Upgrading my CNC Router from Round Linear Rails to HIWIN Square Rails

[@rusticagenerica]

You built a very beautiful & compact machine !

[@stephenwebb3069]

What a nice machine . Well done.

[@hamrx8]

Thank you :)

[@PhilMcKeon-wz9os]

Just watched your upgrade to square rails. Great video.

[@hamrx8]

Thanks :)

[@JoyvMachine]

The tatoo on the hand is nice. I can send you a few samples of our own SBR, linear bushing, linear guide, linear block, ball screw and nut for try, if you like.

[@hamrx8]

Thanks.

[@arcangels4846]

Great video. Exactly what we are planning to do, so nice to see how simply the conversion can be done, and how adapter plates work etc. Lovely looking machine also. Nicely built.

[@hamrx8]

Thanks :)

[@pmsilvei]

That's just amazing to watch. It's not just a machine, it's a piece of art being perfected through 10 years. I think we all hobbyists can relate to this. Started to build mine few months ago, and I hope it will last that long. Good luck to you sir!

[@hamrx8]

Thank you for taking the time to comment. More information and details, images etc are on my website. www.ghqp.com.au

[@prairieshadesshutters9675]

Glad to see you are still at it and continuing to improve your craft.

[@mystamo]

If you recall I emailed you and showed you my machine which was made after yours.. I too am now working on updating my linear rods to rails now. Cheers!

[@grahamham3398]

Yes I do remember your emails. Updating to square rails is a good thing, I am pleased I did.

[@Naturemannz]

Fantastic, great to watch. Love your perfectionist way. That cnc is a work of art. Well done. hi from New Zealand

[@hamrx8]

Thank you for your kind comment and hi from Melbourne.

[@roddychisholm552]

Thank you I did not know the name for the HIWIN blocks now i do ,

[@rusticagenerica]

"I am a double-side tape person" :DDDDDD

[@divyeshdodiya7853]

Hey can u tell me who is giving u more precious work hiwin Or linear bearing?

[@hamrx8]

Square HIWIN are naturally better than round linear rails.

[@divyeshdodiya7853]

@@hamrx8 ok thank u

[@muneeburrehman450]

this is a beautiful build. iam also bulding my own almost the same size as yours, i just wanna know about the thickness of your machine's gantry side plates.

[@grahamham3398]

The Gantry sides are machined from 12mm thick Plate Aluminium.

[@TheDIMONART]

Hello! Interesting, do you have any signs/scrathes on old SBR type linear shaft chromed and hardened surface? Are they good enough if the budget is tight?

[@hamrx8]

I had replaced the Y-Axis SBR rails twice over a 10 year period due to visible signs of wear on their top surface mostly in the center, the main work aria. The X and Z axis were mostly ok but I decided to replace them all anyway.

[@danielbichokov1340]

Hi, very nice video. I have a question about round liners.Did you like them, do they have big play?I'm thinking of building my own plasma CNC with round linear axes, I need only 2 axes. Do you think it will work well? Thank you

[@grahamham3398]

Sorry for delay in replying due to Christmas. The round rails worked quite well however over 5-6 years they did show signs of wear especially the Y axis that carried all the gantry weight. As I do quite precision work with my CNC Router I opted to replace the round rails with high quality HIWIN Square ones. I would say for what you are looking round rails would be quite good and honestly at a later date they can easily be replaces with square rails if needed.

[@danielbichokov1340]

@@grahamham3398 Now with the new rails, how will you comment those round ones accuracy's ? Thanks, Marry X-mas

[@grahamham3398]

@@danielbichokov1340 I never performed any specific before and after tests to specify a measurement but would comment that the accuracy and even the surface finish of machined parts is notably improved. The whole machine feels firmer and has a much better feel about it.

[@Dan-qp1el]

What advice would you give on designing the Z axis assy?

[@tinkot]

Thats awesome, i also always wanted to make this upgrade, from my experience the quality of the sbr rails is very questionable. Although they seem to work fine they always make me uncomfortable from multiple aspects

[@hamrx8]

Thanks for commenting. Yes it is a very worth while upgrade.

[@rafaelreina6364]

Thank you, Very NICE and well kept, Neat!!! (Lot to copy from). I have a question. For the base estructure, did you use Extruded aluminum or are like the gantry aluminum plate. Thanks again

[@hamrx8]

The sides use extruded and the ends are plate aluminium. This link below might show the construction in more detail. It was the first before I updated it with closed loop steppers, linear rails and a solid plate bed top. All those are also on my website. www.hamrx8.com/CNC_Router_Project.html

[@rafaelreina6364]

@@hamrx8 Thanks... I have a long way to go !!

[@hamrx8]

@@rafaelreina6364 Back when I first looked at making my CNC it was some months of research before I actually commenced the work and then about 3 months before I actually had it functional. So it takes time but very satisfying in the end.

