Viper-X2 40x60 Build

[LouF]

Yes very nice thread like the videos can't wait to see more updates..

[BanduraMaker]

Lubricating the 2510 lead screw with a spray-on lithium grease was fast and effective. Once the grease was applied, the ballscrew was half as loud and moved much smoother with less resistance.

Just a quick FYI - you may end up wiping all of that grease off again - which is actually quite a bit harder than spraying it on .

I got some grease on my ballscrew and it screws up the motion something serious - tons of lost steps. It was only after speaking with George that he told me the screws should be run DRY otherwise you'll get symptoms like that. I wiped the screw clean and after 10 minutes of wiping, things started working again.

The ballnut should be greased though the fitting - just be careful not to over grease it so too much grease comes out the other end - that's what happened to me.

Running dry also doesn't attract as many chips.

[pencil_&_paper]

Thank you for your suggestion Bandura, it's good info to know. It will be interesting to see how they perform once I start testing.

I researched this subject prior to lubricating. I also wiped all excess grease from my screw off with a rag after spraying. Here's a quote from Thomson linear motion:

"Again, in unprotected conditions, the lubricant is best
applied with a lubricant-dampened cloth, taking care not to leave an
excessive film thickness on the screw. Ball screws should never be
run dry."

"For most applications, a good 10W30 oil periodically wiped on the screw shaft
with a damp cloth or applied by a drip or mist lubricator will suffice."

Here's the PDF:

http://www.thomsonlinear.com/website...ication_en.pdf

[BanduraMaker]

Hmmm...learn something new every day. Until I wiped mine off - which would still leave a thin film - I got massive stalling whenever the ballnut hit a grease patch.

Maybe it all has to do with not too thick a coat on there. I'll be sure to run an oily rag on mine from time to time.

[pencil_&_paper]

I'll go back to the posts and add a footnote to make sure to wipe any excess grease or oil off the lead screw, and that it can/should also be applied with a lubricant-dampened cloth.

Thanks again for the help.

[LouF]

Good tips now we know about the grease..

[aarggh]

Although it's a little more expensive than some other lubricants, there's a product called "fluid film" I'll be trying that's seem's to have a good wrap-up from users, and is a great all round lube and anti-rust that doesn't seem to clog or build-up.

I did find with my smaller machine the grease used (el-cheapo crap I suspect) was built up from the movement and in the cold weather caused heaps of lost steps as the nylon ball-nut couldn't overcome the resistance at those spots. Took me a little time working out what was causing that! Wiped off all the grease and gave a light spray of wd-40 and all came perfect again!

cheers,
Ian

[theremin]

Hmmm...learn something new every day. Until I wiped mine off - which would still leave a thin film - I got massive stalling whenever the ballnut hit a grease patch.

Maybe it all has to do with not too thick a coat on there. I'll be sure to run an oily rag on mine from time to time.

I've been keeping the ballnuts packed with grease, but occasionally wiping the screws down with motor oil. Seems to work well so far.

Dave

[pencil_&_paper]

I thought this might be helpful for others that need to buy an inverter for their spindles.

While I was waiting for my table-top, I noticed that the output of my inverter (0-240Hz) was lower than the Base Frequency of my Teknomotor spindle (300Hz). I read through the inverter manual and here's what it said:

"The BASE FREQUENCY determines the V/Hz ratio by setting the output frequency at which the drive will output full voltage to the motor. In most cases, the BASE FREQUENCY should be set to match the motor's rated frequency."

That means to get full RPM from my spindle, I would need an inverter that outputs 300Hz. Just to confirm that I would need a different inverter, I emailed the application engineers at AC Tech and they confirmed I would. Here's my email to them along with their response.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Model: SM230S
HP: 3
KW: 2.2
Manual: SM01
S/N: 13046426364801134
Spindle: Teknomotor 2.0kW C41 Series
Type: 41470168
Base Frequency: 300
Base RPM: 18000
Product guide:Catalogue, Teknomotor

The SM230S has an output of 0-240Hz, whereas the spindle has a base frequency of 300Hz. Does the inverter need to provide an output of 300Hz if the spindle base frequency requires 300Hz?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To get full speed out of the spindle motor you will need a drive that has a 300Hz output. The SMVector would be one drive, it has an output up to 500Hz.

Regards,
Applications Engineer
Lenze Americas

[gio666]

If you load ballnut full of grease it will last a long time. Load ballnut and move back and forth then wipe off all grease on ballscrew. You won't be running dry because nut holds lots of grease. Any grease on ballscrew or rails will hold all small dust and plug up bearings. Number one killer is over greasing. If there is grease in ballnut you will never have problem.

[pencil_&_paper]

I don't endorse any website, but here's the links to where I bought my fasteners for securing the table-top. This will be useful for others that need to buy these screws, and aren't sure.

The 40 x 60 Viper-X2 machine will only will need 40 of each. 10 table-top sections with 4 holes in each. Your needs may vary, and there's most likely many places you can buy them at. I'll post a video as soon as the fasteners arrive.

M6 x 25 Hex Socket Flathead Screws (100 pcs)

M6 x 25mm Hex Socket Flat Head Alloy Steel Screws 100Pcs - DinoDirect.com

Drop-In T-Nut with Spring-Ball (50 pcs) (make sure to select the M6 x 1.0mm thread pitch in the drop-down menu)

Products Page | TNUTZ (518)-632-NUTS(6887)

[pencil_&_paper]

George got back to me tonight.