With the ever growing popularity of hobby cnc's, Roland Friestad of Cardinal Engineering is hosting the first ever (I believe) hobby/industrial cnc show. Roland has been the driving force in the cnc articles published in The Home Shop Machinist (HSM) magazines for many years. He was also responsible for co-ordinating the cnc area and lectures at the North American Model Engineering Show(NAMES) for as long as I can remember! Here is the link for the show page http://www.cnc-workshop.com/. Hope to see a lot of people attending! Rick (Rick-O-matic)

Roland has updated some of the pages. Check back often to check for additional information! Rick

Gee Rick....what we would really like to know about is the design of your Rick-O-Matic spindle.

Hi Vipertx. A lot of people have asked about the spindle. I guess I have been too lazy to show everyone how easy it is to make. The Rick-O-matic is in North Carolina right now, and I am in Michigan. When I get back down to the warm and green south next week, I will post some pics and diagrams for it. (a picture is worth a thousand keystrokes) I will be demonstrating at the cnc show in June. It's going to be a blast! A week with other nut's that actually want to hear about the cnc stuff (unlike my wife, who just nods her head and smiles when I show her my "cool" stuff!) Talk to ya later, Rick http://www.cnc-workshop.com/

Hey Rick, thanks for the response. I'm sure everyone here is waiting with "bated" breath for those pics.

Thanks,
Paul

The cnc show has a new registation form. Please check back often for new updates! http://www.cnc-workshop.com/ . Looks like a lot of people are coming so far! Rick

Tried to register, got the following error:

DynaForm Error - Invalid Domain
You have accessed DynaForm from an external domain - this is not allowed.
You may only submit forms to a DynaForm file that exists on the same domain name.
If you believe to be receiving this message in error, please refer to your readme.txt file.

Any ideas?

I am not sure what may have happened. You might have tried to log in while the site was being updated. Try again, and please let me know if you still have problems. Thanks! Rick

Roland has updated the cnc workshop website with new information. Sounds like this may be the "woodstock" of the cnc Hobbiests! LOL! Rick

Just to remind everyone that the CNC seminar and show is less than a week away! I hope a lot of you are coming, as this may become a new "tradition" like the NAMES show was in the past! Imagine, people coming to see and exchange ideas about our hobby! Not like family and friends who get that "glassy eyed" look and say "that's nice" and walk out of the room! (can you tell that I am getting excited!) I looked forward to demonstrating at the NAMES show every year, and now we have our "own" show! If you are coming PLEASE stop by and tell me who you are! See ya next week!! Rick (Rick-O-Matic)

I'm a newcomer to the CNC world, but me and a buddy from Wisconsin will be making it this year to the CNC workshop. Hope to see all of you there!

The great thing about this show is we will have a LOT of information available. From the "cheap and free" stuff (that's what I do!) to the high end products and services. Bring a note pad! I have found that in any conversation I always learn something new or a better way to do it!
This should be a great week! Stop by and say "hi" when you are there!
Also, a lot of the EMC (linux) guys will be there also!
http://www.cnc-workshop.com/
Have fun! Make chips, not smoke! Rick

Just wanted to let everyone know the show is great!!! It's been a great week so far and if you get the chance stop by Saturday or Sunday. A lot of the guys have been here all week long! Will post pics sometime next week! Rick

will there be pictures posted? Sure would like to go but I am about 1500 miles ot the west and have to work for a living.

Wow! What a blast! (fun and heat!) It was damn hot the whole week, but that sure didn't stop us from having a GREAT time! It was so cool to meet in the flesh with all the guys I have met on the web. When Roland gets the pictures together I will post the website they are on. He did a GREAT job putting this on! On the second day he was already talking about the next years show! I did the "cheap and free" talks and other people did seminars. Machines were retrofitted, and a lot was learned! The EMC guys were retrofitting an old Mazak. They worked in a pole barn building EVERY DAY in the sweltering heat, sometimes until 1 or 2 AM!!!!! Those guys are like pit bulls, they just don't quit!!!!
Everything went so smoothly, that you would have thought that these have been going on for years... And hopefully it will continue for years!
11 months and counting down..........................Rick

Rick,
We met at the show. I agree it was a blast and I learned a great deal. Could you post the mcmaster ball screw number you talked about...or was it not mcmaster?
Thanks, Matt

Had a great time meeting everyone there and gathered an invaluable amount of information the whole time. I was astonished by how nice everyone was and how smoothly things went. I hope this workshop goes on for years to come.

