Re: [Emc-users] How to treat rusted linear rails?
Those look awful. But sometimes those sort of things will surprise you how well they clean up. We had an old machine that had rectangular ways with tank bearings that looked nearly that bad. Some oil, steel wool, and some elbow grease and they looked surprisingly well afterword. But I think those tank bearings and rectangular ways are a lot more forgiving than profile ways with their small ball bearings. Like others have said, you won't really be able to judge the extent of the damage until they are cleaned up. But for a wood working machine it may still be serviceable once it's cleaned up. Also depends a bit on the configuration of the machine. For example for a long cantilevered gantry like a lot of the European pod and rail type machines are built like, will not tolerate any slop in the long axis ways. What ever you do, don't try moving any of the axis until all that rust is cleaned up. Hopefully your screws don't look like that. Todd Zuercher P. Graham Dunn Inc. 630 Henry Street Dalton, Ohio 44618 Phone: (330)828-2105ext. 2031 -Original Message- From: Viesturs Lācis Sent: Monday, March 11, 2024 3:43 AM To: Enhanced Machine Controller (EMC) Subject: [Emc-users] How to treat rusted linear rails? [You don't often get email from viesturs.la...@gmail.com. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ] [EXTERNAL EMAIL] Be sure links are safe. Hello! Last year there was a chance to acquire Biesse machine for a a really low price so I surprised myself with pretty large and heavy Christmas present. Just put it in the workshop (where heating is not yet present) and was waiting for a warmer weather to start retrofitting it with LinuxCNC. Since this machine has spent at least several years in a shed - roof above it but no other protection against outside temperatures, I did not worry about adding one more winter to it. I have 2 questions: 1) are there any recommendations for outside temperature when trying to connect it to power? I want to see the status messages on servodrives - hopefully they are good (I have done 4 similar retrofits so I feel familiar with those old drives). 2) my main problem is the rust on linear rails. what is recommended procedure to treat this? Here is a picture that show the extent of the issue: https://pasteboard.co/C1EAn0w5t8KT.jpg What I did is brushing it with a piece of steel wool moisted with oil. I am not sure that it is sufficient so I would appreciate any tips on how to treat them. Viesturs ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
Re: [Emc-users] How to treat rusted linear rails?
On Mon, 11 Mar 2024 at 07:48, Viesturs Lācis wrote: > 2) my main problem is the rust on linear rails. what is recommended > procedure to treat this? If you can remove them from the machine (a big "if") then soaking for a few weeks in a 10:1 solution of molasses and water could be tried. This is a very gentle technique, and will not remove any metal. Somewhere around picture 15 here: https://bodgesoc.blogspot.com/2014/04/1921-ner-car.html -- atp "A motorcycle is a bicycle with a pandemonium attachment and is designed for the especial use of mechanical geniuses, daredevils and lunatics." — George Fitch, Atlanta Constitution Newspaper, 1912 ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
Re: [Emc-users] How to treat rusted linear rails?
On 3/11/24 7:40 AM, Les Newell wrote: I've had good success with fine scotchbrite and WD40/AC90/Duck oil or other light oil spray. It seems to do a pretty good job of knocking off the rust without affecting the metal. I find steel wool doesn't last very long and leaves bits of steel wool everywhere which is a pain to clean up. Les On 11/03/2024 07:42, Viesturs Lācis wrote: Hello! Last year there was a chance to acquire Biesse machine for a a really low price so I surprised myself with pretty large and heavy Christmas present. Just put it in the workshop (where heating is not yet present) and was waiting for a warmer weather to start retrofitting it with LinuxCNC. SNIP I always use an India oilstone. It has a convex back for getting into concaves and is straight and flat. The major advantage is that a fine stone will remove the rust that extends above the surface. Never ever scotchbrite or even worse sandpaper. Steel wool and oil work to remove the corrosion from any pits but make cleanup hard as previously mentioned. Ed. ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
Re: [Emc-users] How to treat rusted linear rails?
I've had good success with fine scotchbrite and WD40/AC90/Duck oil or other light oil spray. It seems to do a pretty good job of knocking off the rust without affecting the metal. I find steel wool doesn't last very long and leaves bits of steel wool everywhere which is a pain to clean up. Les On 11/03/2024 07:42, Viesturs Lācis wrote: Hello! Last year there was a chance to acquire Biesse machine for a a really low price so I surprised myself with pretty large and heavy Christmas present. Just put it in the workshop (where heating is not yet present) and was waiting for a warmer weather to start retrofitting it with LinuxCNC. Since this machine has spent at least several years in a shed - roof above it but no other protection against outside temperatures, I did not worry about adding one more winter to it. I have 2 questions: 1) are there any recommendations for outside temperature when trying to connect it to power? I want to see the status messages on servodrives - hopefully they are good (I have done 4 similar retrofits so I feel familiar with those old drives). 2) my main problem is the rust on linear rails. what is recommended procedure to treat this? Here is a picture that show the extent of the issue: https://pasteboard.co/C1EAn0w5t8KT.jpg What I did is brushing it with a piece of steel wool moisted with oil. I am not sure that it is sufficient so I would appreciate any tips on how to treat them. Viesturs ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
[Emc-users] How to treat rusted linear rails?
