Thread: New South Aussie Machine - Build Log 2010

Hey Noel,

Sorry to hear about being crook. Don't be too off put by taking a bit longer there are a couple of us (well me mainly) who are still plodding along with their build. lol. Your making waves with you machine and your z axis look fantastic. Can't wait to see the dust flying off your machine.

Daniel

Hey Noel,

Any progress on the beast? You bought the same Z-axis as I did. Mine is not to bad either and I paid close to the same. I would also say it was from the same guy too given it came from Thailand.

So it was a heart and thyroid problem. I was going to ask if it involved a gender change operation, man would i have looked like and ass asking that question.

I hope your progressing and getting better.

/M

Hi Mike and daniel
Thanks for the posts - yeh, slowly getting better and champing at the bit to get out to the shed and on with the 'beast'.
At least I haven't been wasting my time while sitting around. i have had the luxury of a lot of time to think about the machine (That's what started me off thinking about laser pointers and tool setters a la Greolt).
So - got a few thoughts floating around and when I can get out there I will have a play around.
Just very frustrated at the moment as the new machine really only needs about a week of concentrated effort to get it up and running.
Oh well - alll things in good time.
Hope to see you machine up and running soon Daniel!!!!!
Anyway
Thanks for the thoughts
Cheers
Noel

Hey Noel,

Thats great to hear. Its amazing how many ideas you can come p with when sitting still, just takes money and time...something i don't have a lot of. lol. Look forward to seeing your machine running and all the ideas put into action.

Daniel
P.S Machine moved 2 nights ago for the first time in a while. Was good to see. Still having a small issue in one direction with one axis but think it may need an opto change/tune. Will start posting some updates in the next few days. Going to try and get some 6 core 18/20awg shielded cable for the digispeed too since i don't like the cable i used. All in due course though. Just started helping another local guy with a plasma which will be fun but take some time off me for my machine.

Hi one and all, particularly Mike, daniel, and Rod.
Well - i'm back after a few bits of medical mayhem.
Just started looking at my halted build and getting enthused again.
One small problem though - when I started my old machine up, the spindle started to rumble and it looks like I have run a bearing.
The spindle is a 1.5kw air-cooled from Chai. This is the second one I have had, and both have run bearings.
I was wondering if anyone had any ideas about replacing the bearings - such as do I have to allow for pre-load, or do I simply pull the darn things apart and drop in new bearings.
as usual - any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
(Rod, I know you have been running one of these spindles - if the memory is not too faulty after such a long time - have you had any problems with yours?)
Cheers
Noel

Hi Noel,
Good to see you back and hopefully in better shape than when you dropped out.

I have been running an 800 watt air cooled spindle for a couple of years and while it isn't as quiet as when it was new so far no problems yet - touch wood. It has cut 20mm ally plate and everything in between so it has had a good workout.

Do you think it just needs new grease or does it sound more serious. If you ever pull it apart can you take a few photos and instructions as that would be very usefull to us all.

Noel

Hope things are looking up for you. My thoughts are as follows,

The bearings might cost as much as the spindle. I hope not.

As far as pulling it apart, what harm can you do? No good like it is.

Professional repair will be out of the question presumably.

If bearings were reasonable cost I would give it a go. Get advise on the correct grease.

Guess the preload. Err on the light side. Test at moderate speed. How does it sound? Adjust preload. How does it sound now? Better or worse?

Not everyone is like me but that is what I would do.

Greg

I remember reading about the bearings over at cnczone when I purchased mine, it seems some of them use cheap bearings unlike the claim of high quality german bearings (not sure if this is all the sellers or not but it looks like they are all the same)

I still went ahead and purchased a spindle as I couldnt find an alternate without it costing a fortune.

Hi Guys
YES - it's bloody great to be back.

Thanks for the rapid responses.

I guess that I will just follow Greg's lead and pull the damn thing apart and try greasing it.
Can't make it too much worse, and greg is probably right about the cost of bearings versus replacement of the entire thing.

I will definitely take photos as I could not find any schematics anywhere on the Web, and some sort of idea of the setup might help others.
anyway - now that I am feeling a bit better, I guess that I shold pull the finger out and finish the "new"machine. For something that went together so well and so quickly to begin with, it has really become a bit of a saga.

Oh well - could be worse.

By the way - one of the peripheral 'loiterers'by the name of 'Bazza"has been a true friend over the past seven or eight months - phoning each week to check how I was going and to help keep my spirits up.
many many thanks for his friendship. before he contacted me I had never met or spoken to the man, so I am very suitably impressed with his friendship.

Just goes to show what these sort of forums can achieve.

A second reason for mentioning this here is that Baz is a bit shy about posting to the forum as he feels that he does not know enough, and that his build is not 'flash enough'.

I have tried really hard to convince him to join in these forums, and any additional support offered to him might just sway things enough.

Anyway - as I said - really glad to be back, and will continue to post and pester whenever.

Cheers
Noel

Noel thats one sweet looking CNC a long way from a Rose Engine you made. Good luck with the build.

Baz,
Would be very interested to see what you have done.

Noel,

Great to see you back on board and i hope your luck has turned itself around. Sorry too me a while...lol... but been up the back playing with some new toys(really need to update my log and what i've been up to). Here is someone who has pulled one apart. Maybe it will be helpful.

Daniel

Hey Noel,

Sweet build... I hadnt seen it before today. I'd pull that spindle apart also... my grinder died a little while back and it was really easy to fix once I found the cause of the problem...lol.. get plenty of pics as I'm sure it'll happen to one of us some time in the future.

As for Baz.. come on buddy... I have no clue what Im doing half the time, but that's the whole point of it.. some thing new, learning as you go.

Brad.

Hi folks! its me Baz.I contacted Rod once,but I just lurk.My feats are not much,built a Lotus 7 type car a few years ago IRS etc. all round-only looks like a Lotus,sits in the shed done 200kms from new,old codgers like me look a galah driving in a car like this.Was a 3 year project.Other one is my router,also 3 years so far,but like Neil some bouts in Hospitals,in Intensive Care etc,I have had Thyroid probs in the past,tho' not for a long while so was very concerned for Neil.Now I am boring you--but you asked.I have had and having dealings with Chai ATM with rather mixed feelings I may elaborate in the future depending on outcomes.Any'ow hope you all keep well like freedom,health is only valued when you lose it.Baz