E Chain for 96x48 PRS

[gundog]

How much of what size E Chan do I need for my 96x48 PRS? What is the approximate cost? I would like to do the X & Y axis. I am just finishing up a new Oneida dust collection system and I ran a port on the ceiling above the bot it seems the hoop would be in the way so it looks like it is time to go to E Chain.

I notice SB sells kits but they seem pretty pricy looking on ebay it seems the chain is not real expensive but I don't know how much I need or what size.

Thanks Mike

[blackhawk]

I have a PRTalpha 48x96 machine. I bought 10 feet of the IGUS part #250-05-075 energy chain and (2) of the part #2050-34PZB bracket pivot. The bracket pivets come 2 to a pack, so that will give you 4 pieces total. The -075 part of the number above designates the minimum radius that the chain will bend. The -075 is a 2.95 inch radius, so the top mount must be at least 6 inches higher than the bottom mount. It is always best to use the maximum radius that will fit within your setup. The larger the radius of the chain, the longer that your cables will last. In my setup, I needed the -075 size for my Y axis setup. I could have went another size up for the X. I bought directly from IGUS, total cost was $164 (in 2009)not including shipping. The 10 feet was enough to do both the X and Y. Everything worked out exactly the way I wanted it to. I just used plywood to support the E-chain.

[MogulTx]

GEEEZ! I wish I had checked this out YESTERDAY!

I just ordered form ShopBot yesterday for the 8' side of a 2008 PRS. The echain is $380 for the whole kit and $47.43 for ground shipping! OUCH!

I guess I should have done more research and I would have been a little better off in the expenses department!

I had been wanting to go to echain on the long length ever since I got the machine ( months ago now). I finally decided to do it, but had only been focused on the costs of getting it through SB.

I figure it is a small "tax" on me for the good stuff my machine has already done for me and that which it will do for me in the future. it is also a lesson to think about what I am doing and to consider options/alternatives that might be a little less expensive for me...

[blackhawk]

You can also by the IGUS chain from MSC Industrial Supply.

http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNPDFF?PMPAGE=3518&PMITEM=04235008&PMCTLG=00

[knight_toolworks]

I bought 12 feet from mcmaster. I used all but about 6 " but it depends on where your cords hang down from the machine. mine are in the middle. if they are more towards the front it may take more if they are back it may take less. it was 230.00 or so from mcmaster.

[gundog]

Thanks guys do you think this would be the right size?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Igus-E4-4-Energy-Chain-72-x-3-5-x-2-/280640799000?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item41577ec118

[blackhawk]

Michael - That may work but you need to get more info. You need the full part number. The "E4/4" is just a generic type of IGUS chain. You need to know the minimum bending radius. The actual part # should be something like XXXX-XX-XXX (Ex. 3838-30-300). If you get the part number, I can look up the bending radius in my catalog.

The E4 chain is the High Strength model and is very heavy. Probably a good bit of overkill.

[knight_toolworks]

it would work but you don't know if it is the type that opens up or not. unless you want to have to thread wires through it you want the ones that the cross pieces pop up. looking closer it does not. so I would not get it it would mean you would have to disconnect everything to get the wires in.

[gundog]

I have sent him a couple more questions I will let you know his response.

Steve, I looked in the Igus online catalog and I don't see any of the E4/4 that does not open but I asked the question anyway.

Mike

[waterwheelman]

Michael, About two years ago I purchased some surplus e-chain from a store in Hillsboro, OR. The store is Surplus Gizmos. They deal in new and used surplus electronic equipment. I was able to get six feet of new Igus e-chain for $45.00. It might be worth a try to give them a call. Their web site is at:

http://www.surplusgizmos.com/

[gundog]

Hi David,
Thanks for the link if this is not the right stuff I will contact them. This add is for new chain and I think it is series E4/4-4040 from their description and that I believe would work great. The price is really good for a 6' section I plan to purchase 2 pieces and do both X & Y. I will make my own mounts from aluminum that I have laying around I have a shear and brake so making mounts will be easy.

Off topic but are you going to do the camp this year? I don't have room I added some more equipment and can not make a spot like last year.

Mike

[gundog]

They sent me the part number 27i.07.075 I went ahead and ordered it.

[john_l]

Do Either of you guys have the part number for the E chain that you used from MSC or McMaster?

