Reply with QuoteThe latest project hot off the machine, not even cleaned up yet.
So much for "slop" in the bearings, that is just NOT a problem!!
Will put black paint in the carvings then lightly sand away any oopses!
(The cross is 1.75 inches tall)
Thanks for all the compliments, it adds a bit of fuel to the fire in your boiler to know that your piers appreciate your work.Originally Posted by LeeWay
The tip on wax is appreciated as well. I've used it on saw table and the face of hand saws as well but never even considered it for my slides. I will give it a try!
“ In questions of power, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.” Thomas Jefferson
The latest project hot off the machine, not even cleaned up yet.
So much for "slop" in the bearings, that is just NOT a problem!!
Will put black paint in the carvings then lightly sand away any oopses!
(The cross is 1.75 inches tall)
“ In questions of power, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.” Thomas Jefferson
Coming up on a year from the day I put in the 8020 bearings and still no adjustments needed and still no slop.
Just completed this piece, my first attempt at shabby-sheik / chalk paint style, be kind!
“ In questions of power, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.” Thomas Jefferson
Excellent results!
My bearings are still holding up. The biggest issue for me to keep the roller skate bearings working is dust control.
Dust shroud with shop vac. Added a Cyclone to capture some, finally bit the bullet and went with a 48qt Festtool vacuum. I really cringed at the price of the vacuum, but has made a huge difference (less noise) and does a great job of capturing fine dust. I can surface my MDF without tasting it!
My latest challenge is using the old shop vacuum with the MDF bleeder board to hold a sheet of aluminum down while cutting it. 2024-T3-0.025" I'd love a positive displacement vacuum, but out of my price range for what I want.
Tom, have you posted anything on the vacuum hold down system?
“ In questions of power, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.” Thomas Jefferson
I haven't posted anything.
If you make a sandwich with two MDF boards, and always cut the same pattern, then a dedicated hole gird to hold down the pieces work fine.
I'm cutting a unique item every time, so I'm letting the shop vacuum draw though the mdf itself. The vacuum area needs to closely match the items being held when you draw through the mdf. If you make a 12" x 24" area, solid aluminum sheet, with very little cutting it works. When I cut out a circle with 8" OD, 7.5" ID... just not enough holding power for the remaining 0.5" wide strip (my cutter is 0.25" in this case, and since the table has been plane surfaced I can cut 0.025" I can cut to the plastic protective layer). Solution is to use tabs -- but those are hard to clean up as the final items on the place have a 0.010" visible gap.
Shop vacuums, like the Shop Vac from HD, are meant for intermittent duty. With a vacuum hold down, and not enough cooling air passing over the motor they have been known to catch fire. Just wasn't designed to be left unattended. The Festtool design allows it to hold a vacuum, so better design (but pricey).
Quite a few threads in the ShopBot forums about this subject, but for my "attack a bunch of different projects, need a 4' x 4' hold down, and no two things the same the Busch Positive Displacement Pump is my best bet (those are $4K surplus). Occasional 12" x 12" engraved items, then draw through mdf works. Donek Tools who did the razor drag tool built a nice hold down table full of holes to hold material for the drag knife. No material is being cut away, just slicing, so that works great in that application.
Donek Tools video (using their razor drag knife).
Before I built my router I looked into such bearings and just didn't think they would have the strength or accuracy needed. Perhaps I was wrong. But either way I have gone the route of the skate bearings, in 4 years I have replaced the y bearings, as they seem to take the most abuse, and is where I find locked up or 'mashed' one's. Once a couple years ago I replaced some, and just replaced all of the y bearings (12) because I 'felt' it was time. Turned out more than half of those I pulled off were still in good shape.
Wood neophyte.
The project measures 9" X 12" therefore the letters are tiny. Any slop of lack of strength would glare at you especially given the colors.
First sprayed with white Krylon primer then two coats of Deft semi gloss. The whole front was then waxed heavily with Johnson's paste wax.
After the carving was done black acrylic was brushed over the circles and lettering with no particular care other than to get color into the grooves.
A final wax job to remove the unwanted color and the job is finished!
“ In questions of power, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.” Thomas Jefferson
I'm very happy that you're having success with your new bearings but as others here have mentioned - it all depends on what you need to accomplish. I very commonly use .0157" end mills to cut mother of pearl with my router and with the "slop" I see on some of your work, there's no way I'd be able to keep enough bits on hand to complete my jobs as they'd be breaking all the time.
That said, my machine has profile rails that cost many many times more than what you spent for yours. There's a place for everything.
-Andy B.
http://www.birkonium.com CNC for Luthiers and Industry http://banduramaker.blogspot.com
My, my.........I see no reason to get testy nor to hurl insults around and I will not engage you with like kind.
(1) Once upon a time I turned out work within to .001" of blue print on a machine that could swing a Volkswagen.
(3)Expensive equipment exists in places other than your shop. (Mine, for example.) Rest assured that it won't be used to produce $30.00 signs given as gifts.
(2) Congratulations on microscopic internet based vision that can detect flaws smaller than the resolution of the photos offered.
Enjoy whatever machine you have but if you are looking for a spat or cuss fight you will have to look else where as I am just not interested.
“ In questions of power, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.” Thomas Jefferson
I meant no insult or anything like that and if you re-read my first post, you'll see that there are no insults or nastyness in my post. Simply congratulations that you're having success with your bearings but that they might not be for everyone and a few anecdotes to back it up. Any hostility that was read into the post was on your end, not mine.
I'm not a machinist by trade and I doubt I could turn out work within .001" any time soon and certainly not with my machine. My post was meant simply to add me to the list of folks that say that the "tightness of a machine" is all relative and depending on one's needs, bearings like the type you're using might be a non starter for a lot of applications. Lot's of newbs (myself included at one time) read this forum and I think that it's worth reiterating that point was all.
