Junk pile finds

**knudsen** · 05-26-2010, 11:36 AM

Not to further pollute the 4 x 5 threads

I found two of these in the junk pile today:

Or very similar. 6 leads, they say 200 steps per revolution, 300 oz/in. Big enough for CNC? Physically they are huge, 2.7" between bolt holes and 5 or 6 in long.

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**blades** · 05-26-2010, 01:14 PM

Two is a good number!
I did read somewhere that it's not a good idea to use the older round steppers. Gosh, I wish I could remember where I saw that, but they cited a couple good reasons.
That's a pretty hefty size for 300 oz/in. Certainly that is powerful enough, but with a newer stepper you can get that same tq in a considerably smaller package.

That being said, I'm pretty sure there's no reason you couldn't use them. I wonder if the mounting flange is a standard NEMA 23?

Working for Toyota, I have to sadly see a lot of good "junk" head off to the dumpster, and there's nothing I can do.

**knudsen** · 05-26-2010, 02:03 PM

Yah, the automotive manufacturers are funny about that. Cat used to let anyone take anything home, but then everyone took everything home, so they had to kibosh it.

That's a funny pic., it's actually a square bolt hole pattern, like nema, but I measured and googled and it seem to not be nema. Probably means VERY old. I've got another big one, that probably is nema, and I can probably get one or two more.

I've got 6 smaller steppers, square, maybe nema 17's. Seem too small for doing much good. There will likely be more to come. I won't need to buy any small diameter stainless or Al for a long, long time.

**blades** · 05-26-2010, 08:17 PM

Nema 17's are what i was thinking abour using if i did a conversion on the new little HF lathe, but decided to go with 23's if i do anything with it.

**knudsen** · 05-27-2010, 08:32 AM

Two of those are mounted to nice smooth lead screws about 4 or 5 in long. The thread count is a little course though. So they may be ready to go if they are strong enough. I'll have to see if I can find the specs. Japanese made, for a US autosampler. Unfortunately, they bear the autosampler manufacturers part number, so there might not be much to go on. They're strong enough that they sound like a spoon in the garbage disposal when knocked out of sync.

**blades** · 05-27-2010, 08:55 AM

Can you post a couple pics of the 17's?

What's going on at work? House cleaning? Sounds like you're the right man on the job to oversee recycling efforts!

I once snagged a couple of industrial grade light curtains from one of our machine build vendors that were headed for the dumpster. I put them across the garage door opening hooked up to a nice red LED cluster light on the front wall. As soon as you cleard the light curtain pulling into the garage, the light would come on. Sort of like a high-tech version of a tennis ball on a string. Anyway, it was a great help to maximize room in the front of the garage where my workbench was.

This has absolutely nothing to do with stepper motors, but everything to do with recycling! :rainfro:

**knudsen** · 05-27-2010, 11:44 AM

Yup, some of the labs are cleaning and some are moving. The motors all came from our lab, which is just cleaning up and moving out the old junk instruments. Sure, I'll get a pic or two as soon as I get out to the garage. Right now, when I get off work, I go lie flat on my back

**blades** · 05-27-2010, 12:43 PM

Hope you get healed up pretty quick!

**knudsen** · 05-27-2010, 02:25 PM

Getting close to two weeks and it's getting old! City sent me a letter about my hedge growing out into the ally. I got the wife cutting the grass tho

I figure it's the least she can do since I can't get her to take a third job so I can buy junk.

I did manage to woddle over to the junk pile and pull out 4 steels rods about 1/2" x 4 ft. Mystery metal, but I won't be buying small steel for a long, long time. It's probably cheap cold roll mild. It's used for those stands that have the clamps to hold beakers. I have at least that much stainless and Al too. Now, what to make? A cane maybe LOL

**blades** · 05-27-2010, 07:20 PM

ROFL!! WHAT?!? Your loving wife won't take a 3rd job to support a junk buying habit? LOL!
You poor, neglected man!

Doesn't much sound like you'll have to buy much anymore anyway. Exellent find on all that raw material.

**knudsen** · 06-09-2010, 11:45 PM

I did get her to work a little over-time last week

Check this one out. I tore apart two old HPLC pumps to see how it works and to get the SS hardware and what-nots, and found what looks to me like a 4 x 5 lathe's face plate (in the rough). SS might not be the optimal material, but it should work.

The pumps had encoders and another big stepper motor, not to mention plenty of cast aluminum.

