So I have two anomalous sounds going on.
First the spindle noise. It sounds like steel bearings clicking into each other in the bearing race. Which I would think it was if it made the noise when the spindle went forward and back but it only makes the noise when going forward. The noise started and I thought it was being caused by some aluminum flakes stuck on the belt but I cleared them off and it’s still persisting. Also I only hear it from around 500 - 6,000 rpm then it subsides. But never in reverse.
Can’t upload audio files to here. Will try to link.
My second noise is on the Z axis. Now this one sounds like a rumbley truck going down a road. This noise is never heard at startup or for an hour or so after resetting and referencing the machine. But after an hour or so it will start whenever the z axis moves up. Also referencing Z at any point will stop the noise and keep it away for some time. Also if I reference the machine and leave it idle for an hour or so. the noise comes back soon after. My guess is it’s something in the motor.
Will try to get the audio posted of that too.
Shoot a video and upload to YouTube and link that here.
Do you use the 20 min spindle warmup routine at the beginning of your day?
Sounds like the Z axis is dry. It’s skidding on dry metal. Pull the guard and check for oil on the ways. Run it down to the table and hit the ways and dove tails with 30W oil. Run up and repeat. May take a bit to get it in. Oil system in these machines isn’t the greatest.
Feel any rough spots spinning the spindle by hand? Go slow when rotating it? Might be too much preload to feel it.
Grease probably fell out of the bearings.
Check other ways for oil too.
Spindle noise sounds like a belt to me. I had a similar rythmic clicking in my spindle years ago. Like you, only when running forward, not reverse, and not when turning by hand. Turned out the belt was fraying on one edge and the noise I was hearing was the loose bit contacting the pulleys. New belt fixed it for me. Now I keep a spare on hand at all times and just swap it out whenever I hear any spindle noise as a first step. 9/10 it fixes the problem, the 10th time I actually did have bearing failure.
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That is exactly what I was going to suggest….I get the same clicking at the start of the warm up cycle, it goes away after about 2-3 minutes….been doing that since new..maybe is bearings but I’ll be changing belt first
He must have figured it out…or on holiday
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I have water pouring down from the bathroom over the entry door. So I’ve been trying to keep a hardwood floor dry while trying to find where it’s leaking from. Of course it’s inside an exterior brick wall.
Will try the belt. If I can find one the right size.
Sorry to hear that
Hope you get it fixed without to much more trouble