I have looked and found how to get ballscrew loose to clean but I can not find any where to troubleshoot how to get a stuck ball screw loose. My machine x50 journeyman is working fine but I was trying to get ballscrew loose so I can do maintenance. I was able to get the left y ballscrew loose and moved away from gantry and clean it really good. The right y ballscrew will not budge off the gantry. I have removed the 2 screws and the oil port screw. I have blown out as much as I could and oiled the thing massively with out the ball screw coming loose. I also can not get the x ballscrew loose after removing the 4 screws and taking off the oil port screw.
Any suggestions or tips I would be greatly appreciative so I can do preventative cleaning before problems arise.
Place a piece of wood against black gantry block the ball nut is stuck inside of. Hit the block with a hammer to ‘push’ the gantry block away from the ball nut, that way the ball nut doesn’t move, but the gantry block does off the ball nut. Ensure you remove the two screws holding the ball nut in the gantry and the oil port bolt!
You can also jog the machine closer to either end and see if it’s easier to get the ball nut out.
So I got the x axis off easily so the only one I couldnt get off is the right y axis. I tried moving it to the back front and still unable to break it loose.
I tried that and it still is not budging! I use a dust boot and spray off after and during each carve. I dont think there is build up in it but seems like it is frozen to the gantry.
Didnt want to hit it that hard but since you suggested it that it is ok to do I did it! OK it was just very stubborn in there. It came loose and I am cleaning it now, it is not that dirty but I guess it was the first time off so it was very tight. The others basically slipped right out. Hopefully it will be easier next time! Thanks for the quick replies and assistance.
I’m more concerned with the condition of the threads on the ball screw. They look like tiny asteroids hit them . It might be time to replace the whole ball screw. Maintenance needs to be performed much, much more often than whatever you have been doing so far.
I think the picture is showing debris and the light hitting it. I just inspected it and it looks good. What can be done about what looks like welded set screw? If I need to replace the ball screw how much is that? I will look and see if I can find on website. Thank You for your time.
That set screw looks like it was sticking out a bit and got sheared off. I can’t figure out how though. Hopefully you can work at the left side of the hex hole and push the sheared material out of the way and still use a regular hex wrench to back it out. If that doesn’t work, you may want to try a screw remover, the type that you drill in to the screw then use a reverse thread end of the remover to back the screw out.
What specific parts will I need to order to replace the right y ball screw and nut? Could you please provide me with a link so I can place my order. Thanks! I did get it off but as you see from the pictures it looks like the set screw was not totally screwed in prior to the intial set up at the factory causing it to be sheared off and thus causing me problems to loosen the ball screw nut. So I will need to replace the whole ball screw and nut assembly so I can be able to clean the ball screw normally with out having to beat it with a hammer to release from the gantry.
Thanks for the quick replies! I obviously seen that picture but thanks for reposting it so I can see it again. I will ask again … is this the part I will need to replace the ball screw on my Y axis for journeyman? The reason I am asking is since the part/link I am seeing says it is for the woodworker. I assume since it has the same dimension for the y axis that the parts are the same for the woodworker and journeyman. If I could get a specific answer saying that the link I sent is the part that is needed that would be great (instead of sending a picture) and I will place order soon. Thanks for understanding and assisting me to me make sure I order the correct part.
. It might be time to replace the whole ball screw. Maintenance needs to be performed much, much more often than whatever you have been doing so far.