What’s more sensible than spending $9USD on a basic, possibly non working chinese no-name bearing block?
……..Spending hours and a few quid trying to do ’em up!
Parts I’ll need…
- 3/32 Drill Bit (or possibly 2.4mm if it needs some play) …………..[edit, turns out a 2.4mm is too small! Looks like 2.5 is the go]
- 3/32 Ball bearings (bound to loose a few)
- Something to drill with
- something to clamp down the carriage without damaging it
After a few minutes with the calipers and Tinkercad, I give you……….
A 3D printed clamping part for a drill press, or possibly my CNC if I can get it running…..
Plan is to
- Print out the clamp in plain ‘ol PLA
- Heat it up a bit with a hairdryer
- Jam the MGN12H block in
- Let it cool
- clamp
- Re-drill the holes and the 1/2 holes / guides!
Sounds easy, right?
Some dimensions below…
Of note, the bearing is slightly off centre – the thickness of the right hand part of the U shape is about 0.07mm wider than the left…I don’t think that could possibly cause issues?
Now, all I need to do is to find a suitable drill bit to do the two bearing holes,
and figure out how to smooth out the 1/2 holes / grooves located inside the U shape!
On a side note, I have found / been given lots of recommendations for new block / rail combos, all coming in around the $25-35 USD range for a block and 500mm rail!
and, obviously, purchasing known good working rails at a sensible premium is the sensible thing to do, right?
……….But, I’ve got a 3D printer and a CNC, and little ‘me time’ mayaswell use ’em and burn some midnight oil!
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