Hi Matt! The Mcmaster carr # is 5966K16 for the ball nut 23.50 ea. The screw stock is 5966k26 @1.25 per inch and the balls to replace the 68 that are in the nut are part # 9529K11, 100 for $4.75. Sure was a great show! Although the ride home (9hrs) was a drag.... See ya next year? Rick

Thanks Rick,
I reset my trip meter on the jeep when I left the house. I put 2086 miles on round trip. Stopped at my sister's house in IN and then on my way to Cameron IL. I hope to be there next year, but Roland was thinking about up-ing the date to May, which is crunch time for teachers in NY. I learned a great deal at the show and enjoyed talking to the vendors as well as making a few new friends. I was one of the die hards that arrived on Monday and stayed until Friday.

I'm going into school tomorrow to work on a design for a small router and tweak my HF conversion. The Rick-o-matic made me jealous since you were getting more power out of those tiny steppers than I was out of ones twice the size. But I'll fix that!

Thanks again, Matt

will there be pictures posted?

Here's the IMService report from the workshop:

http://ww.imsrv.com/cncworkshop/


Fred Smith - IMService
http://www.cadcamcadcam.com/hobby

Hi Matt! The Mcmaster carr # is 5966K16 for the ball nut 23.50 ea. The screw stock is 5966k26 @1.25 per inch and the balls to replace the 68 that are in the nut are part # 9529K11, 100 for $4.75. Sure was a great show! Although the ride home (9hrs) was a drag.... See ya next year? Rick
I have been looking at these ball screws and nuts , and was wondering if they were .200 lead rather than 13/64 (.203125) lead. The balls that you mentioned, are they to remove the backlash fromt the nut? Could you go into detail on the process of loading oversized balls into the nut? Also what size are the stock balls in these nuts. Thank you in advance.

I have no idea why they are listed as 13/64. When we checked them they are .200 per turn. As for the balls themselves, the nuts have varying sized and not always round balls in them. As I discussed at the cnc workshop, the original application is probably a low tolerance, low friction device. By replacing the balls with what the nut is designed for, brings it in within .001 play on my machine. I personally don't see the need for preloaded double nut assemblies, in a hobby machine. I have made many parts, and gizmos and have been very happy with the results. I will have a LOT of examples of "how to move things" at next years show, now that I have an idea of what we will need there. I am also bringing my casting furnace and anodizing settup for even more fun! LOL! I should have my website up in 2 weeks with LOTS of my weird information.... Rick

I got out to the show on Saturday for a couple of hours and got a Chance to meet Rick and a few others. Unfortuneately I missed the big crowd and most of the "swap Meet" items. But I did get to see the "Rick-O-Matic" in action and for a Little mill it was very smooth and quiet and seemed like it was quite a capable little machine. Rick had several examples of homemade and bought linear motion alternatives. He showed me the litle ball screws that you guys are refering to, and I don't know if the nut that was on the screw already had the balls swapped or not, but it was smooth. And if reloading them can get to within .001" that's pretty good and software Backlash comp can work effectively with .001".

I'm looking at retro fitting my little Sieg X-1 mill with them shortly as that is one of the only ball nuts that I've seen that you can actually fit a ball nut retainer in the limited space beneath the ways.

Nice meeting you Rick.

Rick
It was a pleasure meeting with you last week. As a new person to CNC I had one of the most overwhelming educational experiences of my life. It was just so much information and Enthusiasm from so many people. Have you had any other feedback? And please I would love to know more about the Rickomatic and the Big Rick you are making.

After only 2 days into the show, Roland was already talking about next years show! Yes, I have had a LOT of feedback from people who attended, as well as those who could not be there. I am going to stop responding to this thread,(on the ball screw topic) as it was for the cnc show, but I will start a thread discussing the "ball screw" topic later this week.
Roland is keeping the site up (I believe) and although next year is a ways off, you just may want to bookmark it to check back later.
The Show might be earlier next year, sometime in May. Bad for the teachers that attended, but good for cooler weather.
I can only imagine that next years show will be even BIGGER and better!
Thanks again for all the guys who came and put up with me, it was great meeting you all! If you get a chance, drop Roland a e-mail and tell him "thanks!" He and his staff were great! Thanks Roland! Rick
ps, check the future Home Shop Machinist magazines , our pictures just might be there?!?

Glad to hear the recent CNC Workshop was a success ... Kentech Inc.
was one of the companies that donated some products to help cover the
costs to Roland and the Workshop. I know Roland handed out our
discount coupon to the attendees of the workshop but we wanted to make
sure that any and all got the chance to save if desired so here it is
for all.

40% Off any Software Title through July 13th.