[@rafaelreina6364]

@@hamrx8 I may deep in your "inkjar" more than one, I really appreciated the encouragement. 😊😊

[@minravex9919]

Pls can two hiwin rail be aligned end to end to make it longer

[@hamrx8]

Not something I have done so I can not answer this from experience. I would say it might be possible but you would have to go to a machine shop for it to be done professionally.

[@roddychisholm552]

What is your way of looking afrer them

[@hamrx8]

Simply keep them clean and way oil through the block oiling nipple occasionally. Never ever use WD40 or the like.

[@murraydaniels7401]

Do you have any drawings of your whole machine?

[@rengankrishnaiyer6912]

sir, what is the thickness of the gantry plates?

[@hamrx8]

12mm Plate Aluminium.

[@rengankrishnaiyer6912]

@@hamrx8 thank you sir. btw how is the accuracy of your machine?

[@hamrx8]

@@rengankrishnaiyer6912 +- 0.05-0.01mm

[@rengankrishnaiyer6912]

@@hamrx8 Sir thats pretty good. The reason I am asking is that i have checked my DIY cnc router X and Y axes are correctly calibrated but when i machine a test rectangle in aluminum, i loose about 0.3 mm example desired 10 mm but i get 9.72. i suspect deflection in my gantry since it is quite thin.

[@hamrx8]

@@rengankrishnaiyer6912 You are getting greater error than I would ever like. One thing I do is to take very shallow cuts/pass typically 0.3 to 0.5mm depending on the size of the cutter. Mostly for aluminium I use a single flute 2.5mm cutter 0.5mm/pass. I am not in a rush to get a job done so time is mot an issue. Also a big improvement was to switch from round to square genuine HIWIN Rails. We can continue any discussion privately if you go to my website and complete the Contact Me Form: www.hamrx8.com/Contact_Me.php

[@divyeshdodiya7853]

Hiii, y do u changed linear bearing to rails???

[@rusticagenerica]

I admire you for doing all this in a house with curtains. I would never do that :D. Just a question : would it make sense to replace those steppers by true linear motors (that do immediate positionning at the right place, without any "rotating part") ?

[@rusticagenerica]

It's a shame yuou didn't show us how you could "Plug" the cables of that rotary axis when you use it. This is Genius ! And how does all that work software wise? Do you need to tell the software that you put a rotary axis?

[@Sebastian-Florin]

Hello, I'm seeking advice. Do you think I could adapt this Linear Rails guidance system to fit a wooden door, similar to the system used for a cantilever gate? My door is made of pine wood, it's 2 meters long, 90 cm high, and is composed of 5 planks, each 10 cm wide and 5 cm thick, weighing approximately 50 kg. I like the guidance system of the cantilever gate, but it's too large for my small door and I'm considering adapting it with this system. The door will be outside, do you think this Linear Rails system will rust? I'm looking forward to your response when you have the time. Thank you.

[@hamrx8]

Hi I had to read you message a few times to grasp what you are wanting to do. First of all yes in principal it would work but when you say it is outside, yes it would rust and likely seize up, depending on the weather in your aria, likely very quickly. You would need a rail system made from stainless steel or other non ferrous metal.

[@Sebastian-Florin]

@@hamrx8 Sorry, my English is dangerous and I wrote the message with the help of chatGPT. Thanks for answering me.

[@dogdipstick]

I just got 4 Orientals 4 Usdigital encoders the drivers gonna set me back 280$ Rails? Got me 18 blocks, 14 HIWIN in 15mm, with 1069mm rails to match (7)... Plus two INA 48"... The cables and all the prox sensors, drag chain, z axis is built... Ready to. Build the frame. Wish me luck.

[@hamrx8]

Wishing you all the best with your build. Slow and easy is the way to go one step at a time. Take care.

[@dogdipstick]

@@hamrx8 Thankyou for sharing This is one of the more substantial works I have seen in my research. Seeing the iteration and how it evolved is wonderful. Thanks again.

[@NINEWALKING]

I my experience it is way better to have linear rails on the top and X gantry standing up on them then hanging of the side. Linear rails tend to work better and last longer that way.

[@grahamham3398]

Interesting.

[@NINEWALKING]

@@grahamham3398 they have different weight limitations depending on from what side you are loafing them. Sideways you engage mostly one side bearings and from the top you engage all of them spreading the load relatively equally.

[@grahamham3398]

@@NINEWALKING Yes totally understand that. I use my router for home use only once or twice a week so not an issue for me or most home users. The loads are very light. However for commercial use you make a good point.

[@NINEWALKING]

@@grahamham3398 commercial use or not everyone want to have stuff that will last long and perform as good as possible. There is a proper way and less good way. It is in the design and it can be changed pretty easy to. There you go idea for your next cnc video.

[@grahamham3398]

@@NINEWALKING I do understand and agree with your point and if I was ever to build a new, or need to modify this router again, I would do it that way.

[@linear_guideway6383]

Very good video. If you need HG20 and other models of linear guide rail, you can ask me. I'm a manufacturer of linear guide rail

[@roddychisholm552]

Buying a Big ish machine then trying to teach my self is intresting