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IndustryArena Forum > MetalWorking Machines > Novakon > Home made Telescoping ways open design
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
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    6618

    Home made Telescoping ways open design

    Hey guys.
    I have been wanting to make some better way covers since my first build, but never really devoted much time or effort into it.
    I had seen a few threads here at the zone that dealt with it a bit, but I think we can venture even further into this.
    I have an immediate use for the most simple type. This will be for the Z axis on my Torus initially and maybe later help design some for my other machine that can be adapted by many.

    I have personally wore out a few bellows covers and even some flat way covers and at this point, at least on my 80/20 mill, it would save money and maintenance for me to do this. Granted my little mill won't be working as hard now as it has in the past. Still a worthwhile investment I think, especially if we can open design some simple effective ones.
    Anyone's thoughts or ideas and pictures will be welcome here.

    The bottom side of the bellows cover on the Z axis for my Torus failed. It separated from the mounting bracket.
    I think I may be able to repair or get a replacement from Novakon for this short term, but would like to see what we can come up with.

    I have some excess thin gage stainless here that is screaming for a project.
    This will be easy to bend of course, so nothing more than a small bench brake will be used.

    I found this website that has a lot of useful ideas and drawings.
    Telescopic Steel Covers | Hennig Inc.

    TSC Types | Hennig Inc.

    http://www.hennig-inc.com/fileadmin/...TSA_E_1306.pdf

    Love to hear what you guys think.
    Lee

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
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    7063
    Lee,

    Making Z way covers should be pretty straight-forward, compared to Y covers. You need only provide some mechanism to "guide" the pieces, and let gravity do the rest. The design shown in Fig. 3 on page 3 of the Assembly Instructions manual looks to me like the simplest to build, and should work perfectly for Z. If each section has a folded "lip" pointing forward on the top end, and backward on the bottom end, they will naturally expand one at a time, with only gravity keeping it all organized.

    Regards,
    Ray L.

  3. #3
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    Jun 2004
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    6618
    I think it should be pretty simple like you mention on Z. I am thinking that only the sides need to have any flanges. The top sides would not even need wipers for Z if they are made well enough.
    The base would be held together with just bent tabs or flanges as well. Here is another link.
    Another Mill Upgrade (with a Plot Twist) ? Tangent Audio

    I wasn't even aware that Little Machine Shop carried these. They look very much like what is on the Torus Y axis.

    In fact, for X axis, a simple scissor type would work well too. The only issue I see with that is spot welding. I don't have a spot welder, but do have a little wire feed. It would work in a pinch.
    I also have used countersunk pop-rivets before. They would work too.

    I will get started on this with a few Cad drawings first soon rather than try to repair what is there and will need more work down the road.

    My 80/20 mill developed a loose wire somewhere in the X axis the other day. so it needs some troubleshooting too. Not nearly as critical as it was before I got the Torus.
    Lee

  4. #4
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    Jun 2004
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    6618
    I just found this video on Youtube and it shows what is possibly the simplest design yet for the Z. I have to think that cost on this one would be on par with the original bellows type that came with the machine.
    I know John and crew have a full plate right now with all the new roll outs and new modifications going in on future versions.
    That said, if you have a milling machine already, there is no reason this can't be slotted on it. I imagine the slots might be 3" long.
    They can be done pretty well manually or even with hand tools.

    I think you might want to attach the bottom though, just to be on the safe side. So a top and bottom mounting point and you are gold.

    Telescoping Z axis way cover - YouTube
    Lee

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
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    123
    Just put some rubber strung up on two magnets clipped to the head and you are done. Cheap and practical.

  6. #6
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    Jun 2004
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    That is what I use on my 80/20 mill currently.
    It's also what I started with on the 80/20.
    I have had to replace that rubber curtain on Z a few times and the X and Y ways a few times too. Twice on the Y axis, I used nice professional style machine bellows and they wore out fairly quickly. I'd say in about a year.
    Those bellows were not real cheap, but I did get a deal on it from Ebay. They were new unused when I got them.
    Also good rubber sheeting isn't real cheap.
    So, been down that road and I am just looking to do something better. Stainless steel will virtually eliminate the wear factor, but still require's a little maintenance for wipers, but nothing like the total replacement of failed bellows and rubber sheeting.

