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Thread: Should I be warming up my spindle?

  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brady Watson View Post
    Dude...not sure where you're getting that half-baked info from, but I've been building engines for a long time. You change your oil often and you ALWAYS warm it up before you start beating on it. That's how you spin a bearing or throw a rod through the side of the block. It goes double for turbo or supercharged engines.

    Warm up your spindle. It'll last longer. Or not & throw it away if money and common sense are no objects.

    -B
    engines with carburetors yes. but new engines add more fuel to compensate for the cold and that causes the oil to ge used up faster so lubrication is worse so if your idling the engine your running it with less lube. I wish spindle bearings lasted as long as car bearings.

  2. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brady Watson View Post
    Here's the *official* word from both spindle manufacturers:

    I start my spindles as low as they can go and just let them sit. The 5hp and 3hp Colombos run at 1000 RPM in a cold shop for a few minutes and I graduate from there. The HSD on the DT runs at about 2500 (less and it stalls/doesn't like it) and also gets graduated in RPM over time.

    Note that the SB speed control will not permit RPM lower than 5,000. If you like rolling manual like I do, you can spin it down as low as a few hundred RPM on the larger spindles.

    -B
    Ok Brady, how do you get the spindle to run at less then 5K RPM? Is it a G-code file you wrote to do this? I'd love to start mine out in the morning at less then 5K RPM. Thanks!!
    Don
    Diamond Lake Custom Woodworks, LLC
    www.dlwoodworks.com
    ***********************************
    Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one pretty and well preserved piece; But to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, worn out, bank accounts empty, credit cards maxed out, defiantly shouting "Geronimo"!

    If you make something idiot proof, all they do is create a better idiot.

  3. #13
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    Don...
    Since you are out of warrantee, I'll tell you that in order to have the spindle run at lower rpm you will have to change the ShopBot factory programming. They are programmed this way so that inexperienced users don't try to run them slow, below an appropriate torque level for cutting. For warming up, no issues.

    Notice I told you what to do, not how to do it. How is in the VFD manual.

    BTW: I agree with both the factory recommendations and Brady's. The factory method is just fine assuming a somewhat normal room temperature environment. If you shop gets cooler than 60* at night, I would go with Brady's numbers, for sure. And remember, while you are reading the HSD manual, note that they are not intended to run under 45*F
    Gary Campbell
    GCnC Control
    GCnC411(at)gmail(dot)com
    Servo Controller Upgrades
    http://www.youtube.com/user/Islaww1


    "We can not solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them"
    Albert Einstein


  4. #14
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    Thanks Gary!

    I will brush the dust off my manual and read up on it. I thought maybe it could be done with some G-Coding work. But since the SB Control software gets in the way, I guess the VFD is the only way to do it.
    Don
    Diamond Lake Custom Woodworks, LLC
    www.dlwoodworks.com
    ***********************************
    Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one pretty and well preserved piece; But to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, worn out, bank accounts empty, credit cards maxed out, defiantly shouting "Geronimo"!

    If you make something idiot proof, all they do is create a better idiot.

  5. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by dlcw View Post
    Thanks Gary!

    I will brush the dust off my manual and read up on it. I thought maybe it could be done with some G-Coding work. But since the SB Control software gets in the way, I guess the VFD is the only way to do it.
    if you have the speed control installed it is easy to set up. I can send you the toolpath to run.

  6. #16
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    My original spindle is sitting on a shelf as proof that the warm up makes a difference. It lasted about 2 years with no warm up routine, while it's replacement (always warmed up) is going on 8 years under heavier use than the original. 10mins at 5K RPM.
    Nat Wheatley
    Plymouth Custom Closets
    www.plymouthcustomclosets.com

  7. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by nat_wheatley View Post
    My original spindle is sitting on a shelf as proof that the warm up makes a difference. It lasted about 2 years with no warm up routine, while it's replacement (always warmed up) is going on 8 years under heavier use than the original. 10mins at 5K RPM.
    ya that sucks. I just replaced mine after about ten years.

  8. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by knight_toolworks View Post
    if you have the speed control installed it is easy to set up. I can send you the toolpath to run.
    That'd be great Steve. Thank you!!

    I'm over 8 years on my original spindle. I religiously warm it up before every use. I guess longevity is the proof that warm ups work, just like for our bodies before we start working hard lifting plywood (yeah right... LOL).

    Who does 20 minutes of warm ups before a day of cutting plywood or other heavy material? Hahaha
    Don
    Diamond Lake Custom Woodworks, LLC
    www.dlwoodworks.com
    ***********************************
    Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one pretty and well preserved piece; But to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, worn out, bank accounts empty, credit cards maxed out, defiantly shouting "Geronimo"!

    If you make something idiot proof, all they do is create a better idiot.

  9. #19
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    Wow, I had no idea! <insert some adage about not knowing what you do not know>
    Thanks everyone! I’m now converted to the ways of spindle warning.

  10. #20
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    here is the file well the text but it is easy to make the file.

    'Spindle warmup
    TR,5000,1

    SO,1,1 'Spindle on
    PAUSE 210
    TR,13500
    PAUSE 210
    TR,18000
    PAUSE 210
    SO,1,0 'Spindle Off

    MSGBOX(Spindle is now warmed up and ready to use,64,Spindle Ready)

    END

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