[lamicron]

Anyone knows where can I find the flexible cable carriers, I found some at Mc master-carr but toooo expensive!!! Any other way to handle the hoses and cables?
Luis

[jimluu]

I scored some on ebay for real cheap. Look up Igus. They make excellent chains.

[rustamd]

Also look for KABEL SCHLEPP brand. I got mine on ebay as well, came out to be much cheaper than through a regular store.

[The Inventor]

Food for thought...
Get a 'cheap' light duty garden hose (3/4' or 1" ID) cut it length-wise.
Slip in your cables and use wire ties to close it up.

[lamicron]

I like this last option, the hose doesn't have to be square...
Thanks for the help
Luis

[The Inventor]

I like this last option, the hose doesn't have to be square...
Thanks for the help
Luis

Hey Luis,
Here's an added bonus.
NOTE: Not all hoses can do this so it's trial and error, 'BUT' If you're real
careful you can cut the hose in a 'sprial' of say 2" to 3" spacing and forget
about 50% of the wire ties and it gives more flexibility.

(HINT: Use a wood dowel and insert 6" to 12" into the hose, as you
cut, so you got something to cut against.)

Have Fun!

[Robin Hewitt]

Probably not what you need, but I designed an A0 inkjet printer once.

I had to get a four color ink pipe and a double ribbon cable to the print head without letting the pipes sag down, rub against themselves and jam up.

I used two rollers held apart by half the travel, see pic, ink in blue, ribbon cable in red.

Worked fine and dandy

[Dale Heart]

What about using an overhung C-track with little trolleys and the cables in loops? It sounds ridiculous but on some of the large machines with heaps of heads this is the only way it can be done.

[lamicron]

Thanks all of you for the idas.
I was out for some days, I have an idea about cutting in the laser machine pieces of polystirene with all the holes and after bend it to U form , if I have two U sizes, i will fit both and make some profile similar to the oiginals. I will do some samples for the next week and post it.

[lamicron]

This is the idea with the polystirene plate (2mm thick) two U's different width, cut by laser, bend by hand (very easy). About the hook for the hinge point can use those plastic screws for car interiors...
Luis

[Kipper]

Price up the Igus or other brand cable chain and then work out an hourly rate for making it yourself... I'll wager it's cheaper to buy it @ £35 a metre...

[bekx]

if the price is a problem , and it usualy is, i think u can use vacuum cleaner hose, i have seen pictures of some router working with vcleaner hose somwhere on the zone.

with a U profile as guide i think they will work great, i intend to use this for my machine.

[laheyth]

Go to the junk yard, most vans use it in the sliding door track, right at the bottom support

[underthetire]

Go to the junk yard, most vans use it in the sliding door track, right at the bottom support

Genius! Pick and pull here I come!

[GeorgeRace]

Attached is a ZIP file containing 4 files that you can use to mill Cable Chains out of PVC. These files produce the commercial looking cable chains that you can buy from several sources. Very nicely done!
The files are all in CamBam format. You can load them into CamBam and produce GCode, and you are ready to go.
If you do not have CamBam, you can download a trial copy that will allow you to do 40 operations before the trial expires.
If it would help, I can make .nc or .tap files and post there here as well.

George

[WSS]

I just bought two of these for 40usd (£26) each, they come with ends.

eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices

WSS

[Geof]

Food for thought...
Get a 'cheap' light duty garden hose (3/4' or 1" ID) cut it length-wise.
Slip in your cables and use wire ties to close it up.

Alternatively, if you have lots of wires, look at the corrugated plastic hose for sump pumps with a 1-1/4" ID.

[The Inventor]

Alternatively, if you have lots of wires, look at the corrugated plastic hose for sump pumps with a 1-1/4" ID.

Here's another option I've found and it works good:
The ribbed/slit wiring harness tubes/sleeves used in cars/trucks.

I found several vendors selling it in 50' to 100' lengths and
from a 1/2" to over 2" ID's.

The sizes I've used: 5/8" -- 3/4" -- 1"

The fact that they are use on and around the heat of engines
means they will work great on Plasma tables.

To attach it I just make a "T" out of 16/18 ga. -- two small holes
in the top of the "T" and then as many zip ties around the leg of
the "T" as needed. (A few drops of Super Glue wouldn't hurt on the
bigger sleeves.)

Grandpa Bill

[vacextar]

Quick, cheap, easy, and it doesn't require the gantry to have to drag around all of the extra weight of a wire track. I have a small steel cable routed from the Z up to the trolley above, and all of the wires tied to that steel cable.....so all of the pulling is on the steel cable and not the wires. I works great...have not had a single issue with it.

[mcv300]

If you buy cable carrier make sure you buy a size larger than required, the retainer clip will not be easily pop out during motion