    It is something that hasn't been done to death around here and I'm sure that many might find it useful.

    It is a bear trying to clean out a machine after bellow have failed. It require's a pretty thorough inspection of all the parts and you know at least some particles have infiltrated where you do not want them. I just kept asking myself the whole time why I didn't have something better in place.





    Lee

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by LeeWay View Post
    Here is another link.
    Another Mill Upgrade (with a Plot Twist) ? Tangent Audio

    I wasn't even aware that Little Machine Shop carried these. They look very much like what is on the Torus Y axis.
    Hey, that's my blog!

    I still have the KX3 way cover in use. Quality is not high, but it has held up so far. There is no scissor mechanism inside of it, so the individual sections collapse somewhat randomly.

    Let me know if I can answer any questions about it.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Posts
    525
    That is my machine and the build thread is on here.

    The plates are .090 aluminum and slotted to fit 10/32 screws with locking nuts.

    Quote Originally Posted by LeeWay View Post
    I just found this video on Youtube and it shows what is possibly the simplest design yet for the Z. I have to think that cost on this one would be on par with the original bellows type that came with the machine.
    I know John and crew have a full plate right now with all the new roll outs and new modifications going in on future versions.
    That said, if you have a milling machine already, there is no reason this can't be slotted on it. I imagine the slots might be 3" long.
    They can be done pretty well manually or even with hand tools.

    I think you might want to attach the bottom though, just to be on the safe side. So a top and bottom mounting point and you are gold.

    Telescoping Z axis way cover - YouTube
    Kelly
    www.finescale360.com

  9. #9
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    Jun 2004
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    6618
    Thanks for jumping in here guys.
    That is very good info straight from the source.
    I was down last week with the flu, but look forward to proceeding with this soon.
    Stay tuned.
    Lee

  10. #10
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    Jun 2004
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    Well, Guys, if things go as planned this weekend, I plan on picking this little fabrication project back up and get it completed.
    Should not be too difficult. Fingers crossed.

    I'll let ya know how it goes.
    Lee

  11. #11
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    Jun 2004
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    Okay. I managed to get this made up. I cut initially 5 panels of .060" stainless steel on the plasma cutter. 15" x 5". 2 each .22" slots 1" from each end. Proceeded to bolt them together just like Kelly did in his thread here.
    http://www.cnczone.com/forums/bencht...er#post1065423

    Post # 156. This is an image of his.
    Attachment 226688


    It did not quite work for me.
    To get it down to cutting height at the lowest Z I use, it was jamming up and overlapping the screws. I remove the bottom panel which made 4 panels just like in Kelly's pictures. I still get a jam before it gets down.
    I install some Z shaped clips on the back to prevent jamming and it would just not get low enough.
    I concluded that the slots are not quite as long as Kelly's. My slots are currently 4.25" long.
    They should have been 4.75" long. I think that would have given me all the clearance I needed. That would actually touch my spindle nose to the vise jaws I think.

    I intend to bore a hole at the end of each slot and then clean them up and see how it goes. I should have used aluminum for this to start with and did the final with this stainless. Aluminum would probably last just fine as well. I'll make the mods and let you know how it goes.

    Oh yeah.
    I am able to use the same top bellows mounting screw holes. I am using 10-32 SHC screws. I had to use some stand off's because the gas springs on the side are proud of the mounting boss for the cover on the bottom of the head. I used 1" long screws and 1/2" brass spacers. I also used the original angle bracket from the bellows. Flipped it over to cover the crack at the top.
    Once I get the travel corrected, that is all that will be needed. No need to attach the bottom. These plates are heavy enough to operate with just gravity.
    Lee

  12. #12
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    Feb 2006
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    7063
    Lee,

    One way to prevent the jamming is to use springs or weights to pull each panel in one direction, with enough force to over-ride the forces that are causing the panels to get crooked and jam. Easiest way to do this is springs pulling each panel downward. Either that, or you have to add some kind of guides that allow them to slide vertically, but not tilt side-to-side. On my knee mill Y/Z way covers, I used ball bearing drawer slides to do this, and it worked great.

    Regards,
    Ray L.

