Y Rod Bearing

You can read about the previous incarnation of this idea, but I think it made things worse by not being precisely mounted and applying stress to the rod as a result.

This is a new and improved bearing mount that is (hopefully) “self adjusting” with two pieces that bolt into place with the bearing already on the rod and bolt holes big enough to allow for some tilting and shifting before the bolts are tightened. It is on thingiverse as thing 567064.

(I didn't intentionally make the bearing holder look like a Mini Cooper logo :-).

To install I disassembled all the stuff on the Y rod (sigh) put everything back (remembering to put things on in the right order, and not forgetting the Y motor drive belt).

Before I positioned the bearing, I got new fishing line installed on the left and right and positioned the pulleys so Y movement did not apply any force to shift the rod left or right when I shoved the carriage back and forth several times.

Before putting the Y motor belt back on (which, if you believe the forums, seems to be a major source of Y rod bending) I then put the screws in the base, but left them loose so the base could shift a bit. I tightened the faceplate holding the bearing to the base, the theory being that this gets it oriented precisely vertically. I tightened the base screws to hold it permanently in the correct vertial position. That might have pulled the Y rod back a bit, so next I loosened the faceplate screws to relieve any stress and tightened them again. My theory is that this positions the bearing perfectly so it won't exert any force unless someone else tries to bend the rod out of the correct position.

Having gotten the bearing in place, I then put the Y motor belt back on and tightened the motor down. Which leads to this mess:

The end of the circle doesn't wind up in the same place as the beginning. I can only assume that is backlash.

Fortunately there is another gadget to help fix that.

Go back to my main Solidoodle page.