Shark HD4 watercooled spindle install

Questions/answers/discussion about initial setup of your CNC Shark

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DavidT
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2019 9:57 pm

Shark HD4 watercooled spindle install

Post by DavidT »

Picture of spindle bracket
Picture of spindle bracket
Putting together a new Shark HD4.
When I place the spindle bracket on the gantry holder it fits nice and snug. However, I cannot slide the spindle into it and there is no room to expand it open further as it is up against the inside of the spindle bracket holder. The anterior horizontal screw is open and there is a gap of about an 1/8".
Also. the one oblong hole for the bracket, which I believe is there to allow tightening of the bracket around the spindle when it is in place, is such that with the screw in place, there is no way to tighten the bracket because the screw is holding the area open.
Is there a trick to installing this thing? I'm trying to make sure that I don't damage it before I even get to use it.

Dave

OCEdesigns
Posts: 105
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2019 8:26 am

Re: Shark HD4 watercooled spindle install

Post by OCEdesigns »

It looks like you are doing everything right. The spindle is a pretty tight fit. I put a block of wood under the bracket and twisted and pushed down at the same time to get mine in.
Shark HD4 Extended Bed, Water Cooled Spindle. VCarve Pro 10.5
Maker of many chips

sharkcutup
Posts: 408
Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2016 5:23 pm

Re: Shark HD4 watercooled spindle install

Post by sharkcutup »

I completely removed the tension clamp bolt on the clamp bracket then put a small wooden wedge in the end to open clamp just enough to get spindle into place then removed wedge replaced bolt adjusted spindle to correct position then tightened all required bolts. It is a tight fit which needs just a little persuasion or helping hand!

My Experience and thought!

Sharkcutup
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DavidT
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2019 9:57 pm

Re: Shark HD4 watercooled spindle install

Post by DavidT »

Great answers. Sounds like I'm heading in the right direction. I appreciate the support.

Thanks,

Dave

DavidT
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2019 9:57 pm

Re: Shark HD4 watercooled spindle install

Post by DavidT »

Update for anyone else putting the HD4 shark together. Very tight tolerances, which is what you want. Here is how I solved the issue.

As mentioned above, I took out the horizontal bold and slid the bracket on to the spindle. It was difficult to get the spindle bracket to fit back into the gantry bracket/shelf. I had to put the horizontal bolt back in and tighten it a bit until I could get the bracket to fit inside the gantry shelf. Repeated the process with the lower bracket until I got the lower bracket up into the lower portion of the gantry bracket. By chance the lower bracket holes lined up perfectly with the holes in the gantry shelf.

To get the brackets flush with the gantry shelf, I loosened the horizontal bolts again and supported the gantry with a box (a 2x6 on edge would work too). Then used a small piece of wood about (1/2" x 1-1/2" x 6" long) to slowly and gently tap the upper bracket down until it sat flush on the gantry shelf. Of course, the 4 holes of the upper bracket didn't line up with the gantry holes but I was able to use the same piece of wood and tap the upper bracket back in towards the gantry until the holes were aligned. I tightened the 4 bolts to make the brackets flat and parallel, then loosened them a bit an tightened the horizontal bolts. Finished by tightening the 4 bolts again.

Thought I was done but noticed that I hadn't lowered the spindle enough below the bottom bracket (only about 1") so I loosened everything, supported the bottom of the gantry shelf with a box and tapped the spindle down until the motor was about 1-3/4" below the bottom. Then re-tightened everything again.

Kind of a lot to do but it worked well. Didn't seem to cause any issues to the gantry or the brackets. It seems rather snug and I expect that it should work well.

Good luck to anyone else who struggles with this part of the set up.

Dave

OCEdesigns
Posts: 105
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2019 8:26 am

Re: Shark HD4 watercooled spindle install

Post by OCEdesigns »

DavidT wrote:Update for anyone else putting the HD4 shark together. Very tight tolerances, which is what you want. Here is how I solved the issue.

As mentioned above, I took out the horizontal bold and slid the bracket on to the spindle. It was difficult to get the spindle bracket to fit back into the gantry bracket/shelf. I had to put the horizontal bolt back in and tighten it a bit until I could get the bracket to fit inside the gantry shelf. Repeated the process with the lower bracket until I got the lower bracket up into the lower portion of the gantry bracket. By chance the lower bracket holes lined up perfectly with the holes in the gantry shelf.

