Rail maintenance and V-wheel Covers

[gerald_d]

Two things prompted me to start this thread.....

1. Saw an Alpha with the sheet-metal rails which showed a lot of "smearing" (brinnelling), to the extent that it had sharp edges that could cut your skin. (Compare the unused end tips of the rails to the sections where the rollers often run).

2. Found a website that showed neat wheel covers made by Bishop Wisecarver for the V-wheels:


3175
Also in the catalog at www.bwc.com (http://www.bwc.com)
What do you guys do to look after your wheels and rails? We occasionally clean them with a scouring pad and apply a little oil, but our older rails are thicker (probably harder too) and we don't carry the weight of a spindle.

[Brady Watson]

Gerald,
Do those covers have wipers included with them? I often thought that a wiper would be a good idea. Even a Charlie Chapman moustache wiper would help.

Cleaning the rails and bearings....I do the same that you do, plus wipe off the v-roller bearings with a Q-tip and WD-40 (kerosene based oil).

-Brady

[gerald_d]

Thanks Brady, I forgot to mention that those covers are supposed to do a lot more than just cover - they are supposed to clean and lubricate as well. I think they have oiled felt wipers.

[beacon14]

Any reason not to file those ridges off the rails? I filed the grinder marks off the X rails when the machine was new and it ran much smoother (still haven't had time to do the Y rails, but I will). Instead of oil I used a light coat of paste wax on the rails - helps keep the apron clean when I reach over the rails.

[gerald_d]

David, I think those ridges help to broaden the contact area between the rail and the wheel. If you file them off they will simply form again.

[rhfurniture]

About 2 months after I got my shopbot the rail started to get little bits of caked on dust.I cleared them with wire wool and oil and it ran like a dream. I put felt oil wipers on (as above but without the cover). Since then not a spot on wheel or rail and it runs well however much dust I make. I think the oil (very little of it) moistens the dust and helps it get wiped off. According to the hepco (uk) BW catalogue, I am seriously reducing wear as well. Wouldn't be without them.

R.

[bjenkins]

Thanks, Gerald, for a great link to these covers. What size did you get? It looks like #3 but I might as well ask. This is a definite improvement. I route a lot of MDF and the dust seems to accelerate corrosion. I have been trying to maintain the rails, so I've been thinking about a felt wiper for a while. It is just one of those things I haven't had time to do. This will make it easy.

[gerald_d]

Hi Bud, I am a sneaky shopper - I havn't got any of these myself yet and was hoping that you guys would be the test-pilots!

[mikejohn]

Gerald
I think I'm looking in the wrong place in the catalogue for wheel covers.
I am coming up with $350 each!
.........Mike

[paul.amos4@ntlworld.com]

Mike

Try RS Components they have some Hepco ones that might fit for approx £4.00 each..

Have you got the Shopbot up and running yet...keep us posted


Paul

[mikejohn]

Paul
Assembly starts tomorrow!!!

I was delighted with the construction, more Forth bridge than Meccano.
And the hat fits
.
Photos and story to follow!
............Mike

[gerald_d]

Mike, that sounds like the price/100 (for 100 covers), but I havn't seen a price myself.

[bcammack]

Anybody have the exact part number and cost for the unit (USD) to fit the wheels on our new PRTalpha48?

[watswood]

Brett,
The part number is WC-2-A and they cost $10.37 ea. You have to fill out a form and register to get at the prices. I'm getting ready to order a few of these my self to experiment with. Check it out at
http://www.bwc.com/html/dualvee.html

[gerald_d]

Done some doodling.....


3176

How about a pair of identical plastic blocks to form a sandwich around the wheel? Lower edges hang down longer to prevent carriage from jumping rail. Now to incorporate pockets for felt wipers.............

Who wants to run with this idea? Or shoot it down?

[gerald_d]

That looked crude! Here is something neater that folk can turn out on their Bots:


3177

3178

The rectangular holes filled with a felt block. Oil is added down the V-grooves.

The nut that SB uses to hold the V-roller passes through the big hole in the covers. What I sketched above is about the same size as the Hepco cover. If you want my crude .dxf (metric), PM (http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/board-profile.cgi?action=sendmsg&to=gerald_d&db=users) me your mail address please.

Pairs of these, with felt and oil, will....
- Cover the wheels
- wipe the rails
- oil the rails
- and stop the carriage from jumping off the rails

Afterthought: Instead of taking the V-grooves all the way to the top, stop short from the top and put a cross-hole through there. Then you can oil from the side and the dust won't fall in the top?

[gerald_d]

Another afterthought:

For the inner "plate", the one that goes behind the wheel, make the big round hole right through, so that the wheel need not be removed for installation.

[harold_weber]

McMaster.dot.com sells plastic and felt

[gerald_d]

Harold, even some old-fashioned hardwood will serve as a prototype. Roll up a strip of rag for the first attempt.

[jay_p]

Gerald,

I like your design and am interested in giving it a try. At $10+ each the BW-C parts add up. A lot of what I end up cutting is sort of large prototype stuff that is not very exacting. This would require more precision and would solve a problem.
I wonder if there is enough room to fit these around the v-wheels on the z axis too?
Jay

[gerald_d]

The standard BWC/Hepco covers won't fit over the screws and nuts used by SB - those covers will need some modification. The z-axis will require something a bit different...