IH way covers

[Runner4404spd]

anyone find something better than the accordian bellow that cover the ways? mine are alsways falling appart and i'm tired of fixing them. also they get clogged with chips alot and get thrown off track. should i just run without them?

[Cruiser]

I depend on coolant flood to keep ways washed off. No matter what you do some of the fine swarf will find its way into where you don't want it. but it mostly depends on what you cut and feed rates. cast iron is bigest offender for swarf. I'd really like something to protect my ballnuts tho, when i had to open my z ballnut, i found some fine in there ! we do need to come up with something that works ! ON this i agree, but the space at the limits of travel makes it really difficult to design something that will function. What we need now i guess is a real brain storm !

[Runner4404spd]

i guess the real issues comes when using the mill manually.

[IHCNC]

What we use on our Turnkey CNC Mills is a 7"x16" piece of neoprene/vinyl/buna-n rubber sheeting. McMaster #85175k77. Make a angle shape bracket to fit over the dovetail (use the accordion as a model). Rivet the material to the bracket and then use the original top screw holes to mount it. Works great.

[Runner4404spd]

thanks guys, thats along the lines of what i was thinking of adding, but it didn't seem sophisticated enough. i can see that working on the vertical ways but what about the horizontal ways behind the table? maybe its not worth covering?

[IHCNC]

Use the way cover that comes with the mill. It is good rubber and is easy to clean. Same goes for the front, but it is made of steel.

[Runner4404spd]

the rear rubber has cracked in multiple places and i need to replace it. i do alot of work with my IH mill and it does everything i need.

[IHCNC]

The McMaster-Carr #85175k83 at 3/16 will work, just make two 1/8" to 3/16" x1" aluminum strips to mount it to the column and slide.