I have a 4x8 PRT with spindle. Just want to make sure that the chain I get will fit all the wires -and- will have the openable links to get the wires inside without disconnecting everything.

Many thanks!

[MogulTx]

Guys,

I got my echain shipment today. It was a quasi-crate ( ultra heavy paperboard with wood ends and some block inserts to keep materials frm shifting. It was about 6' long and must have weighed more than 60#.

I have to say that ShopBot, like most everything else that they do, did a fantastic job of the echain kit, hardware and packing. If my company had to produce this kit, we would have to charge as much as they have. This is a well thought out, well manufactured, professionally done set up. If you need or want an echain and you spend several nights and weekends gathering materials and putting it together, you will see that ShopBot's kit is logical and well priced for the product they are selling. I believe I could have done this, in retrospect, out of lumber and materials I cobbled together- and if the echain can be gotten for cheap, I might be able to get it done for cheap, but if I bought echain from McMaster and ordered the spring loaded insert nuts for the rails, etc.... I would have spent a couple days building the kit and installing it- and would have had to go to a metal shop to get the chain guides bent, and would have probably welded up a bracket for the gantry end.

I appreciate the fine work ShopBot put into my kit, and now I understand why it was $400 with shipping.

Ohhh... and I was able to assemble it in about an hour! I started after 8 and was done beore 10, and was able to spend some time with my lovely wife. Everybody wins!

Monty

[knight_toolworks]

Here is what I bought. it was not a big deal to mount it. I even made purpleheart trays. I had to work on mounting since I have a prt anyway.

1 4409T583 OPEN HINGED CABLE AND HOSE CARRIER, 0.98"H X 3.03"W INTERIOR SIZE,3.94"BEND RADIUS,6'L 2
EA
2 0 116.94
EA
233.88
2 4556T582 MOUNTING BRACKET FOR CABLE AND HOSE CARRIER, OPEN, FOR 0.98"H X 3.03"W INTERIOR SIZE 2
PR
2 0 10.07
PR
20.14

[john_l]

Thanks Steve!

I also found where Brad had already posted his setup on this same thread, sorry.
Monty, thank you too. Thats good info, and I may just do this same. SB has never let me down before and I never doubted that their version would be the bomb.

[MogulTx]

Steve,

I DEFINITELY agree that there are times when it matters to do something "on the cheap", and there are times to do something with style and flair. Under those circumstances, I would most certainly apply more of my own labor and more of my own creativity. Sometimes I just want to "personalize" what I am doing.... ( And didn't you post some pictures of yours somewhere? I think I saw something about that.)

In this case, I was kind of incredulous at the price and then the shipping ( earlier on this thread). I think ShopBot could give a LITTLE more information on what all is included in the kit- it would let folks know exactly what they are getting- and people would probably be more excited about paying the amount. While ordering, I was thinking I might have just thrown away a lot of $. Upon receiving it, and installing it, I felt like I needed to give them appropriate kudos for the pro job they did on this. I COULD do it just as well ( now that I have seen theirs!) but I would need to draw it up, and then fabricate it. They took all that guess work out of it. And they did a GREAT job at it. ( and I would love to see yours - in detail- because I love creative ideas)

Thanks

Monty

[knight_toolworks]

Here is what I did. the purpleheart trays were overkill but i had some free wood.
it is easy to mount the chain and all the other parts. getting the wires in and right was the real work.

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/knighttoolworks/cnc%20jigs%20and%20parts/ba66d73a.jpg
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/knighttoolworks/cnc%20jigs%20and%20parts/857f7309.jpg
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/knighttoolworks/cnc%20jigs%20and%20parts/339734b5.jpg
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/knighttoolworks/cnc%20jigs%20and%20parts/ba77d521.jpg

[bstern]

I purchased and made my own for the Y axis.
I purchased the kit from shopbot for the X.

There is allot more than just the chain.
For me the small premium that shopbot gets is worth it for a well engineered complete set of parts!

If you like tinkering and have the time, buy the parts yourself.
If you want a professional \installation, i think buying from shopbot is
the way to go.

I have learned this over a few years of doing it the "cheap way" and found that its not always the best value.

[frank134]

I got mine from e-bay $50.00 for a 25 foot peice and evey got the turnbucks for it.

[knight_toolworks]

I got mine from e-bay $50.00 for a 25 foot peice and evey got the turnbucks for it.

bum I kept finding too small of stuff. so I had to pay full price.

