Machine Maintenance

[nivlac]

I have asked a couple of people (one being the manager of a Rockler store) about what kind of maintenance I can do for my machine to get more life out of it. I have been told that all I could really do is just blow the dust off of it. I don’t know about that. It just doesn’t sit well with me. There has to be more I can do. The last few times I have operated my machine I have noticed a vibrating sound on the
Z axis as I am lowering it down. It concerns me. I feel there is more that should be done for maintenance. I would like to put oil on the screw shafts that control the movements. Something that will not gunk up from the sawdust. Any
suggestions? They would be very much appreciated. Thank you in advance.

[Rando]

The biggest things to achieve the ultimate in machine life are:

1) don't crash the machine! into things, into itself, into anything.
2) don't over-stress the machine: use reasonable feeds and speeds, check and double-check them, and somehow manage to never make a mistake.
3) Workholding clamps and fixtures are important to get right...and not run into!
4) Keep the static down to prevent controller failures.

Then there are exotic things like

5) Don't ever run the machine
6) Only "cut air"
7) Work only in EPS...or "expanded polystyrene", aka styrofoam

Anyway, apologies if I spoiled the serious nature with those last few .

In and of itself, cleaning the dust off and lightly lubricating the slides and leadscrews, is all the active maintenance you should need to do. The steppers don't need lubrication. You'll probably want to add checking the screws attaching the stepper motors to the lead-screws, but only as a precaution; some have had their's loosen.

You'll eventually need to replace the router motor/bearings/brushes or the spindle motor/bearings. That's probably the one long-term "wear" component, if there is one. I've heard of routers dying in mere months, while my spindle (used for some pretty-heavy aluminum milling) is doing just fine after 2.5 years now, and I've heard of spindles being Dead On Arrival, and people who say their router has lasted years. YMMV is I suppose the rule here.

Hope that points to some areas to think about.

Cheers!

Regards,

Thom

P.S. I'll make a shameless plug for the static-control kit I make and sell for the Sharks. It's saved me and others from continued and repeated controller failures from severe static build-up. You can find the kit at: http://thomr.com/2016/05/solve-static-i ... -machines/

[nivlac]

I do appreciate the information. If that’s it then I’ve got all my bases covered. As far as the little Bit of humour at the end.
I love it. It made me smile. If you don’t have humour in your life something is surely wrong.

[Rando]

One thing I would add, in a preventative sense: If you use the touch-plate for Z0 touch-off, I strongly recommending getting two short 1/8" stereo extension cables (one kept as spare). It doesn't have to be long, even a meter or so is plenty. What you want it to provide a sacrificial jack to plug the touch-plate into. Even if you never unplug the plate, the coiled cord and pulling apply stress to a fairly small, but CRUCIAL, plastic component on the controller board. By leaving the sacrificial cable plugged-in, and tying it down, you can mostly eliminate movement & stress at the controller board. That way, after a few hundred ins-and-outs, when the jack would have normally failed, it won't cost you a controller. Instead, you just retrieve the second sacrificial cable, and laugh merrily as you continue working. .

Thom

[nivlac]

Thank you Thom. That’s a good idea. I’ll definitely be looking into that. I appreciate everybody for replying to the post.