To get the brackets flush with the gantry shelf, I loosened the horizontal bolts again and supported the gantry with a box (a 2x6 on edge would work too). Then used a small piece of wood about (1/2" x 1-1/2" x 6" long) to slowly and gently tap the upper bracket down until it sat flush on the gantry shelf. Of course, the 4 holes of the upper bracket didn't line up with the gantry holes but I was able to use the same piece of wood and tap the upper bracket back in towards the gantry until the holes were aligned. I tightened the 4 bolts to make the brackets flat and parallel, then loosened them a bit an tightened the horizontal bolts. Finished by tightening the 4 bolts again.

Thought I was done but noticed that I hadn't lowered the spindle enough below the bottom bracket (only about 1") so I loosened everything, supported the bottom of the gantry shelf with a box and tapped the spindle down until the motor was about 1-3/4" below the bottom. Then re-tightened everything again.

Kind of a lot to do but it worked well. Didn't seem to cause any issues to the gantry or the brackets. It seems rather snug and I expect that it should work well.

Good luck to anyone else who struggles with this part of the set up.

Dave
Glad you got it together! Yeah I understand how hard it is to "Tap" on the $700 spindle! It took me a while to get mine installed as well because I was nervous and didn't want to damage all this brand new stuff. Keep us posted when you start making stuff!
Shark HD4 Extended Bed, Water Cooled Spindle. VCarve Pro 10.5
Maker of many chips

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BladesNBarrels
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2019 5:41 pm

Re: Shark HD4 watercooled spindle install

Post by BladesNBarrels »

I had a similar problem installing the spindle on my new Shark HD4.
I pried the gap on the retaining rings open with a large chisel (very carefully), braced the lower ring on wood blocks and leaned down pushing from the top of the spindle.
It slowly slid down and I lowered the bottom of the spindle motor to about 1" below the ring so that I could change bits.
Working on designing a spoil board now. I am looking at various alternatives of a solid board, or strips bolted with nylon screws to the t-top of the machine bed.
I have been checking out surfacing bits for the MDF spoil-board. I saw on Rocklers detail about the spindle that it will not take a 1/2" collet. That rules out a number of surfacing bits.

OCEdesigns
Posts: 105
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2019 8:26 am

Re: Shark HD4 watercooled spindle install

Post by OCEdesigns »

BladesNBarrels wrote:I had a similar problem installing the spindle on my new Shark HD4.
I pried the gap on the retaining rings open with a large chisel (very carefully), braced the lower ring on wood blocks and leaned down pushing from the top of the spindle.
It slowly slid down and I lowered the bottom of the spindle motor to about 1" below the ring so that I could change bits.
Working on designing a spoil board now. I am looking at various alternatives of a solid board, or strips bolted with nylon screws to the t-top of the machine bed.
I have been checking out surfacing bits for the MDF spoil-board. I saw on Rocklers detail about the spindle that it will not take a 1/2" collet. That rules out a number of surfacing bits.

I have not done a spoil board yet ( I have used other pieces to raise projects above the bed so far) but here is what I will purchase if and when I do it.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071748JQN/?c ... _lig_dp_it
Shark HD4 Extended Bed, Water Cooled Spindle. VCarve Pro 10.5
Maker of many chips

JohnnyWarren
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2019 2:27 pm

Re: Shark HD4 watercooled spindle install

Post by JohnnyWarren »

New Shark HD4 owner and non-CNC person, lets make it clear right up front.
I sought help from NWA and received a very quick reply: mount first clamp 31/2" below top of spindle with spindle off the CNC machine and then tighten clamp with bolts. place in position with two rear long bolts and then mount bottom clamp on spindle with clamp bolts removed, this allows the clamp to be opened wider and makes fairly easy to place the clamp. maneuver the bottom clamp so as to align with rears bolts. Snug bottom clamp up and insert long bolts thru clamp and tighten nuts to help pull bottom clamp up, insert to front long bolts and tighten along with clamp bolt.

The key to do this off the machine with the top clamp

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BladesNBarrels
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2019 5:41 pm

Re: Shark HD4 watercooled spindle install

Post by BladesNBarrels »

OCEdesigns wrote: I have not done a spoil board yet ( I have used other pieces to raise projects above the bed so far) but here is what I will purchase if and when I do it.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071748JQN/?c ... _lig_dp_it
Thanks. I bought 2 on amazon. Locally, all I could find were the Whiteside 6220's with 1/2" Shank.
The water cooled spindle takes 1/4" or 1/8" collets, so the 1/2" was not a choice.
Now working on dust collection. Attended the Colorado CNC User Group's meeting on Wednesday and Ron Malleck did a presentation on controlling dust.
That was a real eye-opener, so I am looking at the different ways to collect dust, exhaust and refresh air in my shop.

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