[CENTER][B]Here is my take on a z-axis cover. I'm sick an tired of wiping and cleaning the z-axis thread and ways from chips and coolant. In my enclosure thread, I mention this vinyl that I bought at home-depot. Well, it was obvious that I had too use the extra I had and make a new cover for my y-axis and now a full connection between the z-axis and y-axis! I'll let the pictures do the explaining.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a96/SpeedsCustom/th_3years047-1.jpg (http://s9.photobucket.com/albums/a96/SpeedsCustom/?action=view&current=3years047-1.flv)
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a96/SpeedsCustom/3years023.jpg
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a96/SpeedsCustom/3years025.jpg
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a96/SpeedsCustom/3years038.jpg
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a96/SpeedsCustom/3years040.jpg
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a96/SpeedsCustom/3years043.jpg
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a96/SpeedsCustom/3years044.jpg
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a96/SpeedsCustom/3years045.jpg
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a96/SpeedsCustom/3years046.jpg
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a96/SpeedsCustom/3years049.jpg

Looks like a good working solution to me.

In what section at Home Depot can we find this Vinyl?

Steve

Go too the bathtub/shower section. It's lining for the tubs and showers.


-Jason

I did pretty much the same thing, except I used cheap $.98 rubber car floor mats. Good job, now get that dampeners made!!!!!

True True! I'm working on it :)


-Jason

Speeds - I had a very similar setup (see: http://tinyurl.com/6cgx97) and I just removed it because I was "crashing" my vice into my Z-axis screw. Although I miss having the ways protected, the comfort of the line-of-sight to know where my mill bed, vice, fixture, etc is is worth more. Just food for thought.

Good Point, very good point actually. Thats why I have too install limit switches.


-Jason

You might find that limit switches are not the best answer. I have limit switches on both ends of my Y-axis... but the problem is that when I use certain fixtures or vices, I loose some range on my Y because the height of that particular vice/fixture will hit the Z-screw.

You wouldn't want to install a limit switch to prevent this by shortening your Y-travel, as it's only a problem with certain vices/fixtures.

Sweet, I'm going to check out Lowes to see if they have the same thing.
Looks like the swarf just washes away, it just piles up on my corrugated bellows.

I don't really have swarf. I run my coolant everyday too make sure it always cycles. Anything on the mill, I just try and blow away. Nothing ever smells. In fact, I love the smell of my shop.

Tikka- Your right, it makes sense. But I still plan on install limit switch anyway. I rarely cut anything "huge" anyway. And If I do, it wouldn't be using that vise.


Hoss, check out lowes, its really sweet.



-Jason

one thing i did was scribe a line in the base on the side of the bottom base where the x-y saddle slides. When the saddle gets near this mark i know im close to the y limit!

Good Point. One thing I'm going too "re do" is how I connected it too the spindle base. It looks dumb. I'm just going too use a piece of aluminum and make two bends at the end and connect the vinyl too it. The two end of the bend will be drilled and that what will attach too the mounting holes.

I'm all about clean looks and how things work, but it's got too be flashy :)


-Jason

another thing I would do is put a piece of that vinyl so that it over hangs your X and Y steppers to keep coolant off of them..........

It's already on my Y-axis, I replaced the stock one as it was getting ugly and torn up. I'm going too be putting it over the x-axis too.


-Jason