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FP2 Z axis rocking

There are several ways to skin a cat
You used Rulon Perhaps that is obtainable in 0.4mm
I never found Turcite that size
Last time I softsolder a piece of square brass on the pulling end of the shim This makes for a sharper bend
I have steel shims 40mm wide in several thicknesses

Peter
 
Not 100% relevant to this thread, but it's a subject that I've been thinking about lately and we are talking about Z rocking:

Ross (@AlfaGTA ), you have mentioned in several occasions that the late Z gib configuration, like the one on the machine discussed in this thread is designed so that both vertical box ways support the carriage against rocking. Have you actually confirmed this on your 3?
I haven't seen a late 2 or 3 in person, so I have no personal experience, but you do have a late 3 (late 3 in that it has the final version Z/X carriages. First gen FP3s have the gib as on your first gen FP2s).

The position of the gib says nothing regarding which of the box ways does the supporting: gib between the ways could still work employing the right box way only...
I'd be grateful if someone could satisfy my curiosity...

Many thanks,
Thanos
 
The vertical gib setups vary depending on the era and size of the machine.
Early manual machines carry the support of the vertical slide on both side faces of the operators side box way...That is to say on the inside and outside faces of the same box.....
On later builds and with the FP-NC's the support is carried between the inner faces of both the right and left box.
My guess here is that Deckel improved its grinding capability to allow precision grinding of both inside faces of the vertical box. This would have required a larger grinding machine and better process control.

In all cases the tapered gib is always on the operators side of the machine.... The early version has the adjustable gib on the outside of the box and the fixed surface on the inside face of the right box. Pretty sure all the machines with this setup have the gib with the large end (adjustment end) at the lower side (bottom) of the vertical slide.
All the machines with this setup have an adjusting screw with integral washer head to adjust the gib position. These use a set screw at right angles to secure the adjustment screw.

The later setup (last gen. manuals and FP-NC's ) use the end plate and shims to control the gib adjustment.....
Location is always on the inside of the operators side box way....Direction of the gib ,either top adjustment or lower adjustment depends on the model (size) of the machine.
On the FP-NC's at least the FP3NC has its "Z" gib adjustment (big end) on top of the slide, where the FP4NC has its adjustment (big end) at the bottom of the slide


Cheers Ross
 
Hi Ross,

thanks for the elaboration, the difference in gib placement and design is clear. I should have stated the question better:

for the later design, with the gib on the inside face of the operator side box way, have you (or someone else) actually confirmed that the 'other' supporting face is, indeed, the inside face of the other box way? The gib placement alone does not dictate which the other supporting face is. The gib in the inside face of the operator-side box way means that the other supporting face could either be the inside face of the other box way or the outside face of the operator-side way as in the past.
Wondering whether someone has actually confirmed which is the case.

Thanks,
Thanos
 
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Yes......lots of evidence here. I have had several machines apart to this level and reworked (scraped) the bearing surfaces....
The fact that there is clearance on the outside of the faces of the vertical slide (read:not touching hence no bearing) on the outside of the later design, plus the placement of oiling grooves and feed holes
that supply oil to the inside faces only, that and scraping on the vertical slide faces that match the inside box faces......There is no mystery here, its exactly as stated above.

Its easy to verify for yourself......Remove the cover shield from on top of the "Z" slide. Lift up the dirt seal and look at the top of the slide where the outside box passes by the outside of the sliding member (both sides) There will be clearance there....Ie no contact.
Conversely, the inside gib (operators side) and the opposite inside face will be tight, no visible clearance. That is where the work is being done.

Cheers Ross
 
Yes......lots of evidence here. I have had several machines apart to this level and reworked (scraped) the bearing surfaces....
The fact that there is clearance on the outside of the faces of the vertical slide (read:not touching hence no bearing) on the outside of the later design, plus the placement of oiling grooves and feed holes
that supply oil to the inside faces only, that and scraping on the vertical slide faces that match the inside box faces......There is no mystery here, its exactly as stated above.

Its easy to verify for yourself......Remove the cover shield from on top of the "Z" slide. Lift up the dirt seal and look at the top of the slide where the outside box passes by the outside of the sliding member (both sides) There will be clearance there....Ie no contact.
Conversely, the inside gib (operators side) and the opposite inside face will be tight, no visible clearance. That is where the work is being done.

Cheers Ross
Many thanks Ross, exactly what I was after.

(would have verified myself if I had any of the late machines....my early FP2 uses the old design, all work done on the operator-side way. And I don't think I'll be able to afford but a first gen FP3 to replace it, and that one uses the old design as well).

Many thanks and best regards,
Thanos
 








 
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