[ATX Poly Products]

I also just put the Shopbot e-chain on my 96 inch machine and feel it was worth the price paid... It is a very robust set-up and works well....

[gundog]

I got my echain yesterday it is brand new and looks great it will work great I just need to fab a couple brackets. It cost me $79 delivered for 2 6' sections. I will post a picture when I install it. The size looks perfect.

Mike

[knight_toolworks]

it takes a bit to get the wires in and right. I had too much tension on my e stop wire and broke it internally.

[calgrdnr]

Howdy all,

First post as a Shopbot Owner :) I got a great used 48x96 with the bow still in one piece . Do to low ceiling I needed to replace with e-chain. I used the angle brackets from the bow, and then picked up 6 in .25 thick straps ( Unistrut section of store ) already had some holey angle around electrical section also.
some scrap pine and plywood for the wood base. The hose is just that. cheap sump pump hose :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/17611327@N04/


This was done with the echain listed earlier post on ebay 2-6 footers for $78 shipped :)
well need to get back and get this thing running :)

[gundog]

Cool thanks for posting the pictures I have not had a chance to install mine yet.

I need to do a couple things before I do. I need to keep the machine together for now because I am behind on work. When I get caught up I plan on moving the machine 18", make a new vac table to replace the one I have, Move the Vac motors to a remote room & install the Echain. I hope to do these upgrades in the next couple months.

Mike

P.S. Kent I see you are from Visalia I grew up in Sanger just around the bend it is a small world. I am in Vancouver, WA now.

[calgrdnr]

Mike,

You are welcome I searched around for picture and they helped so I thought I would post some here for others.

I just ate at Sal's last month in Sanger for lunch ( work in Parlier)

If ever back this was stop on by


Kent

Please post picture when you get every thing together the way you plan, I am sure I will be thinking Vac table in the next few months :)

[paul60]

I saw this on ebay and wonder it this can work

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330389418944&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.com%3A80%2Fi.html%3F_nkw %3D330389418944%2B%26_sacat%3D0%26_odkw%3Dcnc%2Bca ble%2Bcarrier%26_osacat%3D0%26_trksid%3Dp3286.c0.m 270.l1313%26_fvi%3D1&_rdc=1

thanks

[jerry_stanek]

30 inches is to short for a 96 inch machine. It may work on the Y but that may be tight also

[paul60]

the chain is sold in 30 inch lengths that can be join to make what length
needed
from what i read on this post on a prt i would need 10 ft
is that correct.
paul

[gundog]

I installed the Y car echain today. I have to install the dust collector duct and then do the X portion but it went pretty easy. I made an aluminum chanel for holding the echain and cable. I had a left over bracket from installing a 5th wheel hitch a while back that I used to anchor the end of the echain at the spindle end.

The 3rd picture is the mess I need to organize with the X portion of echain. The last picture is where I am going to run my dust collector duct from. I am hoping to just run the duct to the center of the table with a 90* and the hose will just hang with enough slack to reach each end. I am not sure how well that will work until I try it. I may run a track like Gary Campbell has on his machine if just letting the slack hang does not work.

I also have to move my airline drop to the edge of the table I also moved the table 2'. so now the airline is in the way.

Mike

[knight_toolworks]

it's good to separate the spindle wire and your drive wires to help with noise.

[gundog]

I could do that easy enough.

[knight_toolworks]

not hard thats why I bought the wider stuff to make it easy to keep them apart.

[gundog]

This stuff I got is 3" wide the only thing about it is I had to make the side tray because it was too thick to fit on top of the gantry the Z motor is too close for it to fit underneath the motor. I have a shear and a brake so making the tray was no big deal I will probably do the same thing when I do the X axis.

Mike

[knight_toolworks]

I got 3 or 4" can't remember now. there is no real need for a tray just a few bars are plenty less place for the dust to settle.

[gundog]

I made bars and did not like them they were a little flimsy. My dust collection system does not leave me with dust I machine plastic not wood and it makes chips that the DC does a good job of removing besides the tray will not hold any more dust than the top of my gantry.

Mike

[knight_toolworks]

when I have visitors the dc has to go off. so dust gets all over the machine. plastic is nicer but then I use the pressure foot I can't use the dc I had a bunch of free heavy duty 90 degree angle brackets so I used it for the trays but they were ok on their own too. but hey purpleheart trays are cool too.