Z rail loose?

[baltic_birch]

Hey Guys.

Got my Alpha up and running without a router installed. Yeehaw! That manual sure needs updating though!!! Good thing the forum is here.

I just put my router in and the z- rail has some play in it... both front to back and left right.

It seems like the v groove wheels should be closer together or ?


Is this normal?

I don't want to adjust anything if it is supposed to be like this..

Thanks

[Brady Watson]

Did you loosen up the Y car AL extrusion bolts on BOTH sides (10 all together) BEFORE you cranked down the (4) 1/2" Z bolts? If not, loosen up the Z bolts all the way, then do the 10 Y car bolts, then tighten/level/square the Z & tighten the Y car bolts back up again.

Tightening the Z bolts without loosening the Y car bolts will cause the Z axis to spread open like it did...

-B

[baltic_birch]

Thanks Brady!

I did follow the instructions, but it still had some play in it.

I just redid it with your instructions again and it still has some play.....?

I'm facing my router and can push the top of the z rail and it will rock back at least 10 thou. I clamped a dial caliper on and measured.

You can definitely feel it and hear it. And see it in the groove wheels.

Should there be any play in it?

Thanks again for any help.

[Brady Watson]

There should not be any play between the v-roller bearings and the T-rail. Put a level on the T-rail ground edge (where the bearings ride) as a reference. Get it as level as you can side to side...while maintaining this level, adjust the rollers with the cam adjusters so that it just touches the T-rail and turn it about 1/8 turn tight to add a little bit of pressure against the roller/T-rail. The biggest concern is that you do not want the T-rail to ride like a parallelogram...that is to say, only adjust ONE vertical set (4 bearings in a line) to get the adjustment that you need...AND it should be the side that won't influence the rack/pinion gear lash (take a peak inside to see)...Pretty sure you want to adjust the left side & not the right when viewing from router side...double check. AND...since you have a dial indicator handy, check for parallelism along the t-rail's travel after you adjust.

-B

[baltic_birch]

Thanks Brady!!

I was just searching the archives too.

I'll adjust in the morning and let everyone know how it turns out!!!

Thanks

[baltic_birch]

I got it adjusted, no play.

Thanks again!

But now the box will not turn on the router

[Brady Watson]

Alt + 1 will toggle on output 1. You can also do this from the sk command and toggle on Output 1 (which actives the remote switch for turning on the router)

Press the blue 'Start' button on front of the control box to start the router spinning. You'll want to have output 1 on (lit up) and be in keyboard mode by hitting K or SK.

If it is a spindle, make sure the brown wire from the VFD is connected to DCM & FWD. It doesn't matter what wire goes to which terminal.

-B

[baltic_birch]

Thanks Brady.

I've tried it all.

I hear the FAINTEST click in the control box when I toggle output 1 NOW....... it did not do that an hour ago. Router will not spin after I push the start button though.

Thanks