Visit the link : http://www.kentechinc.com/special-offer.shtml

This link is not available from the main site ... and the offer is
extended to any and all till July 13th.

Software titles include conversational CNC programming for mill and
lathe, CNC programming training and many other titles.

We invite all to take a look and save.

Kentechinc

I was a winner of one of your software packages.

I appreciate the donation and the support.

Joe Welker

I guess I should have thanked all the companies and products that were donated for the raffle. Although the show was held at Rolands shop, I know that there were costs involved (BIG tent, tables,chairs,porta john...) and there were some GREAT, and I do mean GREAT raffle prizes! I dipped into my return trip gas money to buy a few... (I really wanted those Gekkos and ballscrews!) I did win a servo motor and Steve Stalling won one and gave it to me (new rick-o-matic?), but anyway, the prize table looked like a cnc builders dream! I don't want to start thanking everyone, because I might leave someone out that I can not remember, BUT, THANKS for all the help and support! By the way, I am not affiliated with the show, I am like the "unofficial Wendys spokesman". But, I had a GREAT time talkin' bout CNC!!!!!! Rick

Hi Joe,

Congrats ... we'll be looking forward to "meeting" you and doing all we can to insure the package is a good fit for you.

Don't hesitate to let us know if you need anything.

http://www.cnczone.com/gallery/data/500/medium/DCP_2143.JPG

A link to a few pictures of the cnc workshop.

OK, I give up. Can you please tell me what the folder name is? I found them, but I don't know where they are. Rick
ps. The tent shot is like "where's Waldo! I can just make myself out! (next to Fred Smith-IMS) Please send them to Roland also. Rick

Rick, thanks for the info, .001 sounds good to me, I was going to use them as is with about .003 backl;ash and be happy with that. I have never loaded a ball nut on to the screw, are thier any tricks to this. I envision after removing the stock balls puting the nut on the screw with no balls and no return tube and them filling the nut with the new ball while turning the screw to work the balls aroun the nut. Once the nut was full, then fill the return tube and reattach it.Is this corect or is thier a better way.

A link to a few pictures of the cnc workshop.

Hey I don't see any CNCzone hats, looks like next year I will need to supply for all. :)

Hi Paul. The fact that we (cnc hobbiests) have a place to "hang out" is great! The fact that you had little banners linking to the show was also a lot of help! The full page handouts of my "cheap and free" websites were listed in order of importance... Cnczone was #1 on the list! So, some hats for next years raffle would be great! I wanted to say "way cool", but that may give away my age! LOL!! Thanks for the great site and all the hard work it takes! Rick

Errol Groff who attended the show has put some pics on a webpage! Thanks Errol!! http://neme-s.org/CNC_Workshop/CNC_Workshop_1.htm Rick

Has anyone talked to Roland? I cannot seem to get a hold of him?

Hey I don't see any CNCzone hats, looks like next year I will need to supply for all. :)

I had my CNC Zone hat on in this picture. That's me in the center sitting with a black tee shirt on.

http://neme-s.org/CNC_Workshop/CNC_Workshop_38.htm

Hi again to all that attended the recent CNC-Workshop. This is just a reminder that the Kentech Inc. / CNC-Workshop Special Offer ... save 40% on our CNC / Machine Shop software titles ends this Wednesday ... July 13th.

Here's the link for more information :
http://www.KentechInc.com/special-offer.shtml

Happy CNC'ing !!

Has anyone heard from Rick lately? I've sent several Emails and a PM without response. Hope all is well.....

Dave Rigotti
HobbyCNC.com

The show was great, the SWAP Meet was great. I love the fact that we can talk with the gurus.

Art from MACH2 was very interesting and as I said at the time "IT IS LIKE SITTING AT THE FEET OF THE ORACLE". I did not have my digital camera there, and I wish I had.

I talked with ROLAND and he says that the potential date for the second CNC WORKSHOP is mid MAY next year.

Has anyone heard from Rick lately? I've sent several Emails and a PM without response. Hope all is well.....

Dave Rigotti
HobbyCNC.com

Trying to get in contact with Rick on some unfinished business from the Workshop. Anybody know where he is?

Dave Rigotti

DId you try emailing him? I don't think he comes around here too often. Prior to him posting about this show, I think he had less than 10 posts here. Click on his Username in one of his posts to send an email.

Of course I have emailed him. PM too! Left several phone messages to no avail.

Dave Rigotti

Rick
I talked to you in Toledo. I posted my pictures on the benchtop forum. I will see you at the cncworkshop in May.
Dead Nuts