Spindle Issues.... or not???

[sebago_signworks]

Hello. I went through all 256 posts in troubleshooting to see is anybody had a similar issues that maybe I am having. I had a fellow Shopbotter over today whom is much more familiar with Shopbot then I am. He seemed to think my spindle may be in need of new bearings. He said on other spindles there so quiet that you cant hear it run. My spindle is quite compared to a porter cable, when it running its a loud hummmm. It has always sounded that way. My spindle has very low hours as after 3/4 years now we are just learning how to use the router. Also, when we spin it by hand, if you put your ear up to where the fan is you can hear it a bit. Is this normal? How do I know if there is an issue? If there is, does anybody know a price range to have this fixed... Im not sure where to start here as im not sure there is really anything wrong in the first place!?!?!?

Thanks in advance!

[Brady Watson]

Devin,
Don't fret. Louder than somebody else's spindle is completely fine. Screaming whine or sounds that would leave an average non-CNC person to be cautioned are not. When I replaced the bearings on my spindle, they were louder than before I took it apart! Not a huge difference, but louder with new bearings. Even 'Factory rebuilt' spindles are louder than fresh new ones.

If it doesn't sound 'all wrong' and you can't detect any slop in the shaft that would indicate slop in the ball bearings and races - then run it until it blows up. I probably had about 400,000 parts on mine before I rebuilt it...and it turned out that I probably only needed to change out the top bearing (the cheap one) in order to quiet it down. At no time was I able to read runout greater than the .0002" the manufacturer specs.

Knowing what I know now - and how much the bearings cost, and how long & tedious rebuilding one properly can be, I'll just buy another new one when this one kicks the bucket. It's cheaper and easier to just buy the bare spindle.

-B

[sebago_signworks]

Awesome Brady... words to live by! Thank you very much for your advise! Much appreciated.

[srwtlc]

I can echo all that Brady has said. Mine (4hp HSD) has always been a bit louder than some others I've heard and I was concerned when I first powered it up, but it has been happily cutting along for 5 years so far. Granted, I don't push it through ply all day long, but it has run for days at a time all day and all night. Run 'er till she drops. ;)

[sebago_signworks]

great. thanks scott!

[beacon14]

Mine (2.2HP HSD Spindle) got noticeably louder when I accidentally [this part deleted due to extreme embarrassment over what I accidentally did - but it involved a large, expensive bit spinning really fast and hitting something that was never meant to be cut]. The sound still bothers me (not to mention reminds me of my own stupidity) every time I start the spindle. It's gotten to the point that I have purchased a replacement spindle and am ready to swap them out, but no sense retiring an expensive piece of equipment that is still working. In spite of the noise and my embarrassment I cannot detect any play using the "wiggle the nose to check for movement' technique, and I can't detect any loss of cut quality, so as Brady says I will keep on cutting until it gives up completely. These things seem to be built like small tanks.

[paul_z]

I have no experience with spindles of this size; however, Devin forgot to mention that his spindle also vibrates when under no load. It vibrates considerably more than my PC router. Is that within the realm of normal?

Paul Z

[Brady Watson]

Paul - at what RPM(s) does it vibrate? Mine has some harmonics at 16,000-17,000, but nowhere else.

Is this 'vibration' heard or felt? Are any of the accessories or components (E.G. - loose Zzero plate, Z springs etc) vibrating or buzzing around?

As long as you are not getting runout greater than .001 or .002" on the shaft - then run it until the shaft falls out of it. If you are happy with the cut quality on the your parts, I wouldn't even worry about it. Buy a set of WorkTunes.

I'm sorry to say this, and it drives me nuts that we have done this to ourselves, but these light duty spindles are disposable. Throw it away and get a fresh one. A rebuilt one will never be like a new one.

One or two jobs can buy you a spare if you are worried, or discipline yourself to throw $10 from each job into the 'new spindle jar'.

-B

[jerry_stanek]

If I run my spindle without the collet nut it is very quite but you can hear it more with the nut on. Then it still gets loader with a bit in it. but it is just a very slight hum. the fan on it is much loader.

[paul_z]

Thanks everybody for sharing real word experience. We ran at two different speeds with nearly identical amplitude of vibration. The vibration wasn't bad, just unexpected. It looks like Devin is ok.

My only experience was a horizontal mill that cut carbon composite for aircraft wing panels. The spindle failed at very high RPM (50K?). The spindal was neither here nor there; it became a probability distribution. (I had always wondered why there was a lockout on the door to the mill room.)

Paul Z

[sebago_signworks]

Just want to thank you all for your help with this!