Cracking X2 Rubber Bellows

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Troutsqueezer

Troutsqueezer

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Try to say that fast three times.

You know those accordion-shaped rubber doo-hickeys that keep the swarf from clogging things up below the table on the Seig X2 mill? Mine are starting to disintegrate. Was wondering what others here have come up with for replacement. I've thought about plastic/PVC sheeting but not sure how it holds up under severe bending, oils, etc. Maybe just rubber sheeting will do the trick.

-Trout
 
A logical suggestion, thanks, but I was looking for something other than a temporary fix, if you get my meaning. This mill is not that old. :)
 
I used rubber roofing on mine and it worked great .been on for about 12 years and still doing it's job good Hope this helps .Dale
 
This is a Bridgeport type solution :-

ScrewCover.jpg


I had to use my other mill to machine the casting. The steel slide has a cutout so that the leadscrew nut fits through and gives enough room for the length of the slide. Here it shown pulled forward :-

Cover2.jpg


Is it perfect - not quite. Is it better for me than those silly covers - definitely! And I will get slideway wipers fitted
eventually.



Another mod I did that you might like if you haven't done it already :-

Handle.jpg

Much better than that knurled wheel that was fitted originally. As you can see in this photo, I also fitted DRO's to the slides.

Ian
 
dvbydt said:
[Could not find a way to modify the post anybody like to tell me how it is done?]
Click to expand...

Ian,
hit "modify" on top/right of Your own post. You have to be logged in to see it.

As for the bellows, I removed the front one as soon as I got the mill and replaced it with a short strip of thick rubber held in place by some L section aluminium. When the works were particularly dirty, with the table moved towards the column, I added another strip of rubber to cover the screw.
The bellow on the rear never gave me any problems.

Marcello


[edited]
Here's a picture of my X2

XFBellow_IMG_0543.jpg


 
Marcello, thanks for the modify tip, all sorted now.
I mounted my DRO on the back so had to remove the rear bellows.

Ian
 
Thanks Guys.

Ian, that is definitely a permanent solution for the front. I only have the one mill but maybe I can come up with something similar that doesn't require milling the casting. I do like the wheel in place of the knurled knob. That knob is a pain to turn when you have to travel more than a couple of thousandths. I'm putting that on my to-do list.

Thanks Marcello, that might be the way to go as well. Something for me to ponder today.

-Trout
 
Trout, the steel slide extends to the back but I couldn't get a very good photo.

RearView.jpg


Ian
 
Trout :
if it is any consolation it seems the LMS stuff lasts a bit longer than the factory original. I have had the mill ten years. IIRC the original bellows lasted two or three. Te second set I still have. They have been off since I upgraded to cnc c need to put them or somthing back on . Tin
 
The bellows on my zay45 seem to be some sort of cardboard.I simply have a plastic tea tray behind the table when milling.This catches 90% of the shavings,and i call that good enough.
 
Ian, that shot is pretty good as is. Thanks! I've got three days off this weekend. Going out to the shed today to solve the problem one way or another.

Tin, for the low price, that may be worth trying. I wonder if the heat in the shed contributes to the decay. It gets to be over 100 degrees in there in the Summer.

Mr. Bentprop. I'm not sure what a plastic tea tray is but I'm pretty sure I don't have one. I'm guessing any appropriately-sized tray will suffice. Having a hard time picturing how that might work but it's pretty early in the morning here and I'm on autopilot until the coffee kicks in.

Peter, laminated rubber sounds like it would last. That's quite an assortment of bellows those folks have. It's like there's an industry for rubber bellows that we don't have over here.

-Trout
 
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