Set up a little fiberglass ridge on the read coolant drain channel, so that coolant all goes to the proper drain.
Then I did what I was afraid to do for a while: I removed a huge amount of unused wires that went from cabinet to the pendant (where the control was). I only kept the wires I am using. This way, I removed a lot of confusing, unused wiring, and made room in the pendant arm to lay new wires (power to monitor, USB, more signal wires etc). Kept copious notes and the mill is back to working condition, but less of a rats' nest.
I understand the rat's nest part, at least. For many, many years I have been adding things to the computer/video system and all the wires have been hanging from their respective connectors, and dangling down to the floor. HUGE rat's nest, and just about impossible to work with. My computer "desk" is an old office credenza about 8 feet long and then there's a 5 opening cabinet that contains various DVD-VHS-CD-audio things below the wall mounted flat screen TV. Anyway, recently I made a 5" channel behind the credenza to hold all the wiring in back and just below the top of it. The rat's nest is the same size, but at least I can get to all the wiring, and, there is lots less stress on all the connectors back there. Once small addtional point: Wherever there are a lot of wires going into something, like the back of the computer, it pays to take a picture, print it out and keep it handy for those times when you have to tear it down for some reason.
By the way, I am very jealous of your NC machine. I had a chance to work on a Bridgeport EasyTrak for a while at a votech night school. It sure was easy to get used to for producing parts.
I was in a building for something like 15 years. It was very high tech place and we started out with beta level internet and terminal servers - one massive wire set in the dropped ceiling. Then we went to big hose wire - 25mm or so. Then other versions and tries and machine types.. When we finally moved out, the salvage company took two tractor trailer dump bins of wire out. And that wasn't the wire we had in our offices.
Our place had over 1000 engineers on the floor and managers in their offices. Our building served as a gateway to the far east from North America - our massive antenna transported data at all times once the net was ripping.
Our internal net was up and running long before public stuff. It was needed by ourselves so we built it facility to facility out of local budgets.
So wires - plenty in my life. I have shop boxes like that. I'm shipping a 25 pair cable with dual 50 pin amphanol connectors to my Dad. He is rebuilding my 1960's level computer. It is about the bottom half of a Icebox.
Martin
Mart> I try to document all wires. Removing unneeded wires goes a long way
PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.