DIY Cable Carrier

[epineh]

all of this is great, but i have to interject that a yellow stripe is definately faster than red or blue... hehehe

Hmm I am seeing a pattern here, maybe blue is faster in the UK, yellow in the USA and red here in Australia, possibly a specific Earth polar coordinate phenomenon ...or possibly I need to catch up on some sleep.

Still got my money on red though hehe

Russell.

[greybeard]

Seeing immediately the connection between the polar coordinate and the spectral order, I asked my wife which way round the colours went in the rainbow - " It depends which side your'e standing on" - but then she hasn't had much sleep lately, either.

John

[Guldberg]

Here is my go of an energy chain, it runs fine though a bit rough, proberly because i was to busy making it work to makeing fine cuts
Pictures and links for a video of it in action in my log: First router - Modified solsylva design

[bigz1]

I know it sometimes more fun to build your own than buy. But found this Cavotec energy chain in in RS components.

RS Stock no. 454-6235

at £12 + VAT its not much more expensive than if I bought some trunking and bolts.

[Guldberg]

Nice, i plowed through the rs catalogue several times never noticed this, for that price i dont even bother making it myself:-)

[CNCezee]

Hi
I have been pondering cable chains for some time and think I have come up with a workable solution.

A strip of 0.15" steel shim 1.250" wide anchor each leaving a loop and attach the cables with lose woven "Chinese finger and cable ties threaded through holes drilled at regular intervals.

If the weight of your cables is too heavy for the shim to support add more shim strip, with each end permanently anchored and the radius of the bend roughly constant the shims will not slide against each other enough to shear the ties

My Machine www.foundry-fopars.co.uk and navigate to CNC Project.

Roger

[epineh]

Have you got any pics of your chain roger ?

I looked on your site at your machine and couldn't see any chain. Nice build btw.

I have seen your site before, loved it, my father was a moulder by trade, and we often talk about making some aluminium rollers for my boat trailer. We visited your site for inspiration quite a few times...

As for buying ready made stuff, unfortunately the "cheap" chain seems to increase exponentially as soon as it travels over a few oceans and lands on my doorstep, I think I will still be making my own.

Russell.

[CNCezee]

Hi Russell,

No I have not taken any, to be honest i am waning in enthusiasm at the moment, but your comments will certainly result in a bit more work.

Thanks for the comment on the website.

as to the cable chain, it has evolved slightly, the basic design remains the same using the steel shim strip, but i have made 15 plastic rectangle carrying clips that i will screw to the shim using M2.5mm screws at regular intervals, so watch this space or www.foundry-fopars.co.uk for photographic details.

Roger

[bigz1]

Has anyone thought of using metal curtain rails to carry the cable?

[CNCezee]

Hi, My experance with the metal curtan rails is that they jam just by looking at them.

Roger

[bigz1]

I agree their are many poor designs. But how about these types inteneded for heavy curtains.

The 3rd photo is very inexpensive at £18 for 3m.

http://www.curtainsware.com/id21.html

[joecnc2006]

I would think with all the kinks being done with all the hangers, it is more places where the cable can get snaged or bend to much in one place unlike the cable cariers, which has a uniform and even curve for the cables not to mention protection from anything snagging it or chance of something falling against the cables...

joe