Thread: CNC Router Build Steel & Ally

Looking good so far.
David

Originally Posted by Ch4iS

estimated minimum cutting area of 1150x550..

So what is the maximum cutting area going to be then?

If this is the largest size CNC your garage can hold what sort of a bicycle do you normally drive?

Originally Posted by Bob Willson

So what is the maximum cutting area going to be then?

If this is the largest size CNC your garage can hold what sort of a bicycle do you normally drive?

About 1250x650mm, I can't see it being much larger than that.

I've got just over half of a 6x3 metre garage, in which I need to fit a DM45 Mill, Lathe, 2x CNC routers, compressor, mig and a ton of tools I've collected over the years.

It's been a long time but I've purchased some ballscrews for my X and Y axis

Just assembling my Y axis ballscrew as I purchased the standard support blocks with it, is the main support block (with angular contact bearings) supposed to have a spacer in between the bearings? I've got a problem with the ballscrew rubbing against the seal and trying to work out if the end spacer is not long enough or if its missing a spacer between the bearings, rubbing against the seal seems to cause a-lot of resistance.



So far the machining is a very tight fit, and the 2005 ballscrew has an error on the end of the shaft (mushroomed end) but nothing that isn't fixable.

Hi Chris,
Yes they do need shiming. I pull them apart and grease the bearings then by trial and error shim between the two bearings. Nothing fancy needed and you can use a drink can as a shim. I use a hollow punch to make them but you can be rough and cut the shims with scissors at a pinch. The shim is for the outer bearing case. Be careful to not flip one bearing over while removing/installing.
I have had similar problems with the seals. If you have a lathe find a 10mm (or right size) bolt and nut. Mount the spacer on the bolt and hold it by tightening the nut to the spacer. Mount the bolt in the lathe and polish the outer surface of the spacer. You could use a drill to do the same thing but you might need an extra pair of hands. If it is still tight on the seal there is a rib that can be carefully cut off the inner surface of the seal with a sharp knife.

Thanks rod, so you have the bearings facing each other? and load on the bearings is applied by tightening the locknut? Originally they were facing away from each other which IMO is pointless as there was no load on the inner race, might as well have used deep groove bearings.

Either way is OK you just shim the inner race then, the main thing is to load the bearing to remove end play. Just make sure the bearing are opposed so you can load them up. I don't see or hear many fitting shims to these bearings and wonder how many have end float with them. IMHO there is no way these bearing sets will be OK without shimming as you can feel the end float in your fingers.
Good to see your machine progressing again - I started mine again but have been distracted by more solar projects. Then again that might be an excuse for not doing it.

I went shopping for a shim today and CBC Bearings were hopeless but I found what I wanted in Masters, although imperial the OD is 31.75, 0.77mm thick. (Bearing for 20mm ballscrew is 32mm)

Cost was $2 for a pack of 7.


I've still got the problem of the seal, but does it look as though the seal was glued too far over? it protruded past the block face, if the spacer had just 1 more mm it would be fine. This is the first block I've had from china so I'm not too sure if this is normal, I've given the bearing a good wack with the rubber mallet so its got to be all the way in.

IMG_2488.JPGIMG_2489.JPGIMG_2490.JPG

Originally Posted by rodm

Good to see your machine progressing again - I started mine again but have been distracted by more solar projects. Then again that might be an excuse for not doing it.

Yea slowly starting up again, I got put off from working on the machine when my X axis ballscrews arrived damaged (was left out in the rain or something and rusted up) DHL were hopeless for any compensation, its been about 7 or 8 weeks now and I haven't heard anything back from them, I guess they wait till you forget about it. In the end Chai did send replacement ballscrews (no ballnuts) when I ordered the Y axis ballscrew, nut and mounts, the X axis ballnuts are still usable but I'll probably just buy some new ones.

Just thought I'd update.

Removed part of the seal and its working just fine now, no more rubbing, it still has the inner seal so there should be no issues with dust ect.

I also threw the spacers on the lathe as you suggested rod and they came up great, removed a small amount of material, hit them with a bit of 400 grit and they came up shiny and smooth.



BTW rod if you're sick of making cnc routers, here's a challenge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1ID...ure=plpp_video

Some latest pictures of it partially assembled.

The aluminium plates are face milled then thrown on my cnc for the holes, mostly to save on waste material but the mill can also do a cleaner finish on the aluminium, also no tabs

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Got a little work done, the support block chai supplied for the Z axis ballscrew (1404) must have been some sort of joke as it had so many problems with it, so I made my own from some 1" aluminium I purchased from the scrap yard ages ago, I'm planning to make a dust cover for the angular and thrust bearing from delrin.

Hey Chris,

Machine is looking great. Really like the design, and it should look great fully enclosed and throwing aluminum swarf everywhere.

BTW, that slantbed lathe you linked is my next project(minus ATC). Maybe that kiosk might have to stay at mine afterall.....lol.

Daniel

Hi Chris,

I see you used a lovejoy coupler over the heli-cal style. Any particular reason? I was under the impression that most preferred the heli-cal?

Originally Posted by twistedfuse

Hey Chris,

Machine is looking great. Really like the design, and it should look great fully enclosed and throwing aluminum swarf everywhere.

BTW, that slantbed lathe you linked is my next project(minus ATC). Maybe that kiosk might have to stay at mine afterall.....lol.

Daniel

I'm hoping to also cut down on noise, as it is with my current cnc router its too loud to run most of the time and I try to limit running the cnc to 1 hour sessions during the day, I've got neighbours on all sides

Good luck with the lathe build it looks like it'll be a challenge, especially alignment, I thought about building one myself but using a 40-60mm slab of steel or aluminium and bolting everything to that as I could face it myself on the mill.

Originally Posted by marty989

Hi Chris,

I see you used a lovejoy coupler over the heli-cal style. Any particular reason? I was under the impression that most preferred the heli-cal?

The only reason is that I wanted a clamping coupler and I couldn't find anyone selling them in the aluminium spiral type.