Sieg X2D Table Bind

T

tonydi

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My 6yr old mini mill has begun to bind when I move the table in the X direction. BUT, it's not binding at the ends like everyone else reports. Mine binds in the middle of the travel! About the only thing different between when it didn't and now is that I switched from a conventional vise to a screwless vise. I was thinking maybe I cranked down too hard on the hold downs and tweaked something but this didn't start right after the vise switch so that may be a red herring. I've removed the vise and the table still binds.

Given that all of the suggestions on things to check revolve around the opposite problem I'm wondering where I need to start looking, what to check, what to test.
 
About the only thing I can think to suggest is to lube the table dovetails and leadscrew. Mini mills don't have one-shot lube systems, and I know that I myself don't lube things on my mini as often as I really should. Run the table all the way to one end. lube what's exposed, run it all the way the other way, and lube what's exposed there. Hope it helps!
 
Have you considered pulling the table off and checking for swarf or dried oil in the ways?
 
This weekend's project is definitely going to involve pulling the table off. I don't expect to find any swarf under there because I've got a pretty good setup to seal it off. But I was trying to come up with what to look for that might not be super obvious once I get it off. So I'll end up doing what John suggested during that whole process, too.
 
Cranking down hard on the vise hold downs shouldn't be a problem, as long as the hold down screws don't go through the T nuts and press against the bottom of the table. You probably could tell if that's the case by looking for circular marks on the bottom of the table.
 
Thanks! That's definitely not the case then. I used some short studs that I Loctite'd into the T nuts and use Nylok nuts to tighten. The studs are a thread or so from the bottom of the T nuts and I can see that the stud doesn't turn when tightening the nuts.
 
tonydi said:
Thanks! That's definitely not the case then. I used some short studs that I Loctite'd into the T nuts and use Nylok nuts to tighten. The studs are a thread or so from the bottom of the T nuts and I can see that the stud doesn't turn when tightening the nuts.
Click to expand...
Good. Sounds like it could be, as already mentioned, a lubrication issue. On my X2 I tend to use the middle part of the X axis the most, maybe you do too. But while you've got the table disassembled, take a look for signs of uneven wear on the dovetails to see if something else could be going on.
 
Just to tie this thread up I finally had time to dig into the table situation today. I remember reading the LMS mounting guide for this mill 6 yrs ago and noting that it said to leave an extra 8" to the left of the mill so the table could slide off. Either I spaced on that completely when I mounted it, or I lost the concept of "extra" and just measured 8" from the end of the table as it sat when centered. Bottom line, I don't have enough room to remove the table. Arrrgghh!

So I decided to see if cleaning and lubricating the lead screw, the thrust bearing and the dovetails/gib would solve the issue. Luckily that seems to have done the trick because I didn't want to unbolt the mill and try and move it. It's bolted through a MDF surface sitting on top of a wooden support that is on top of tall toolbox so getting the bolts out is hard and I've got rubber matting covering the surface that would need to be unstuck and probably replaced with new. Oh well, hopefully I won't ever need to remove the table in my lifetime. ;-)

Thanks to everyone for their input!
 
If your table is like mine, you don't need to move it all the way over in order to remove its X axis. Loosen the grub screw that holds the feed screw nut in place. Loosen the X axis gib screws and slide the gib out. Now you should be able to lift the table up. You will need to tilt it in order to clear the bottom dovetail.

Be sure to remove your milling vise before doing this :grin:
 
Ahh, ok, I think I see it. In this diagram the nut is #21 and I'm guessing that the set screws to hold that in place are the other two red arrows. The nut must drop down into that oval cavity (green arrow). Is that how yours is? If so, it doesn't even seem like you need to take the leadscrew wheel or the end plates off, just leave it all assembled.


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