Anyone use a larger air spindle on their shapeoko? If so what do you use. Not sure if I want an air or water (more work it seems) the noise isn’t an issue for me.
Thanks
The bearings in the water cooled I’m told will last longer and you can run sustained at a lower rpm then air.
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Yea , I’m just worried about the setup. I don’t have a ton of time on my hands right now. I don’t want the machine down too long
Edit: also there’s so many choices, I have no idea.
I have a 1.5kw cheap Chinese air cooled spindle with a huanyang vfd. It’s 65mm diameter so fits in the spindle mount with the provided reducer.
Seems a bit more powerful than the makita I had before, but the big plus for me is that the spindle turns itself on and off as required, and sets speed through the gcode 
I’ve had it almost 3 years with medium use and the bearings are fine so far, I didn’t expect them to last this long
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I didn’t find using a water cooled setup took any extra time to setup really. Just 2 pipes, a tank and a motor… Nice and quiet.
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I guess since you put it that way. Now I need to make my brain not have buyers remorse before I buy one.
Again there’s alot of choices like I check Ali Express and there’s packages from like $200 that have good reviews, but I’m really paranoid.
Except when you live in Minnesota, the outside air temp is -20C, and your Shapeoko is in an unheated garage. Then keeping water not frozen becomes an issue.
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I am curious if adding anti-freeze what be ideal in this case.
A very good point however I would add I use antifreeze as coolant. Its regually in the minus figures over here, maybe not quite miunus 20 though
I did use an antifreeze/water mixture. I live in central Calif. so freezing is not an issue for me, but I wanted the anticorrosion that you get with it.
Mine did take a few weeks to do though, but that because I tore mine all the way down and built it up with modifications to items I thought were lacking or done to below my standards. I incorporated Mr. Beavers HDZ, new track for my upgraded drag chains, custom wiring and connectors. All in all quite a bit of work.
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Don’t forget the little spinny thing Luke, or did you not do that.
My spinney thing doesn’t really work…
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Try turning it over like mine.
You’ll be -20F this week, right? We’ll be -20C in Ohio.
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Antifreeze was what I thought about, I just didn’t know how it would work with the spindle. Good to know it works for someone.
Yep, we’re planned to hit -35C tomorrow here. I’ll be inside under an electric blanket.
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Did you ever try turning it over?
Not yet, but I ill be
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