**blades** · 06-13-2010, 09:15 AM

What the heck kind of contraption is that? Looks like some sort of eccentric rotors in it.
Looks like some nice hardware though!

Got back home on Friday, but it will be a few days before I can get my cable Internet back on. One of my neighbors has "free" wi-fi, but the signal is really weak.
He should upgrade his wireless router! :rainfro:

**knudsen** · 06-14-2010, 10:43 AM

What the heck kind of contraption is that?

It's an HPLC pump. Typically, they have two cams that press on roller followers that push a sapphire piston to create thousands of PSI at low flow rates (.1 to 1.5 mL/min... rated at up to 5 mL/min, but no one runs that "fast").

This one is unique. The first I've seen like it. It has parts similar to a connecting rod for a gasoline engine to push the pistons. So, it has the cams, with ball bearings pressed on, they the connecting rods pressed over the bearings. I'll bet they never fail. Other than the user serviceable pistons, seals and check valves. The check valves have ruby balls. Sapphire pistons and check valves are about $100 each. Seals I think around $20. So if you shut it down and let it sit until the mobile phase wrecks the check valve and seals, then run it so the salts that have precipitated scratch the pistons, you're in for $650ish for parts and $160/hr labor if you don't DIY. New pump is $5000 +. The pump we made had mechanical problems and would cost up to $3500 to fix the cams/followers. Been a few years since I played that ballgame though. Phenomenal markup on parts and labor. Angry customers. Travel. Hiring/firing. I'm glad to be out! It is fun to tear stuff apart or work in one of our labs at my "new" job though.

Too bad I never thought of the slogan while I was there, "BAS Service, we have ruby balls." The company has moved on too, now mostly a service industry and the manufacturing they do is mostly animal handling and microdialysis. When you get bored on your travels, hit bioanalytical.com. Used to be a real fun company, until they went public.

**knudsen** · 06-14-2010, 01:40 PM

Got back home on Friday, but it will be a few days before I can get my cable Internet back on. One of my neighbors has "free" wi-fi, but the signal is really weak.
He should upgrade his wireless router!

Tell that guy I said to get a repeater and antennae up on his roof! Or you'll

him! No reason he can't spend $100 on your connectivity.

**MrWild** · 06-14-2010, 02:20 PM

Eat some Pringles

http://www.oreillynet.com/cs/weblog/view/wlg/448

**knudsen** · 06-14-2010, 03:10 PM

Become your own ISP! Just don't charge too much, or they might rebel when they see the pringles cans on their roof.

**knudsen** · 06-16-2010, 08:49 PM

Finally got out and remembered to get some motor pics

#1, found a nice clean spot on the floor to grab pics

#2, the smaller motor, top # is the instrument manfg p/n and not motor makers p/n

#3, 2 or 3 are an these coarse but glassy smooth acme lead screws with optical limit switches

#4 I think I can get 2 more of these big ones, much more modern and half the depth of those big blue honkers.

#5 I have a few of these geared DC motors. I dunno what reduction they have.

**knudsen** · 06-16-2010, 09:03 PM

Today's haul, dawg sold separately:

1, lot of SS bits and pieces. Most of the SS hex has a hole through, and may be almost hollow half way through, then a very small hole on the other end. Stapler, hole punch and 4 bbl tape dispenser for the garage, I'll take it

2, another pump to yank apart. Big mic thingy. Like to make a micro x-y table and the mic could about be y. Casting is made to bolt to something flat if I can machine the top to have the x gibs. Looks like I'm halfway done!

3, Blue hex Al and rivet shaped ones. Almost useless looking, but cool. Rate a pullout drawer

4, 3 or 4 inch hydraulic/pneumatic actuator. Very cool and may go well with:

5, hydraulic/pneumatic valves.

**knudsen** · 06-16-2010, 09:21 PM

While I was laid up, I sorted out several coffee cans of fasteners and reorganized the bins a bit. This is a 35 year collection, including tons of NavAir Spec, graded and stainless. Couple of bins are not shown. I guess 1/3 or 1/4 was purchased, usually in bulk at TSC, the rest scrounged up and taken off junk. It's really nice to have the screw or bolt you need on hand. Sometimes that's a design around what I have, but an unplanned trip to the hardware store can wipe out a play night.

I started to whack up one of those cast Al pump castings to get some the thicker plates and bearing journals off it.

Going to tear the other pump up now.