MakerSlide Carriage Plates and Eccentric Spacer

[stonycraft]

Sorry to ask what may be a basic question.
I will have MakerSlide track horizontal. Mounted on the Track will be 2 Carriage Plates. The Carriages connected with plywood 1000mm long. This will be the 'Composite' that will traverse the track. Each Carriage having 2 Wheels at each end. Do I use an Eccentric Spacer with the 7mm Diameter Hole to tighten the Wheels to Track?. Its not clear why or when you have ordinary 'Spacers' with the 5mm Hole/Wheel. Not sure what this non Eccentric Spacer does for me. I might have all my facts above wrong.
When horizontal does track still actually need the Eccentric to hold it in place?
I'm pretty sure someone point me in to the light! ... Hi Bart
Diagram attached. Thanks as always ..

[bdring]

The eccentric spacers were only designed to tension wheels across a piece of MakerSlide. I think there are too many variables including alignment of the rails. I would have wheels spanning the MakerSlide I am assuming is at the sides.

EDIT: Ignore above until you draw in the Makerslide. I have no idea what you are trying to do.

[cvoinescu]

The eccentric spacers go in the 7.14 mm (9/32") diameter holes, and make those wheels adjustable over a range of 1.7mm or so. The other wheels are fixed. It is usually a good idea to put both adjustable wheels on the same side of the rail (in your drawing, turn one of your carriage plates around).

Depending on how far you want your wheels to stand from the carriage, you can opt to put the eccentric spacers on the same side of the carriage plate as the wheel, in which case you need a spacer of the same length (6.35 mm) on the fixed wheel, or on the opposite side, in which case you don't need the extra spacer. Here are examples of either configuration: wheels flush, eccentric spacer on opposite side (it's not a standard plate, but the same principle applies); and wheels 0.25" further from the plate, eccentric spacer on the same side, 0.25" spacer on fixed wheel (this is a standard plate, but using a different set of holes*; note there are two washers between the eccentric spacer and the wheel, which is important).

Personally, I would go with the flush wheels, because they're more rigid, unless you need the extra space (in the second example, that extra space is needed for the Z leadscrew).

Tip: before assembly, put a dab of paint on the face of the eccentric spacer that's closest to the hole (or color it with a permanent marker). That'll help a lot during adjustment. ("Professional" adjustment devices of similar design often have one face textured, for the same reason.)

* The MakerSlide carriage plates are all kinds of smart. Besides supporting about half a dozen V-wheel configurations, they also bolt neatly to the sides and ends of MakerSlide and standard T-slot extrusion, and have extra holes for lead nuts, belt clamps and belt idler wheels.

Edit: Bart, the MakerSlide is horizontal in that drawing, so the wheels adjust as you intended.

[stonycraft]

The MakerSlide Track would be horizontal as video here:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb64cYow1rY
There would be 2 carriages on the track and joined by some board (as my diagram).
The question relates to some clarification about eccentric with the 2 wheel plates (2 of them).
Not sure what your reply means in all honesty; apologies.

[stonycraft]

reply was to bdring... didnt see the other reply when i was posting..

[stonycraft]

Thanks.. i think the posting clears things up

[stonycraft]

One other question please. Are carriage Plates 3.2mm thick?

[cvoinescu]

I don't know. They may be 3.0 mm, because that's a commonly available thickness here. Harry would know for sure.

[bdring]

Remember this post?

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=1916&p=17870&hilit=makerslide.com%2Fwiki#p17870

[stonycraft]

Sure do, but remember my comment (in that theread) that the PDF link to carriage was broken. Seems now fixed. thanks