AnWFL
Plastic
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2016
- Location
- Wisconsin, USA
Hello everyone, hoping I can get some advice.
Way TL;DR: One shot lube system on Matsuura MC-500V might be clogged. Wondering how to check and fix without taking the whole mill apart.
For a bit of context, I have no real experience with CNC equipment (or milling machines in general for that matter). I started by getting an old (but in great condition) Clausing gearhead lathe a couple of years ago and using that for awhile before looking for a mill. Last year, things worked out such that I decided to skip a possibly more reasonable Bridgeport > CNC progression, and go straight to CNC. I managed to get a 1980 Matsuura MC-500V last summer (all this is purely for private purposes, thus the old but cheap CNC mill). It ended up sitting untouched for a year due to other issues.
However, as of last weekend, I hooked it up and it powered on and appears to work. Pretty sweet seeing it finally run. I didn't run any parts or anything, just jogged stuff around and tested the control (an old YASNAC 3000G, I come way after the punch tape era so that was interesting to see...). Anyway, while I have definitely seen pictures of dirtier machines, this one isn't great, to say the least, so I currently have all the easy to take off bits removed for a bit of cleaning.
Here is the problem. I'm not sure the one shot lube system is fully functional. I assumed that since it sat for a year the lube lines had somewhat drained, but I have been pumping the lube system manual pump each evening for a few days now and have yet to see any oil coming out in the axis gear drive boxes. I know some things are getting oil since the y-axis ballscrew nut has started leaking oil but I can't really get to a lot of spots to check.
So I'm wondering what my options are. First, is it possible to test the system a little more thoroughly than by simply using the dinky little hand pump? Each evening I can give about 2.5 pumps (5 cc per pump) with that before the pressure builds up and I have to wait a little while to give another partial pump. I was wondering if connecting up a modified grease gun (holding appropriate oil of course) in place of the machine's little lube pump to really pump some oil and see what happens was a good idea. Of course, I'd rather not blow one of the little aluminium oil lines...
If a line is plugged, would snaking the oil lines with a bit of piano wire or something work you think? I'd probably have to take the table off to get at the x and y axis oil line distribution block also, which is down underneath inside the saddle. I'd like to clean down in there anyway, so that wouldn't be the end of the world, but I'm not sure how involved that might be. Unfortunately, I have very little documentation for the machine, just a basic control manual and user maintenance manual so I can't say for sure, but taking the table off appears to include pulling a gear off the end of the x-axis ballscrew. Could be a delicate operation. Actually, if anyone knows how to get a hold of some more documentation for a machine like this (if possible), I'd really appreciate it.
On a less pressing point, is there a point to having a really clean CNC mill? I like really clean equipment, but if it doesn't matter as long as basic tidiness is observed, I guess I would like to get to making parts sooner rather than later.
Overall, the machine seems in good shape, given its age, so I'm just hoping this isn't a huge issue (though I forgot to check movements with an indicator when it was on; I have pulled the gibs and checked those and the ways however). I can post pictures of various things if needed. Thanks in advance to anyone who has anything to say, this turned into a pretty long post.
Way TL;DR: One shot lube system on Matsuura MC-500V might be clogged. Wondering how to check and fix without taking the whole mill apart.
For a bit of context, I have no real experience with CNC equipment (or milling machines in general for that matter). I started by getting an old (but in great condition) Clausing gearhead lathe a couple of years ago and using that for awhile before looking for a mill. Last year, things worked out such that I decided to skip a possibly more reasonable Bridgeport > CNC progression, and go straight to CNC. I managed to get a 1980 Matsuura MC-500V last summer (all this is purely for private purposes, thus the old but cheap CNC mill). It ended up sitting untouched for a year due to other issues.
However, as of last weekend, I hooked it up and it powered on and appears to work. Pretty sweet seeing it finally run. I didn't run any parts or anything, just jogged stuff around and tested the control (an old YASNAC 3000G, I come way after the punch tape era so that was interesting to see...). Anyway, while I have definitely seen pictures of dirtier machines, this one isn't great, to say the least, so I currently have all the easy to take off bits removed for a bit of cleaning.
Here is the problem. I'm not sure the one shot lube system is fully functional. I assumed that since it sat for a year the lube lines had somewhat drained, but I have been pumping the lube system manual pump each evening for a few days now and have yet to see any oil coming out in the axis gear drive boxes. I know some things are getting oil since the y-axis ballscrew nut has started leaking oil but I can't really get to a lot of spots to check.
So I'm wondering what my options are. First, is it possible to test the system a little more thoroughly than by simply using the dinky little hand pump? Each evening I can give about 2.5 pumps (5 cc per pump) with that before the pressure builds up and I have to wait a little while to give another partial pump. I was wondering if connecting up a modified grease gun (holding appropriate oil of course) in place of the machine's little lube pump to really pump some oil and see what happens was a good idea. Of course, I'd rather not blow one of the little aluminium oil lines...
If a line is plugged, would snaking the oil lines with a bit of piano wire or something work you think? I'd probably have to take the table off to get at the x and y axis oil line distribution block also, which is down underneath inside the saddle. I'd like to clean down in there anyway, so that wouldn't be the end of the world, but I'm not sure how involved that might be. Unfortunately, I have very little documentation for the machine, just a basic control manual and user maintenance manual so I can't say for sure, but taking the table off appears to include pulling a gear off the end of the x-axis ballscrew. Could be a delicate operation. Actually, if anyone knows how to get a hold of some more documentation for a machine like this (if possible), I'd really appreciate it.
On a less pressing point, is there a point to having a really clean CNC mill? I like really clean equipment, but if it doesn't matter as long as basic tidiness is observed, I guess I would like to get to making parts sooner rather than later.
Overall, the machine seems in good shape, given its age, so I'm just hoping this isn't a huge issue (though I forgot to check movements with an indicator when it was on; I have pulled the gibs and checked those and the ways however). I can post pictures of various things if needed. Thanks in advance to anyone who has anything to say, this turned into a pretty long post.
