Machine Maintanance

[mikemill]

I had a grinding noise from the Y axis on my X3, have had it before on other axis,turned out to be the useual crimp/connection problem, so did the connection checks, still nasty noise. Then disconnected motor from ball screw and motor turned no noise?? then tried to push the Y axis slide, would not move, put my finger on the slideway dry as a bone. Had to losen off gib strip and brush some oil on the ways to get all working smothly. I have worked with machine tools for over forty years and usualy keep machines clean and looked after, but this one got the better of me.
Moral of the tale, check your machine over from time to time and oil your ways!!!

Thanks
Mike

[Ed from NY]

Yes I noticed that because the way in which the ways are exposed they all (X, Y, Z) get washed out by coolant (and in the case of Y and Z, shavings as well) fairly quickly. Dependending on how you use the machine you might want to have a maintenance schedule where you get the swarf out from underneath the saddle and out of Z stepper area, clean and lubricate the ways, and readjust the X and Y gibs. How often will depend on how you use your machine

[CJCNC]

I like to shoot way oil every time I turn it on..
Living in Florida, if I don't keep some kind of oil film over it, it will start showing the effects of rust rather quickly.

[mikemill]

Ed good point re coolant washing away oil on ways, as I use minimum coolant
I had not concidered it a reason for the ways to dry up, but must be the cause. Thanks for the info, just have to be more vigulant with the oil can.

Mike

[Ed from NY]

If you are using carbide it is said that you either want a lot of coolant or no liquid coolant at all. This is to avoid thermal shock which causes early wear of the tool. So you would be left with continous plentifull coolant, mist, air blast (40 psi is fine), and no coolant. With carbide, if your steel chips are lightly tanned or even a saturated blue you do not "need" coolant, at least not for temp control. If your chips are midnight blue you probably do. You can brush oil on the surface to be cut before you start the cut for lubrication if you want it.

This probably will not work in every case, but it provides a few pointers. Not sure about aluminum as I never cut it dry. Then there is chip evacuation.