As the title said, I’m wondering if there is a practical way or guide to cleaning the Nomad. Apologies for the essay of questions.
I try to vacuum after every project, and often times vacuum during sessions to clear the work and the machine. But long story short, I have a shit Shark vacuum that outruns my best intentions- I can breath in harder than it can suck so it wasn’t collecting the dust as it should have been.
After a solid month of working with dust expelling spruce, and doing the “please lubricate me” squeals, I wanted to know how to approach the machine covered in dust and gunk (where it mixed with grease and actually looks like rust now)- including the many places where I cannot reach.
Also, I have tried to see which Super Lube to use, and I’m getting different numbers on which to use… Mind throwing me a bone? As for the mobil vactra oil no. 2… Is there an alternative? I can only find 5 gallons amounts haha.
In short-
Is there a guide or something that showcases how to reach the hard and narrow places? Would I have to start unscrewing things (am intimidated to do so)?
Which number of Superlube? I ask because there are a couple of numbers being thrown around.
Am I being unlucky in only finding 5 gallons at minimum for mobil vactra oil no. 2? Is there an alternative?
(horrible bonus question) It only just started squeaking and to be honest I’m on a deadline for the current project. Is there a short term lubricant that I can use one time and not have the machine flounder? Or better yet, will there be any long term consequences to keep it squeaking for another 10 hours or so?
I found it reasonably easy to take off the side paneling for better access to clean everything. That was when mine was super dirty. It’s been a while and I haven’t done it, but did just lube mine up not too long ago, and it didn’t look too bad.
Worthwhile to check this thread out:
Store has some oil:
But a machine shop near you probably has some onhand as well.
As for squeaking, I’d hold off, but I also understand deadlines are a pain. I take the Douglas Adams outlook towards them:
“I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.” - Douglas Adams
You should be able to find Superlube at a sewing machine shop. The big thing for Mobil Vactra #2 is it includes tackifiers to keep it from dripping off the ways — not aware of any sort of alternative which we specifically recommend/support.
Thanks for the tips! I’ll call a local machine shop I know enough. I saw that thread and it might be because spruce is lighter and therefore a more noticeable color, but that looks way cleaner than mine. The link to the mobil oil was a dead link haha
Just to confirm, when you said hold off, you mean hold off on doing the project or hold off on addressing the squeaking? It sounded like the former rather than the latter, but wanted to make sure.
Thanks, I saw this in the research, but it was harder for me to follow since it didn’t have the visuals I was hoping to have to ensure I wasn’t lubricating the wrong thing. I know its a fundamental basis to know for those that know the name and parts of the machine of the top of their head, but wanted to ensure what I was doing to my nomad (the page references only Shapeoko) was 100% correct without having to double check several time on naming and part type.
Oh, that would make sense. Thanks for clarifying.
Is there a way to request without the 6 pipettes? I just want the oil.
There aren’t many sewing machine shops where I live, and those that are, don’t have that specifically. They have “zoom spout” or other non mobil oils.
I found Mobil oil on Amazon. It is a quart 26.50. That is enough oil to supply your great grand children or is it great great… Or get the kit from Carbide.
The reason to get Superlube from a local sewing shop is that we pack the bearings of the round rails w/ the grease form of that lubricant, so the two are compatible.
Best thing i have found for wood dust (post vacuum) is…. a Swiffer duster sheet and a chopstick. Call it odd, but if you want the Nomad sawdust free use the sheet over the surfaces and use the chopstick to jam the sheet into the more awkward spaces. Doesn’t really help on the lead screws where the grease/lube has turned it into paste, but for everything else its magic.
Which type of linear rails does the Nomad 3 use? One of the referenced articles said that Carbide3D only uses HG-15 and MGN-15 rails, but doesn’t say which are used on the Nomad.
I call it astute. Those Swiffer dust sheets are fantastic. I have a huge kitchen tweezer that I use, actually two, one with bent tips.