Wires guide for my CNC router

Since I first posted about my wires guide modifications for my ShopBot PRT Alpha CNC router, many have commented and asked for more details pictures and specifications. A fellow Botter even came up with own modifications. First off, it started as a prototype and somewhat still is. Since I couldn't accommodate the factory default arch design wire guide from ShopBot, I had to quickly though of another way to route the motors and input signal wires and router power cord. I came up with this design because, at that time, I couldn't source cable carrier (wires guide) fast enough. Today, I know where I could find cable carrier but I discovered that the price tag would refrain me to buy 'em... maybe I simply prefer the simplicity of my design. Often, when I can't find something that I need, I start thinking about some way I could built it.



On the bellow pictures the router motor is removed for servicing (hint, hint; stay tunned for a Milwaukee 5625 motor bearing service procedure in the next few days). I've fitted a wires guide for the carriage to gantry only since I route the motors wires, power cord, compressed air and dust collector hoses differently from the gantry to their respective destinations. You may notice a small wires guide on the top of the Z axis; it's there to route ground and input signal wires nicely rather than have them hanging loose.



Even though it still a prototype (always under development) and it's not [good] looking like a factory made unit, it work really well. The shelf and the carriage mounting is made from wood (mostly plywood), the guide is made from 1/8" UHMW and the wires separators are made from hard wood. If I had to say sell the unit, I would make the shelf from steel, probably 16G thick, with a couple of bent a the right places. The carriage mounting would too be made with steel; a nice design in CAD would be in order to have this part laser cut (water jet or plasma cut would work too but laser is just more sexy and yet price competitive anyway around here). I would keep the wires guide made from 1/8" UHMW because it's affordable, easy to source, it's very flexible (up to a certain thickness) and you just can break that material but it still machine pretty well. Wires separators I'm not sure which way would be the cheapest yet retained the original concept which is to keep electrical noise sensitive wires (motors and input signal wires) separated from power cord and compressed air hose(s) and still allow those to slide as the wires guide flex when the carriage move. Maybe a bent steel piece or simply machined from thick plastic like the way I did but in hard wood.



I didn't have any problem (so far) routing the dust collector hose on the wires guide but I'm not sure it's best way. It is in my situation (low ceiling height) but generally, the straighter and the shorter the better. I'd prefer to have the dust collector hose hanging from higher above reaching right at the carriage.



I believe that the pictures I've provide should enable tinkerer to figure how things were done but I would be happy to answer specific questions. I suggest to ask anything through comments (link at the end of each post of this blog) rather than through email so it could be share with the whole planet community here. Here's the link to my Google Picasa wires guide project album.

I hope this will answer most of the questions and details requests I had before. Let me know (through comments bellow) if you come up with modifications of your own or have any nice ideas to share.