printed or machined v-groove bearing sleeves?

I'm planning to build a string-drive CoreXY/Sli3DR type machine, and one of the main components are v-groove bearings for idler pulleys.

So far the sources I've found are cheap parts from China (uncertain quality, long delivery time) or VXB ($$$). I can't seem to find any US-based sellers of low-cost grooved bearings.

However, it seems like it should be possible to convert a standard radial bearing by making a grooved sleeve that press-fits over it. I could do this on a lathe, but ideally it would be printable.

Has anyone tried this? Can I get sufficient accuracy/smoothness with a reprap? What about a service like shapeways?

I think you can do it with a print. Just set the layer height fairly low and let it roll.

Try openbuilds.com, it's not that expensive, the quality is perfect and you'll get the excentric nuts, indispensable to tight the system up. IMHO, repraps are made of printed parts and vitamins. Vitamins are precision machined parts, we don't have yet enough printing quality with our machines to make precision guide systems. Except maybe printing flat pads from Igus Tribo-filament, on a glass surface, and mounting them into a square housing, like on the Mondrian Reprap. It seems to me the single way to print a precision glide system today.


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/30/2015 05:37PM by Zavashier.

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