The cost thing was brought up just because everything is a tradeoff. I have low end profile rails on my machine and I'm sure that some folks spend as much on a single rail as I did on my whole machine. Again, trade offs that are worth noting.
Even though it was un-intentional, please forgive me for offending you. Your machine looks great and the work you're putting out looks really good as well.
-Andy B.
http://www.birkonium.com CNC for Luthiers and Industry http://banduramaker.blogspot.com
Why not start your own thread and provide us with photos of your machine and your work. That way all those "newbs" can decide for themselves if the expenditure is right for their needs or if skate bearings, water pipe, cold-roll steel (Jgro or JoesCNC) is adequate. (Or, indeed, my system which is in that price range and is equal to of better than.)(Of course, in MHO)
BTW, am a retired machinist but all the things I have put on the Zone have been from the point of view of a up by your own boot straps poorboy diy.
“ In questions of power, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.” Thomas Jefferson
Re: 8020 build, Y-Z bearing upgrade
This post is a couple years old now with no updates, which is fine I guess. However I wonder if the OP would care to address how the bearings have held up over the years since it began. I'm building a new CNC and I'm considering this option for my x axis. Like the OP, my requirements are not measured in +/- .001 but more like .005-.010
Thanks.
Re: 8020 build, Y-Z bearing upgrade
In all this time the bearings have only been "adjusted" with shims once. Now I'm not a heavy commercial used but rather a hobbyist of modest requirements but the machine has not sat idle. I can't find any "slop" yet and am very happy with my choice of bearings.. Here is a repeat of ab earlier project, can you see a problem?
“ In questions of power, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.” Thomas Jefferson
Re: 8020 build, Y-Z bearing upgrade
Very nice work!
What CAD program are you using?
I'm still cutting what ever I can toss under the machine, from 0.060" gravograph to 1" aluminum plate. I hate cutting aluminum, way too noisy and just amazed my router has held up. I did get stumped with cutting threads (2" - 2 tpi) into oak. Threaded wooden shafts for a wooden workbench. Need to revisit that.
Biggest issue for me is shop moisture, little patina of rust on my 1/4" steel plates.
Half the battle is just love what you are doing, and keep on doing it. I'm doing my best to not let Parkinson's slow me down, but on cold days just didn't have finger control to set up the computer or table.
I've been messing with those skate bearings and adjustments.... just maintenance item, but impressed how well those slides have worked for you. Great idea, and worked nicely.
Oh, I said forget the vacuum table. Waste board, and a bunch of screws for thinner stuff (0.060" aluminum sheet), or clamps and heavy clamps on heavy stuff (like 1" thick aluminum plate).
Re: 8020 build, Y-Z bearing upgrade
Awesome work And nobody can kick that quality.
I'm going to use the 8020 bearings for my x axis (15 series 2-3x3 pieces stacked). I think it should be fine based on what I'm hearing, even if there are some detractors around. I did discover when the bearings arrived that there was a huge difference in how well they fit from one piece of extrusion to another. I have three 36" pieces of 3x3 here at present and one was so tight the bearing wouldn't hardly go on (and I doubt a stepper would have moved it), one was so lose I would have returned it had it been my only choice. But the third piece was absolutely perfect. Fortunately the other bearing fit one of the other extrusions just right - so I'll use those two extrusions to make up my gantry.
Thanks for the reply and keep quoting Jefferson. We sorely need a man like him today.........
Re: 8020 build, Y-Z bearing upgrade
Tom,
Sorry to hear of your condition, may God grease the rails for you. I've been fighting COPD 15 years or so...down to the point it's hard to get from the bed to the pot with all the huffing and puffing. No time for adjusting something each time I use it. But DO love what you do, you will do more and THAT will keep you living.
stargeezer,
Not all extrusions are 80-20 and each die produces a slightly different size. You can make it easier on your self by limiting to one source and if you must alter something pick the cheapest item on the menu!!
“ In questions of power, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.” Thomas Jefferson
Re: 8020 build, Y-Z bearing upgrade
Hi Tom.
I'm using CorelCad 2015 for cad, Mach 3 for machine control along with an assortment of design and drawing programs for generating graphic images. My current machine is a souped up Shapeoko from Inventables. I'll post a image in a little while.
I'm sorry to hear about your heath problems. I have MS myself and reside in a power wheelchair when not in bed. Life goes on and by the grace of God, I get up and work as hard as I can each day,
Larry
Re: 8020 build, Y-Z bearing upgrade
Forgot to tell you guys that I'm using Aspire (a gift, couldn't afford nor justify the expenditure) and does it ever simplify and magnify your talent. Drawing something is so much easier if done in the program that will produce the code.
Stay involved, stay strong!
jb
“ In questions of power, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.” Thomas Jefferson
Re: 8020 build, Y-Z bearing upgrade
Hi jhowelb, I'll check out Aspire, I'm not familiar with it.
Below are some pics of my current router and I'm sure you'll see that it's very light weight except for the electronics, steppers and the water cooled spindle. The spindle is pretty heavy for this gantry which measures 1 1/" x 1 1/2" and started as two 3/4" makers beams that weren't even connected together. I added a piece of aluminum 1 1/2" x 1/4" between them and bolted them to gain as much strength as possible. It's still very wimpy so I have decided to remake the entire machine from the ground up.
Can you tell I once was an industrial electrician???
I've learning a bunch from the Shapeoko, but I can't wait to get the 8020 frame together and running. The current machine will allow me to cut the plates I need from 1/2" Aluminum plate if I cut it very slowly, but as soon as they are done, off with the makerslide.
Have a good night and thanks for the inspiration.
Larry
