brillant idea. pls make a dxf file

 

How funny! I was just looking into making bellows for my OX last week. There are some videos about it on Youtube if you want to know more. I think it is most likely the best option to keep dust and debris out of the rails and wheels. It's used by lots of CNC machines.

The paper solution didn't appear the best option to me, that's why I placed it on the shelf for now until I dream up a better material to use. But it is the way to go, I guess.

 

How about just facing the C-Beams to the outside. This way you wont get any chips in them.

 

This is more aesthetics than for protection, but if you wanna try you only need these requirements: a soft material that can be easily cut with exacto knife, a 3 mm or 1/8" thick material.
Then mark and cut 8mm or 9mm of width and the long of the stripe it will depend of your v-slot size, this works for any V-slot and their variants, the C-Beam work too, and don't worry this will not interfere with any type of the V-Wheels including the V-mini.
You can use soft and slim wood, plastic, cardboard, any material that would be softer enough to be easy to cut, why not plexiglass, because a harder material will do have some troubles when a chip come across the v-wheel and the v-slot cover.
Color can be spary paint or vinyl (vinyl for cutter plotters like roland or cameo)

 

Facing the C-Beams to the outside it's a good idea, I been thinking in that too, in my case in the lower Y axis, I need to protect that Acme.

 

Somewhere there is a suggestion to cut up side panels from a window air conditioner unit.
Maybe a discarded unit ? Maybe a replacement/spare part ?

I can't find that thread right now.

EDIT:
Since I wrote the above I have walked around Walmart (for other reasons) and noticed that there is a number of paper filter products that use folded (pleated) paper.
Furnace filters or shop vacuum filters, either would provide enough material for a LOT of concertina type C-beam covers.
I also found this; http://www.repairclinic.com/PartDetail/Window-Side-Curtain/AC610062/1606652?ss=a16c30&mr=0

The more I think about it, roller blinds may be a better solution.
Put them so that the OUTSIDE is up, so that chips never get rolled up into the blind.
Every time the table goes to an end the rolled up blind should dump its chips.
BIG advantage would be no pleats to capture chips and need clearing out.

 

Found these Chinese making them.... http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Accordion-type-Rubber-bellows-dust-cover_1413514272.html I'm sure there are many, many more that sell/make them. Prices might be low, almost to the point of making them yourself not worth the trouble. I'll see if I can get a quote or more info.

 

I think you will vacuum out the pleats ONCE and quickly decide on roller blinds.
If you are trying to deal with metal chips maybe not even once (~:

I'm mounting them like (remember your Greek ?) lower case sigma with the roller attached to the Y-axis end plate tapped holes and the blind end attached to the mdf board edge. I just have to disable the roller locks so that they don't stay "down".
Hmmm, as I recall that was a major failure mode of these wretched things back in our college daze, it should be easy enough to "break" them.

BTW, I'm also trying to figure out a decent router chip vacuum shroud.
I think most routers either come with a clear plastic one, or offer it as an option.

 

how about using a retractable belt on each end of the Rail. similar to what you see in Stanchions at a bank. there the belt .
it would cover the lead screw
http://www.amazon.com/Stanchion-Barrier-Retractable-Ribbon-12004-8-BLACK/dp/B00LEBACKC

 

I'm afraid the dust and chips will collect into the rolling system pretty quickly and disable it.

 

Can you show picture/video of how you mounted those blinds?

 

What about a flexible piece of plastic like on the Taig Micromill? See below.



You could get some cheap flexible cutting boards from Amazon and probably rig up a mount on the table and end of the axis. These are 15 inches long so they should probably work, http://www.amazon.com/MIU-Flexible-..._UL160_SR131,160_&refRID=0M8DXE1BZEVDF46XHHR4

Thinking about it I would probably taper them so they are wider at the table and thinner near the end of the axis so the chips wouldn't fall down onto the underside of the plastic.

 

The foam strips are brilliant to keep dust out of the profiles and things easier to clean. But the idea of the bellows is to keep the dust AWAY from the profiles, which I think is the goal. While milling the dust/chips will go under the wheels and can cause inaccuracies in the workpiece. The foam strips do NOT stop that from happening, bellows will.

 

Hi Ronald,

Yeah, that will do it for the C-Beam machines. The 'traditional' OX however still needs some kind of protection. The foam strips are excellent for the most part, the bellows can do the rest to keep dust away of the crucial parts.

 

I take it that the X can be raised/lowered with the C-beams on the corners, sliding over OB profiles? This might also be the case for widening the table? I like the idea of the X hanging between the Y's, was playing with that idea myself. Interesting concept to work on and advance with.

 

Have a look at Damen CNC in Holland (your possible origination) for their custom machine. In a way the same concept, but much more expensive! ;-)

For now I'm quiet happy with my Buffalo, but at some point expect to look for a more rigid and faster system. Still don't know what to think about table size. Long and small 3x5 or 3x6, square 4x4 or 5x5 or wide and short 5x3? Each has its advantages and disadvantages.

Oh well, indeed so little time so many ideas (and limited budgets too!).

 

I'm Dutch too, based in Asia (Thailand) however. Not worth the effort to introduce it here with the locals.

 

But wouldn't work for an OX or C-Beam...