PDA

View Full Version : hot flex shaft


jab73180
10-18-2009, 08:40 PM
im not proud of this by any stretch of the imagination, but i think i may have broken a record for the hottest flex shaft. It managed to get up to 301 degrees and smoke a lil. The project was almost done so i let it go, then i had a axis stall so it didnt finish any way. darn thing. could the 2 problems be linked some how?
Rick P
10-18-2009, 10:54 PM
WOW ... if your flex shaft got that hot with a ROCK chuck, all your flex shaft lubricant must have disappeared.

The two problems could be linked, but I don't know how...I have not had these problems yet.
SAA3840
10-18-2009, 11:56 PM
Jab, you didn't state whether your axis stall was an "X", "Y" or "Z" stall, not that it matters a whole lot. I don't think the two are directly connected but with these persnickety machines, who knows. You most likely need the whole flex shaft assembly replaced after toasting it like you did.
bjbethke
10-19-2009, 12:11 AM
im not proud of this by any stretch of the imagination, but i think i may have broken a record for the hottest flex shaft. It managed to get up to 301 degrees and smoke a lil. The project was almost done so i let it go, then i had a axis stall so it didnt finish any way. darn thing. could the 2 problems be linked some how?
It may have been a Y axis stall; the flex shaft froze up and caused the error.
jab73180
10-19-2009, 05:44 AM
i dont know think it froze up i will check though, this flex shaft was never right out of the box. how much for a new shaft assembly.
jab73180
10-19-2009, 06:02 AM
the chuck moves freely, could that have still flashed an error code?
bjbethke
10-19-2009, 08:41 AM
the chuck moves freely, could that have still flashed an error code?
If the flex-shaft is not melted, I would take it apart and re-lube it with Molly Lube. Check the inner spring makes sure it is in good shape. And try the shaft again. Make sure it does not get hot. The shaft was around $65.00 plus shipping.
jab73180
10-19-2009, 05:55 PM
it is melted, i dont think it was right from the start anyway so a new one is in order.
unitedcases
10-19-2009, 07:28 PM
You should probably still check that one for lube and do the chain lube trick. I hear alot of people that think theirs is lubed because it comes straight from the factory but it still isnt.
bjbethke
10-19-2009, 07:33 PM
it is melted, i dont think it was right from the start anyway so a new one is in order.
Did you lube your flex shaft with a molly lube when you received your unit?
bjbethke
10-19-2009, 07:47 PM
it is melted, i dont think it was right from the start anyway so a new one is in order.
You stated in your post #5
""I don’t know think it froze up I will check though, this flex shaft was never right out of the box.”” How much for a new shaft assembly.""

That may indicate that the shaft itself may be OK, The spring may also be OK. Only the outside is damaged.
Post an image of your damage.

Sounds like you never lubed your flex shaft when you received your CW unit.
jab73180
10-19-2009, 08:11 PM
i dont know how the "know" got in there. it didnt freeze up, and i lubed it out of the box, but dont know if i lubed it with the right stuff. i used a grease with moly and it still didnt help. i then tried the chain lube with moly. and that didnt seem to help either. it melted the plastic sheathing where the metal keeper upper touches it. i have read here where people dont have to lube the shaft all that much and dont put to much on it. i even went so far as cleaning the shaft, sheath, and spring with brake clean real well to get the junk out of it and relubing everything. the shaft just wasnt right.
bjbethke
10-19-2009, 08:35 PM
i dont know how the "know" got in there. it didnt freeze up, and i lubed it out of the box, but dont know if i lubed it with the right stuff. i used a grease with moly and it still didnt help. i then tried the chain lube with moly. and that didnt seem to help either. it melted the plastic sheathing where the metal keeper upper touches it. i have read here where people dont have to lube the shaft all that much and dont put to much on it. i even went so far as cleaning the shaft, sheath, and spring with brake clean real well to get the junk out of it and relubing everything. the shaft just wasnt right.
That flex shaft is made up of a lot of wires, some of them my be broken, hope the new Flex-shaft works for you. Keep the faith this is a great machine. -It riddles your mind some times, but it is a simple machine, and is fixable...
jab73180
10-20-2009, 05:24 AM
it is a great machine, i was just wondering why the need for a flex shaft, why didnt they just mount the motor on top of the machine and make it a lil taller.
Digitalwoodshop
10-20-2009, 08:45 AM
Weight.... It would take another thousand of heavier motors to mount the router on the Y and Z Drive. Did it to cut cost. I don't have a problem with the flex, at first I did... Then with time I love it.... Wouldn't do it any other way.

AL
jab73180
10-20-2009, 05:51 PM
Al what did you do, get a new shaft and everything was all right??? i called LHR and a new assembly is $75, that is cheap enough.


something else to Al, could the hot shaft cause my stall problems. i was getting both y and z stalls. i thought there was a sensor that counted the revs of the spindle, and if that doesnt match the revs put out by the motor, does it throw a stall error????


Al, you are the master and any info would be appreciated!
glenfoxman
10-20-2009, 07:51 PM
need to know if my driver shaft is too stiff or not.

have never had the problems im having.

am hooking it alot, feels like i can "literally feel the shaft flex at impact, or snap forward.

i dont know, let me know.

thanks
_______________________________________
Website I designed for cash advance Hamilton (http://www.paydaytown.com) company.
jab73180
10-20-2009, 08:19 PM
did you lube the shaft when you took the machine out of the box. what do you mean the shaft is hooking.