[yukonho]

I made my Z out of some heavy duty drawer slides, but it is just not rigid enough now that I am cuttingmaterials harder than balsa. I am also having difficultties mounting my dremel rigid enough to the Z axis.
Any suggestions for an inexpensive Z slides? I searched through e-bay and found nothing really. also any suggestions for mounting a dremel more rigidly to the Z axis would be appreciated.
Thanks
co

[foamcutter]

How do you have the dremel mounted? I used one of the dremel drillpress mounts and cut off the back so I could mount it to the z slide. Ron

[chuckknigh]

It's just a thought, really, but what about some U-bolts? The kind you used to use when installing TV antennas on the roof...

It's a U of steel, threaded at both ends. Get some that actually fit, and clamp your Dremel to your Z axis.

I haven't tried this, but it seems like it should work.

-- Chuck Knight

[yukonho]

I am currently using plastic U clamps. The problem is, you have to clamp the Dremel pretty far from the bit, so the lever arm is pretty long. The bit can grab and move the dremel.
I have some delrin, I might machine something to work.
I am mostly worried about the slides, they are just not rigid enough. Any suggestions?
co

[High Seas]

Seems like I recall Dremmel having an adapter you could use. I'm thinking of the "router" attachment. As I recall, it threads onto the Dremmel itself. Maybe one of those jury-rigged up to a right angle plate (plastic and glue?) fastened to the zaxis? Would move the moment arm closer to the tool/bit anyway. How about figuring outthe thread on the "nose" of the dremmel and cutting/taping into a piece of plastic/mdf to make a mount out of? Or maybe the "extendo-bit" that looks like a long wigglie-pencil. Fix that to the rail and mount the main unit out of the way? You could get some of that modeling/baking clay and mold an adapter then bake it and use screws through that or the u-bolts. I'm gonna quit before these get tooo goofey sounding. Good luck!
:cheers: Jim

[ger21]

How about this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...category=11805

Just join the 2 rails together for 12" rails, although the price will probably skyrocket in the next 2 hours.

Gerry

[yukonho]

My biggest problem is the axis itself. I want something not too bulky and very rigid. I have seen a bunch, but cant find anything when I need it of course. There used to be a seller on ebay called the manufacturist, they had some applicable stuff but I cant find them.
co

[yukonho]

I saw that auction, I only want/need 1/2 that many,a dn I dont want to resell. I would pay 30 bucks for it, but not 60 and I am sure it will go up in the last hour,
co

[Hobbiest]

What about hooking a motor and lead screw up to the Dremel drill press mount, and using it for the Z axis?

[yukonho]

The dremel drill press mount is rather wobbly. Even less rigid than what I already have.
co

[balsaman]

You have a picture of what you have?

Eric

[yukonho]

Here is a pic

[balsaman]

as for the dremel, put another large clamp at the top. Muffler type clamps may work, or some folks use large hose clamps, or custom clamps from MDF or PVC.

The Z can be fixed in any number of ways. Extend the MDF chunk up another 4" longer (or as long as posible). This will make for less flex because more of it will be supported to the slides where the balls are. Or perhaps the bearing and pipe idea like you are using on the Y axis.

Eric

[yukonho]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have entertained all those ideas already and found the following.
The dremel is not round up higher, so the clamp wont fit right. The cooling air intake is up there too, and I dont want to block that off.
The ways dont flex much, they actually move. I have tried to tighten them up, but It just wont stay tight.
The pipe and bearing idea is tough to implement for the Z. It will take up a lot more space and stick the spindle farther out from the y axis. It is also difficult to mount the rails because the rails for the Y are close together. I would need to extend the Z rails up a lot higher and that would be somewhat difficult to do and keep rigid.
I would like to replace the z with a low profile linear way similar to the drawer slides, but much more rigid. I have seen them on e-bay but just cant find them now when I need them.
If you can think of anything else, please let me know, I am all ears and pretty much out of ideas.
co

[pminmo]

1/2" Drill rod see:
http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?P...&PARTPG=INLMPI

1/2" Bronze Flange bearings

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?P...PMPXNO=5873903

Very snug fit, cheap. Make pillow blocks from MDF

Phil

could goto 3/8" if you wanted

[yukonho]

You say these are very snug? I have never tried bushings like this. Do they move relatively freely and remain snug?
co

[freezer]

Here is an idea i have. The slides would be in two different planes and I would think it would be much stiffer...(sorry i am not much of a cad guy)

[yukonho]

I had thought of that before, but your illustration got me thinking. I might be able to do something along those lines. I will put some more thought into it. My first choice would be a good linear slide though and just to get rid of the drawer slides altogether.
co

[ballendo]

Originally posted by yukonho
I had thought of that before, but your illustration got me thinking. I might be able to do something along those lines. I will put some more thought into it. My first choice would be a good linear slide though and just to get rid of the drawer slides altogether.
co

He's right, and you can easily add the 2 additional drawer guides to your present setup. It will make a HUGE difference. (I used this technique about a decade ago. Anyway, add two slides to the sides of your present y slide. I'd use the narrower piece of the drawer guide. Now replace the tool holding piece and lengthen it as Balsaman suggested. Make it wider as well, so that you can add two side pieces which will fasten to the 2 new drawer guides. FWIW, the side pieces don't need to be 3/4 thick. I used 1/4 tempered masonite.

What you have upon completion is a solid non-flexing z axis. The two original slides constrain movement in one direction, and the 2nd pair constrain the remaining direction. The third dir is your z travel!

Good luck. Shouldn't take more than a couple hours, if that.

Ballendo

P.S. If you mount your dremel by its nose thread, it will work better. The thread on new dremels is 3/4-12. The old ones were 3/4-16. Travers sells the tap for under 20 bucks.

[pminmo]

Originally posted by yukonho
You say these are very snug? I have never tried bushings like this. Do they move relatively freely and remain snug?
co

They move freely, in that I mean if you hold the shaft verticle, the weigh of the bearing alone will free fall. Snug in that the tolerance is close enough if you don't take car in making your pillow blocks and assembly they are tight enought they will bind.