Getting a new noise out of the HDZ 4.0 this morning on Z+ travel… can’t feel or hear exactly where it’s coming from.
Here’s a video:
Any Ideas?
Doesn’t seem to be effecting anything…yet.
Please see if you need to lubricate:
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I will do, but the HDZ is approx 3months old; seems kinda soon? Also, no noise in Z- ?
EDIT #2 oil will arrive in 5 days from now to test.
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I am sure you have looked closely but seems like something that is being hit by the screw. Like a piece of plastic or something that is being clicked by the screw on the way up. Maybe the coupling at the motor is loose or needs to be loosened and adjusted and then re-tightened.
I ordered some of the Vactra oil from ebay. Got a whole quart of it. Seems to be a lifetime supply. I had several syringes that had grease in them but when I got them emptied of the grease they had cracks in them. Need to get to the store and buy some new ones. I have seen some syringes for applying glue in chair legs that might work as well. I need to do a full PM of my machine and change t he belts and lube up the HDZ. Will most likely wait until spring so I can take my machine outside for a through cleaning.
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I have these for woodworking from Rockler they work well and tips are sold by the 20-50 pack.
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I wonder if Guy meant the coupler between the stepper motor and the ballscrew, at the top of the HDZ. Are you able to tell from ear whether the sound originates from the top of the HDZ ?
He did, that’s the one I loosened and retightened. I was just providing a picture to show there was no obvious derbies in the carriage.
As far as the sound goes no I can’t tell, other then it sounds like it comes from different spots at different times.
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Could it be from the bearing on the bottom? Do you notice lateral movement there?
One thing to try for locating the noise is to put your phone (and mic) very close to the different areas of the HDZ while recording the video and then play it back. I was trying to track down a different mystery noise and was surprised at how well the mic isolated different sounds that I couldn’t locate when just listening by ear.
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Don’t think so, becuase the clicking sounds like it’s moving, it sounds like whatever is behind the spindle mounting plate that I photographed earlier or within the linear rail bearings themselves.
I did look at the bottom… was this gap at the bottom of the screw always there?
phew thats a relief. 
Just taking a guess here but in the picture that you posted saying “Looks pretty clean back here”, is that a black gasket sealing the ball screw bearings and should it not be perfectly round/circular to keep debris out of there. By the looks of it maybe during the travel in the upward direction it looks like it’s getting pulled into the ball screw bearing which may be why you see some daylight on 2 of the edges in that picture.
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Not sure… I’m assuming that’s normal?
I suppose you’ll need support to comment here but my take is this is probably not normal. That seal usually has a very small gap to the screw shaft and is supposed to keep debris out, in this application chips while the fine dust on the shaft would get through. I think if left as is this will wear that seal very quickly. Most likely the other end of the ball screw nut has the same seal and if you can get a look at it it’s probably perfectly round with a uniform gap, although very small all around. Can you confirm that the sound is actually the thread of the screw shaft rubbing on the seal pulling it into the screw nut?
EDIT: As mentioned on this website this is likely a non contacting ball screw seal also known as a labyrinth seal. Unless it is a lip seal which would be in contact with the shaft but I still think the outer edge in your case looks deformed indicating an issue. Support is your best bet for an answer.
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I just checked on mine, it’s a clip that you can see on the picture. so no problem there. it’s not a joint.
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@Vivien got it so it’s like a snap ring to hold the seal in place in the photo, from the picture it kind of looked like the outer edge was pulling away from the side. Well possibly something else then.
I made a picture of my hdz 4.0. difficult to take it too… you can see “I think” a metal clip that should, as you say, hold a joint in place. but for me it’s well in place. nothing abnormal.
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It is a metal clip and yes it should be there. Don’t try to remove it.
I’ve watched this video a few times and I can’t diagnose a fault. I’d keep running it and keep an eye on it.
My best guess is the ball bearings rolling around in the ball screw which is perfectly normal.
If you continue to troubleshoot - take it off the shapeoko - and take the motor off. See if the noise happens without the motor in place. Do not remove the face plate with the carriage fitted to the machine. The carriages will fall off and you will loose bearings in them.
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