  13. #13
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    Jun 2004
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    Ray, I saw your covers in that same thread. They do look pretty cool.
    When I said jamming, I didn't mean they were getting sideways.
    I meant they are trying to overlap the screws on the back side. I am using low profile truss head screws. SHC screws would have been a better choice. That alone would have prevented the pannel from wanting to slide over the screw heads.
    This is why I made some Z shaped clips with one hole in one end.
    Those clips are also part of the reason it doesn't go down far enough.
    I will extend the holes and use some SHC screws next time.
    Likely first thing in the AM. That should correct it.

    Do you remember where you located the little slides you used?
    Lee

  14. #14
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    Feb 2006
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    7063
    Lee,

    No, I don't recall where I bought the slides, but they weren't hard to find.

    Regards,
    Ray L.

  15. #15
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    Jun 2004
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    6618
    I didn't get a chance to get this completed today. I could not locate the right hardware that I needed. I'm sure I have it, but my hardware is in locations in two shops, so....ordered what I needed. I did lengthen the slots. That went well and looks pretty good.
    Just drilled pilot holes. Then slot width holes. Then cleaned up with a Bi metal blade in my jigsaw followed by the Dremel with carbide burr.

    I just hung a rubber curtain for temporary usage.
    I'll post more when I get these completed.
    Lee

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Posts
    469
    I started making a new Y cover for my RF45 last weekend. I'm doing the scissor mechanism thing, similar to.... err.. I can't remember his name, but he has a build thread on the zone. Unfortunately, about 2/3rds of the way along machining the pieces for the scissor mechanism, my drawbar started acting up and I went off on a tangent!

    Anyway - it'll be similar to what he had. I'm making 4x 3.75" long panels out of stainless sheet, about 12" wide with 2" wings. It'll be mounted to 2 piano type hinges, pretty low on the saddle and has high on the column as I can get it without interfering with the Z axis. This way, the cover can swing as it collapses and the table can move almost all the way to the column. With my current "origami" style cover, I'm losing about 2" of Y axis travel - and that's before it gets packed with chips!

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
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    6618
    I initially did my first rubber cover this way on my 80/20 mill. The problem was that there was very little Y saddle to mount to. So, I mounted using two truss head screws. Needed those because of limited space to the table. Those screw heads fouled quickly and made maint. a pain. Then I just draped a curtain. That worked the best. I had saw Ray's on Kelly's thread and considered it. The Torus has those nice telescoping Y cover already though, so to make it nice, clean and Maint. free (other than a drop of oil on the screws every now and then) I chose this method.
    I will be redoing my 80/20 mill at some point and will use Ray's method for it. Should work great there.

    Let's see some pics, Tiago. This is pretty much an open thread. Anything way cover related goes.
    Lee

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Posts
    469
    Oops, I thought I had replied yesterday!

    I'll post pics when I get a chance, but it'll be a while before this is done, I think. The "slight" tangent I mentioned above goes something like this. After many pounds of chips made and parts cut, I finally got pullout on a TTS holder while making a fairly light cut. The feeds were slightly off and I got some chatter, the TTS chuck moved out of the R8 collet about 0.100" in less than 9" of cut travel. Ouch! So that made me decide to tear into the frankenstein power drawbar and tweak it a bit. Turns out, my guesstimations and eye-balled assembly was about as close to optimum as I could get it with the stuff I had kicking around. Trying to improve it just pushed me against other limitations of the system. Soooo I'm scraping the whole thing and making a new air over hydraulic setup - which is what I was originally going to do.

    That means turning some stuff on the lathe, which has been neglected for a while. It works, but has some problems - not the least of them the (estimated) 30 year old 1hp motor that seems to be on it's way out. So I'm yanking that out and replacing it with a 3 phase motor and VFD. Gotta tear out the chuck and rebuild it or buy a new one (I don't think 3-jaw chucks are supposed to have +0.050" runout..), re-do the wiring to the lathe from 110v to 220v..

    All this because I decided I wanted to make some new way covers

  19. #19
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    Jun 2004
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    That sounds a lot like my luck.
    Lee

  20. #20
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    Jul 2006
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    367
    Quote Originally Posted by LeeWay View Post
    That sounds a lot like my luck.
    Ahhhhh, it feels good to know that I'm not the only one...lol
    pete

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