Rack & pinion vs ball screw drive

User avatar
TReischl
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 4577
Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 6:04 pm
Model of CNC Machine: 8020 48X36X7 RP 2022 UCCNC Screenset
Location: Leland NC

Re: Rack & pinion vs ball screw drive

Post by TReischl »

Leo, way, WAY back, like circa 1974 we had a tour of the P.F. Avery company in southern NH. HOLY SMOKES!

They were fabricating nuclear pressure vessels for power plants out of stainless steel. The tanks were made by cutting huge rings of 4 inch thick stainless steel and then welding them together. The vessel had to be about 10 X 20 feet tall. They used these huge vertical lathes to machine them. The operator rode in a carriage alongside the cutting tool, which, IIRC was a 2 inch square shank with the biggest piece of carbide for an insert I have ever seen. The material was coming of in a ribbon and could have been used for a coil spring.

I just looked them up on line. It appears they took a serious nose dive when all the folks got upset about nuclear power and are now an itty bitty consulting firm of two people. Looks like they reorganized in the early '80s.

BTW Leo, I looked at the video of your machine. Very, very nice indeed! I am thinking that "rubber" on the bed is actually a pretty good idea, not sure what it would cost to replace it eventually, but still a good idea. When we moved down here I scrapped the base for my machine since it was cobbled up from parts of Machine #1 base. Much more rigid now. But it is still not welded steel. I like the size of the columns on your base. Stout comes to mind.
"If you see a good fight, get in it." Dr. Vernon Johns

User avatar
Leo
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 4082
Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2007 3:02 am
Model of CNC Machine: 1300 x 1300 x 254 Chinese Made
Location: East Freetown, Ma.
Contact:

Re: Rack & pinion vs ball screw drive

Post by Leo »

I have come to really like the rubber on the table top. I have resurfaced it a couple of times. I do use sacrificial spacers as needed, or sometimes just barely cut through into the rubber a few thou. I will replace it when the time comes.

I also like the TEE track.

Ted, truly, my inspiration to what I wanted was from you.
Imagine the Possibilities of a Creative mind, combined with the functionality of CNC

User avatar
TReischl
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 4577
Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 6:04 pm
Model of CNC Machine: 8020 48X36X7 RP 2022 UCCNC Screenset
Location: Leland NC

Re: Rack & pinion vs ball screw drive

Post by TReischl »

Leo wrote:I have come to really like the rubber on the table top. I have resurfaced it a couple of times. I do use sacrificial spacers as needed, or sometimes just barely cut through into the rubber a few thou. I will replace it when the time comes.

I also like the TEE track.

Ted, truly, my inspiration to what I wanted was from you.
Thanks Leo. But darn, my machine is nothing special, that is for sure! What I like best about it is that I can change it when I want to. After we moved I added another 4 inches to the height of the gantry so I could fit some bigger stuff I was doing under it. All I had to do was buy two pieces of extrusion and I was good to go. I also slide the y axis out about 2 inches so I could work on the ends of boards easily, doing things like finger joints. Hey! It is a hobby for me so I am supposed to have fun! :D
"If you see a good fight, get in it." Dr. Vernon Johns

Post Reply