It’s time to unlock the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC Milling Machine’s 4th axis capabilities with the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC 4th Axis Accessory. Like other accessories in the Bantam Tools ecosystem, the 4th axis is easy to install, so you can start building your skills and prototyping complex 3D parts.
In this guide, we’ll cover:
- Determining if your Bantam Tools Desktop CNC Milling Machine is 4th axis compatible
- Installing the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC 4th Axis Accessory
- Calibrating the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC 4th Axis Accessory using the Bantam Tools Milling Machine Software
Note: If you have questions about any of the terms used in this guide, see our Key Components of the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC 4th Axis Accessory guide.
Is your Bantam Tools Desktop CNC Milling Machine 4th axis compatible?
We’ve upgraded our Bantam Tools Desktop CNC Milling Machine to be 4th axis compatible. Before you buy or install the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC 4th Axis Accessory, look for the “4th Axis Compatible” sticker on your machine. It’s on the lower right corner, below the loading door on the machine’s enclosure.
Bantam Tools Desktop CNC Milling Machines with 4th axis compatibility also have a 4th axis port in the back of the machine with a 4th axis harness that runs along the inner-left side of the machine.
Required Tools
To install the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC 4th Axis Accessory, you need:
- Computer with the Bantam Tools Milling Machine Software installed
- Probing pin, 1/4”
- Gauge pin, 1/2”
- Hex key, 4 mm
- Chuck wrench (2)
- Screw, M5 x 12mm (5)
- Vacuum
Step 1: Remove the current machine bed.
Connect the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC Milling Machine to your computer and launch the Bantam Tools Milling Machine Software. Turn on the machine and home the mill as prompted. If you have a machine bed, like the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC T-slot Bed installed, remove it using the 4 mm hex key that comes with the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC Milling Machine.
To avoid alignment and conductivity issues, vacuum the top and around the bottom of the pallet receiver. Also, be sure to vacuum the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC 4th Axis Accessory if there are any chips or dust on it from the last time you used it.
Step 2: Uncap the 4th axis harness and connect it to the 4th axis pigtail.
The 4th axis harness is located on the left side of the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC Milling Machine and it will have a cap on. Remove the cap and connect the pigtail on the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC 4th Axis Accessory.
Note: Whenever you’re not using the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC 4th Axis Accessory, the harness should be capped.
If you’re having trouble connecting the 4th axis harness and the pigtail, go to the Jog tab in the Bantam Tools Milling Machine Software and use the jog controls to move the Y-axis to the back of the machine.
Connect the wires so that the clip on the 4th axis pigtail is facing upward. You should feel or hear a click when the wires are connected correctly. Do not try to force the wires together.
Step 3: Install the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC 4th Axis Accessory onto the pallet receiver.
Now, let's place the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC 4th Axis Accessory onto the pallet receiver. Place the accessory into the machine with the headstock on the left and the tailstock on the right. On the underside of the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC 4th Axis Accessory, there are two holes that line up with the pins on the pallet receiver. Line these up and place the accessory on the receiver.
Thread the M5 x 12mm screws by hand in the order that the holes are numbered in the image. Then use the 4 mm hex key to tighten each of the screws. Tighten them little by little, again in the order they’re numbered. This will ensure that Bantam Tools Desktop CNC 4th Axis Accessory is evenly tightened down to the pallet receiver.
Note: There is a hole underneath the headstock that is not meant to be used.
Before you move on, you’ll need to tell the Bantam Tools software that you’ve physically installed the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC 4th Axis Accessory.
Complete the following steps to do so:
- Go to the Initial Setup tab
- Go to the Brackets and Accessories dropdown menu
- Under 4th Axis, click the Install button. The real-time visualization in the Bantam Tools software will update
A Note About the Jog Menu
Once you specify that the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC 4th Axis Accessory is installed in the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC Milling Machine the Jog Menu will automatically update. To view this change, go to the Jog tab and notice how there are now jog controls to rotate the A-axis.
By clicking on the Set A0 button, the Bantam Tools software will now define the current position of the A-axis as zero. If you need to move the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC 4th Axis Accessory to zero or the nearest multiple of 360º (an equivalent of zero), click Origin. Notice that in the picture above, the Origin button is grayed out. This is because the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC Milling Machine is in its home position.
Step 4: Calibrate the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC 4th Axis Accessory.
Before you can start using the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC 4th Axis Accessory, you need to find the chuck’s center. To do this, you’ll use the built-in 4th Axis Installation probing routine in the Bantam Tools software. Making sure you’ve accurately calibrated (or aligned) your Bantam Tools Desktop CNC 4th Axis Accessory is crucial to ensuring that your Bantam Tools Desktop CNC Milling Machine will machine your parts accurately.
Start by placing the gauge pin into the chuck, and tighten the chuck dial by hand. Then use the chuck keys to tighten the gauge pin (about a 15º turn) until it feels snug. This probing routine allows the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC Milling Machine something to probe and find the centerline between the face of the chuck and the live center.
When you’re finished, complete the following steps in the Bantam Tools Milling Machine Software:
- In the Jog tab, select Install Tool. For more guidance, see our Installing & Locating a Tool guide.
- Install and locate the 1/4” probing pin.
- In the Initial Setup tab, select the Brackets and Accessories dropdown menu.
- Scroll down to “ 4th Axis” and click the Install button, if you haven’t already done so. The Bantam Tools software’s real-time visualization preview will update to show the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC 4th Axis Accessory.
- Then, click the Calibrate button and follow the on-screen instructions. When you click Start, the spindle automatically jogs into position.
- Important: Before you click Next to touch off the chuck face during the 4th Axis Installation make sure none of the jaws are blocking the probe from touching off the face of the chuck. If a jaw is in the way, go to the Jog menu and use the A+ or A- controls to rotate the chuck so that the jaw is out of the way. When you’re ready, click Next and finish the calibration routine.
Once the calibration routine is finished, a pop-up window will appear with the diameter of the gauge pin installed into the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC 4th Axis Accessory. The gauge pin that comes with the accessory is ~ 0.5" in diameter. We provide this number as one more way for you to check to make sure you've run the calibration routine directly.
If you need to make adjustments, click Back in the pop-up window, use the chuck keys to loosen the chuck, and then slightly adjust the gauge pin. Once you’ve made your adjustment, run the 4th Axis Installation probing routine again.
That’s it! You’ve installed and calibrated the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC 4th Axis Accessory into the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC Milling Machine.