Personally, I would use an electrolytic process with carbon and a power source. Any other method would only further damage the rails. You're 'plating' onto the rails, so no metal is lost. The rust gets reduced back to Fe and can be brushed off. Roland On Mon, 11 Mar 2024 at 09:47, Viesturs Lācis wrote: > Hello! > > Last year there was a chance to acquire Biesse machine for a a really > low price so I surprised myself with pretty large and heavy Christmas > present. Just put it in the workshop (where heating is not yet > present) and was waiting for a warmer weather to start retrofitting it > with LinuxCNC. > > Since this machine has spent at least several years in a shed - roof > above it but no other protection against outside temperatures, I did > not worry about adding one more winter to it. > > I have 2 questions: > 1) are there any recommendations for outside temperature when trying > to connect it to power? I want to see the status messages on > servodrives - hopefully they are good (I have done 4 similar retrofits > so I feel familiar with those old drives). > > 2) my main problem is the rust on linear rails. what is recommended > procedure to treat this? > Here is a picture that show the extent of the issue: > https://pasteboard.co/C1EAn0w5t8KT.jpg > What I did is brushing it with a piece of steel wool moisted with oil. > I am not sure that it is sufficient so I would appreciate any tips on > how to treat them. > > Viesturs > > > ___ > Emc-users mailing list > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
Re: [Emc-users] How to treat rusted linear rails?
Steel wool, Deep Creep penetrating oil, and a lot of "elbow grease". Then once you have the rust off or smoothed you'll have to decide if the rails are too rough to use. On Monday, March 11, 2024 at 01:47:31 AM MDT, Viesturs Lācis wrote: 2) my main problem is the rust on linear rails. what is recommended procedure to treat this? Here is a picture that show the extent of the issue: https://pasteboard.co/C1EAn0w5t8KT.jpg What I did is brushing it with a piece of steel wool moisted with oil. I am not sure that it is sufficient so I would appreciate any tips on how to treat them. ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
Re: [Emc-users] How to treat rusted linear rails?
On 3/11/24 03:45, Viesturs Lācis wrote: Hello! Last year there was a chance to acquire Biesse machine for a a really low price so I surprised myself with pretty large and heavy Christmas present. Just put it in the workshop (where heating is not yet present) and was waiting for a warmer weather to start retrofitting it with LinuxCNC. Since this machine has spent at least several years in a shed - roof above it but no other protection against outside temperatures, I did not worry about adding one more winter to it. I have 2 questions: 1) are there any recommendations for outside temperature when trying to connect it to power? I want to see the status messages on servodrives - hopefully they are good (I have done 4 similar retrofits so I feel familiar with those old drives). 2) my main problem is the rust on linear rails. what is recommended procedure to treat this? Here is a picture that show the extent of the issue: https://pasteboard.co/C1EAn0w5t8KT.jpg What I did is brushing it with a piece of steel wool moisted with oil. I am not sure that it is sufficient so I would appreciate any tips on how to treat them. With linear bearings, clearance is zip and cleanliness is paramount. The steel wool will in the face of that much rust will leave enough debris to lock them up if they'll even move now. You may wind up removing them, cleaning up the rest of the machine to lox clean condition, using a brass or even stainless powered brush and putting on new rails to restore motion. The problem here is quite likely the balls in the traveler have also rusted. Cleaning that to smooth motion may wear out the shop air compressor. You'll need 5000 count boxes of q-tips to clean the ball groove, mashing them into the ball groove after a drop of gun oil has been added. Any stain on the q-tip means get another clean one and do it again. I am in the middle of putting new linears on a big 3d printer, and have had to blow away my invisible fingerprints several times to keep them moving smoothly. What material does this machine normally process? Even a 3d printer can be a dirty environment for them, there they aren't oiled after being blown clean as the oil collects air born dirt. What 3n1 like or synthetic gun oil left after blowing clean is sufficient. Viesturs Good luck with this one, Viesturs Take care & stay well. Cheers, Gene Heskett, CET. -- "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order." -Ed Howdershelt (Author, 1940) If we desire respect for the law, we must first make the law respectable. - Louis D. Brandeis ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
[Emc-users] How to treat rusted linear rails?
Hello! Last year there was a chance to acquire Biesse machine for a a really low price so I surprised myself with pretty large and heavy Christmas present. Just put it in the workshop (where heating is not yet present) and was waiting for a warmer weather to start retrofitting it with LinuxCNC. Since this machine has spent at least several years in a shed - roof above it but no other protection against outside temperatures, I did not worry about adding one more winter to it. I have 2 questions: 1) are there any recommendations for outside temperature when trying to connect it to power? I want to see the status messages on servodrives - hopefully they are good (I have done 4 similar retrofits so I feel familiar with those old drives). 2) my main problem is the rust on linear rails. what is recommended procedure to treat this? Here is a picture that show the extent of the issue: https://pasteboard.co/C1EAn0w5t8KT.jpg What I did is brushing it with a piece of steel wool moisted with oil. I am not sure that it is sufficient so I would appreciate any tips on how to treat them. Viesturs ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
