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linear rails?

Discussion in 'Mods and Upgrades' started by Michael DiFilippo, Jul 14, 2013.

  1. Michael DiFilippo

    Michael DiFilippo Active Member

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    Anyone have any thoughts on doing away with the linear slider rails that Robo used? Mine just seem to give too much which I think is adding to bed leveling issues, also they seem to jam up at times.
     
    #1 Michael DiFilippo, Jul 14, 2013
  2. CAMBO3D

    CAMBO3D New Member

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    yeah i thought about this myself, i dont like the springyness of of the whole mechanism. im looking into doing something with it, but for now it prints fine.

    If you figure something out let me know what you come up with.
     
    #2 CAMBO3D, Jul 14, 2013
  3. Seshan

    Seshan Active Member

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    I was thinking of using some aluminum angle or square tubing with some bearings so the bed would roll over and be supported. It won't look as nice, but it will work... maybe.
     
    #3 Seshan, Jul 14, 2013
  4. Michael DiFilippo

    Michael DiFilippo Active Member

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    Well right now I notice when the bed tries to home it gets jammed up a few inches from the true "home" position. Almost like the bed is hitting something but the motor is still trying to move it, if i push the bed it will move, no clue what is stopping it though.
     
    #4 Michael DiFilippo, Jul 15, 2013
  5. JDM_

    JDM_ New Member

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    Yes. I am concerned that they will get bent. The other day I had a print stick to the bed a little to well. I felt like the rails could bend or break easily.
     
    #5 JDM_, Jul 15, 2013
  6. Leon Grossman

    Leon Grossman Active Member

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    Any system that has two rods and one driver is susceptible to binding due to off axis load. I'm guessing that might be what Michael is seeing.
     
    #6 Leon Grossman, Jul 15, 2013
  7. JDM_

    JDM_ New Member

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    I haven't had any issues with the rails. They work great. I am just worried about them in the long run.
     
    #7 JDM_, Jul 15, 2013
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  8. Harry

    Harry Team ROBO 3D
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    Agreed JDM_
     
    #8 Harry, Jul 15, 2013
  9. CAMBO3D

    CAMBO3D New Member

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    i don't see how this could be better than the linear bearings they were originally gonna be using. Anyone with cnc background would say drawer slides are not the best choice for cnc machine whether it be a 3d printer, a mill, router, laser, whatever...

    i really think this was more of a cost saving route. its cheaper to get set of drawer slides, then buy a whole bunch of linear bearings and drill rods.
     
    #9 CAMBO3D, Jul 15, 2013
  10. Harry

    Harry Team ROBO 3D
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    Cambo, I may not have a good CNC background, but CNC is a lot more strenuous than 3D Printing, and therefor Drawer sliders would not be good for CNC Machines. While it may not be the best option for 3D Printing, it works, and maybe there should be concern over the long run but it does work.
     
    #10 Harry, Jul 15, 2013
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  11. CAMBO3D

    CAMBO3D New Member

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    3d printer is a cnc machine, anything with cnc in it needs precision.
     
    #11 CAMBO3D, Jul 15, 2013
  12. Harry

    Harry Team ROBO 3D
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    I'm talking about CNC as in a mill or something. Like that cuts a piece of wood/metal. I know this is a CNC but when people say "I want a cnc machine" they're usually talking about a mill or something. Not a 3D Printer.
     
    #12 Harry, Jul 15, 2013
  13. CAMBO3D

    CAMBO3D New Member

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    well im talking about our 3d printer which is a cnc machine. your missing my point here.
    anything that is cnc (computer numerically controlled) needs precision mechanical components to be accurate. you put crap in, you get crap out.

    yeah it may work, but it would work a whole lot better, with less fuss. If you had the better components..

    so yeah that's why I believe this was more of a cost factor than anything.
     
    #13 CAMBO3D, Jul 15, 2013
  14. CAMBO3D

    CAMBO3D New Member

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    I found a whole bunch of linear guides /linear motion assemblies on ebay that look promising.
    heck any of those would probably be better than the drawer slides.
     
    #14 CAMBO3D, Jul 20, 2013
  15. tesseract

    tesseract Moderator
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    Just a though many linear guides are limited by the length of the rails the advantage of the drawer slides is that there are two rails one moving inside the other allowing for a longer print area along that axis while using a short overall rail.
    Not just a thought could any of the rails mentioned by Cambo be stackable yes some height would be lost but that could be dealt with easily enough or lived width or does that then represent the same exact issue we are trying to overcome. I have seen some tracking systems that use four bearings per side in an x pattern front and back and another 8 on the other side to lock down the bed to the rail and as long as that rail did not bend the bed was good with small enough bearings you could replace the where the bed normally connects to the bearings with another rail and bearings and then the bed.

    This may be crazy but it was just a thought.
     
    #15 tesseract, Jul 20, 2013

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