should I chop up these MASSIVE linear rails?

Hi guys,

I have four massive linear square rails each about 2 inches wide, 3 inches tall and over 8 feet long. They each have two giant carriages (about 7 inches long, 3 inches wide or so). They were all brand new in wrapping, but the idiots at Boeing had stored them somwhere damp and there is some surface rust or something in a few places (but at least on 3 of them not in any of the travel contact points).

I want to sell or trade these since I will be moving soon and am abandoning the idea of building a 4x8 router with them. I am toying with the idea of chopping them down into smaller sections so they could be easier to ship. At over 8 feet I think each rail is around 80 pounds or more!

Alternatively, if anyone in the Seattle area wants some cheap precision linear motion components...

I also have a 2 inch diamter 8' ground ballscrew and nut, brand new which is coated in oil and in a plastic sleeve. Last time I checked it was in excellent non rusted shape. Could work well with the rails...

Pictures are worth a thousand words. I'd try to sell them as is before you brake them up. You may really help someone out.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KTP

Hi guys,

I have four massive linear square rails each about 2 inches wide, 3 inches tall and over 8 feet long. They each have two giant carriages (about 7 inches long, 3 inches wide or so). They were all brand new in wrapping, but the idiots at Boeing had stored them somwhere damp and there is some surface rust or something in a few places (but at least on 3 of them not in any of the travel contact points).

I want to sell or trade these since I will be moving soon and am abandoning the idea of building a 4x8 router with them. I am toying with the idea of chopping them down into smaller sections so they could be easier to ship. At over 8 feet I think each rail is around 80 pounds or more!

Alternatively, if anyone in the Seattle area wants some cheap precision linear motion components...

I also have a 2 inch diamter 8' ground ballscrew and nut, brand new which is coated in oil and in a plastic sleeve. Last time I checked it was in excellent non rusted shape. Could work well with the rails...

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I would not cut them. Long rails are much harder to come by these days and people who need them will pay significantly more for them.

Don't cut them. You'll get more $ As Is.

Post a photo & asking price. If you cut them in 1/2, you'll still be short on carriers.


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Here are the specs on the ballscrew and the linear rails:

Ballscrew:

Manufacturer: Barnes Ind. Inc. Madison Hts, MI
Length overall: ~104"
Length of screw: ~86"
Length of nut: ~5.5"
Screw diameter: ~2"
Journal diameter: 1.5" and then a long 1.2" down to the motor shaft
Motor shaft: 0.875"
Pitch: 0.4"?

Linear Rails (4 of them):

Manufacturer: Tsubaki Japan
Length overall: ~101"
Height: 48mm
Width: 53mm
block length: ~190mm
block width: 100mm

And here are the pics:

Wow! that is one big a$$ ball screw! It's a joy to behold and the pics are a work of art.

CR.

wOWzers... You should sell them as is. Man you are going to make someone very happy.

where did you even get these? They must have cost a fortune!

They were not as much as you might think. I got them from Boeing Surplus a few years ago. I think I paid $700 for the 4 rails plus a bunch of other smaller rails, but when I bought them they were new in the box wrapped in original manufacturer oil paper and packaging. I thought I was getting a steal until I got home and found out that they had been evidently stored outside for a number of days (what a damn shame). Still, most of them are still in useable condition, and two of the huge rails only have a few spots on the bottom.

The ballscrew was new in the box and stored inside, so was in pristine shape. I think it was $200, with an original pricetag of over $4000.

Some amazing deals could be had at Boeing Surplus (out of business now though).