is re-programmable. I got mine before they had the Auto-forward setup so had to follow their instructions to re-program it for auto-forward myself. I updated my Vectric Post-processor for additional Carbide Motion Status displays for the spindle and it works like a champ. Being a retired engineer, I don’t like “locked-down” capabilities in things so don’t like Carbides VFD Spindle for that reason also–just my opinion.
I am running the 80mm 2.2kW air-cooled spindle kit, with VFD and Dustboot 7… all supplied by PwnCNC. Chris Sedlock asked about the control board on my SO3 and I sent a picture. He told me he could configure the system to connect via the PWM socket. This was done and the system arrived as truly plug and play. The system ran as expected and predicted for both manual and auto modes.
I have run the ER20 collet system with all sizes of cutter from 2mm up to 12mm. The speeds are adjustable from 0 ~ 24,000 RPM and these can be adjusted within the CAM GCode or manually. The dust boot is exceptionally easy to adjust and use and it arrived as a kit to assemble that fitted my Fein dust extractor and its anti-static hose.
The pre-purchase help and advice from Chris permitted me to make all of the right choices before paying any money to PwnCNC. I paid an extra £245.93 in UK taxes and import duties but the system has been flawless both for installation and usage since May 2024. Highly recommended company to deal with, being professional and very supportive.
PwnCNC 2.2kW spindle on my Standard sized SO3.
PwnCNC VFD
VFD enclosure right side
VFD enclosure left side
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Thanks for all the info. Finally got the label and shipped off. Got in touch with Pwncnc their box will work with carbides VFD. They sell the box alone, although you have to purchase the cables. BTW carbides face comes off, not that it does anything,
Cchhaarraacctteerrss
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