Results 1 to 12 of 12
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Australind , WA
    Age
    58
    Posts
    1,277

    Default Anyone own a ZK6090 CNC Router?

    I saw one for sale , fairly close to me and was mildly interested.
    Guys says its 4-5 years old, and he wants $6k for it. Way too much me thinks.
    Its got round rails which I definatly don't want. Already have one of those.....6040.

    I want to cut Ali with it.
    Are the bones good on these?

    Steve

    ZK6090.JPG

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    Derbyshire
    Posts
    6

    Default

    I knew of one here in the UK the guy had a lot of problems with it and gutted it, replaced round rails for square, new motors and electrics running Mach3 and he now has a good working machine, If yours was under $2k it could end up a decent buy but at $6k no way.

    Phill

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Australind , WA
    Age
    58
    Posts
    1,277

    Default

    Thanks Phill,
    yeah, thats what I was thinking.
    I doubt he will go that low, so I guess its a 'no go'.


    Will keep an eye on it ...you never know.....

    Steve

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Australind , WA
    Age
    58
    Posts
    1,277

    Default

    Update:
    I have come across a business who are importing some 6090's, refitting them and then selling, for less than this s/h one so I've locked it in. ( just snuck in )
    Will be 3 months before I get it but it be a much more capable machine.
    Can't wait.


    Steve

    Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Dandenong
    Posts
    76

    Default

    So did you end up getting one delivered?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Australind , WA
    Age
    58
    Posts
    1,277

    Default

    Yes, I did. I got it just after Christmas.
    The business ended up importing 10, as the costs have sky rocketed since Covid, to make it worth their while.
    Five were spoken for but it didn't take long to sell off the rest.

    Found a local tranport company to get to my town reasonably priced.

    I wll do some small mods as time goes by ( change lamp, dust shoe and fogbuster) , but overall happy.

    Steve

    new Router.jpg

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    Derbyshire
    Posts
    6

    Default

    Well done Steve,

    Now get some time on it and make it sing.

    Phill

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Dandenong
    Posts
    76

    Default

    They're a great machine and reasonably well made I reckon. Terrific value for sure.

    One change I'd been planning for years and I finally made after around 10 or so years of use, was to change the table as the original flimsy extrusion used to amplify a lot of the noise when machining.

    While I was at it I took the opportunity to clean up the castings, dusted everything off, used a tin of epoxy enamel I had kicking around to paint the castings with, cleaned and re-lubed all the ballscrews, etc.

    I then fitted 1.5mm rubber nitrile sheet to the top to absorb vibration, and affixed the new thick alu extrusions. Still makes noise depending on what's being done, but doesn't shriek like a banshee anymore!

    Wasn't at all cheap to do and took a lot of time and effort accurately drilling and tapping dozens of holes, but was a very worthwhile upgrade, especially as I've gotten so much use out the machine already and I don't want to upset the neighbours with noise.

    Another great benefit was I was able to make the table longer and wider than the original, which has proved unbelievably useful when clamping materials down!


    CNC_01.jpgCNC_02.jpgCNC_03.jpgCNC_04.jpgCNC_05.jpg

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Dandenong
    Posts
    76

    Default

    And to answer your prior question Steve, as seen by a few of the bits I've done, most definitely you can machine aluminium on it!

    It can be a little tricky though depending on what grade you're using, and how gummy it is. Although it stinks to high heaven and I'm sure it can't be at all good for you, frequent light squirts with WD40 while machining will give excellent results and completely stop the alu sticking to the cutters. In most normal grades of alu I've come across, without a lube like WD40 or misting, the cutter will gum up almost immediately and snap.

    I use 6mm shank 3 flute carbide cutters designed for alu machining, around $15 a pop from memory, and they work a treat so long as they're kept clean by lube. I'm very conservative with the DOC, but I try and run the feed rate fairly fast to get a clean finish.

    alu.jpg

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Australind , WA
    Age
    58
    Posts
    1,277

    Default

    Yes, the bed will ned upgrading. It seems to have plastic strips over ali strips.
    Still looking into alternatives.
    Thought about using reconstituted stone, but not sure its machinable ( to get flat) or it it even needs it....
    Next option is a big ar#ed piece of Aluminium plate, screw T-slot track to it and MDF between them. No good for using coolant though....

    Steve

  11. #11
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Dandenong
    Posts
    76

    Default

    I originally planned to fit a sheet of 20mm thick alu, but ultimately decided against that (after buying the sheet!) as it introduced clamping problems, and the more I thought about it the more I was worried about dipping in the middle from the weight, potentially causing stress fractures in the frames casting. The top casting is supported at the ends, and takes the full weight of the gantry as well. I next looked at lower profile alu extrusions which would allow better clamping, but the flex factor was still a concern, and didn't think the upgraded would be that much significantly better for noise and vibration compared to the high cost. So in for a penny in for a pound, I ended up going for 240mm x 40mm with the largest wall thickness I could get, and drilled and tapped for stainless steel bolts along the frame and centre support.

    This way the extrusion not only resists dipping, but also firmly fixes the frame to the extrusion, so it greatly increases the strength overall.

    Like I said, not cheap in the end, but I'd do it again in a flash. This machine has been unbelievably reliable for many years and was well worth it. And the extra clamping is just invaluable.

    I have also thought a lot over time on solving the machining alu problem, and the best I can come up with is to obtain or have welded up, a simple largish alu box about 100mm high made from 6mm thick sheet for the walls and 10mm for the base, with tabs fixed to the outside to clamp it down to the table, and blind screw hole posts in a grid inside it to allow clamping items inside it to be machined with coolant.

    Or I may end up using the sheet of alu to make an enclosed smaller cnc machine to cater for coolant. Although this is a lot more work.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Australind , WA
    Age
    58
    Posts
    1,277

    Default

    Thanks aaagh, Lots to think about.....
    Early days for me.
    Only experience I have is a chinese 6040 and that bed was horendous.....lol

    ali extrusion on Aust is super dear and importing is not cheap either....

    Steve

Similar Threads

  1. Router Modification
    By Poloris in forum METALWORK PROJECTS
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 11th Dec 2017, 02:35 AM
  2. Router bits
    By phaser in forum METALWORK GENERAL
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 1st Mar 2017, 11:14 PM
  3. CNC Router
    By Sterob in forum METALWORK GENERAL
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 19th May 2014, 09:34 AM
  4. CNC Router
    By BigStick in forum METALWORK GENERAL
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 7th Aug 2011, 05:57 PM
  5. How about a cnc router sub page
    By simso in forum FORUMS INFO, HELP, DISCUSSION & FEEDBACK
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 22nd Jan 2008, 08:15 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •