If you want to cut hardened rid just go to harbor freight and get a cheap angle grinder and cut off wheel. 15$ your in business.
I’m just curious why one would prefer Rostock (rods) versus Kossel (extrusion) based linear motion. Seems like having the frame being the slide is simpler cheaper and, because square, perhaps easier to align and fit.
@Brad_Hopper fair comments, but for some people the extrusion is harder to obtain where linear rods which are actually designed for linear motion as opposed to stainless/drill rod etc which isn’t is still totally viable/cheap (for me). The alignment is tricky if you’ve got un-square plastic parts to begin with. For me I chose to upgrade my rods as I already had a rod system. As I got the real deal I can be assured they will last and be of a high tolerance (and measurably is). I would love to try extrusion too but in fairness extrusion isn’t actually very precise compared to precision rods but they are certainly ‘good enough’ (when you look at the specifications of any aluminum extrusion factory you’ll see what I mean but having rubber bearings takes up most of those inaccuracies) I just made a video of my new bearing system I designed using rods (although it’s transportable to extrusion no worries, the design is to replace the universal joints). - Rostock 3d Printer Upgrade. 12mm rods & 0 backlas…: http://youtu.be/RM1ytIyH6BQ . both options certainty have advantages…
@Tim_Jacobsen Make sure you start another post with that if you haven’t already. It’s pretty impressive.
I wiped down the drillrods, and swapped out the bearings with the second string bearings…squeaking is gone. I’ll bet the surface quality of the prints will be better, too…back to Quadrap printing!
Don’t forget an ablative angle grinder disk will work on induction hardened shaft too. I have actually managed to get through a 10mm shaft with a dremel and reinforced disks. Took 2 or 3 disks mind.
I hate to come back to the group with this, but I cleaned the drill rod (slightly grooved) and swapped out the linear bearings (some great, some kinda sloppy) and the squeak was still there. Turns out two of the three pullies at the top of the printer aren’t really pullies. I’ll replace them (That’ll be three of those that have failed over the life of the printer) and be back into silent running.