[digits]

yea 40mm extrusions may be overkill, but it'll be sturdy! You can really get away with their lowest extrusion, the 1010 stuff (1"), since the enclosure isnt supporting anything except its own weight, and the acrylic. Ill prob go with the 1515 (1.5") stuff

As far as noise mitigation is concerned, for me its just gravy, really want the coolant contained, and the mess of chips everywhere.

I dunno, anyone have a formula for decibel reduction using 1/8" or 3/16" acrylic vs say glass would be? I'd guess about 10-15db??

Is that hole on the back right for the coolant drain? Wouldn't you be better off with a sloping base or some kind of sump that you can pump directly out of?

[ZipSnipe]

Glass is quietier and holds up against scratching better than acrylic. I,ll be using a laminated glass (has a polyvinyl layer in between the glass)for my enclosure. For example my boss opted for lexan(which is better than plexi or acrylic). I told him that I could stick laminated in there and it would hold up whole lot better(easier to clean up). Now after a month of being in the machines the lexan looks like the old stuff I took out. Lexan or acrylic should run around $4-6 per square foot while laminated will cost ya around $10 to $14 per square foot. Of course thats the cost down here in Florida.

[saris]

Digits: Yea the left-rear corner is the hole cutout for the drain. I was figuring on putting a slope in either the table or in the enclosure-both back and left slope-then leveling off the mill w/r/t the sloped mount pad...

Is this the way to go?

Hey zipsnipe, that laminated glass sounds like fun, yea I was thinking that the wear on plastics would not be good, then I was thinking if anything struck the glass, plastics would be better. But then again, if anything strikes the glass, Just, well, it shouldnt if the operator knows what he/shes doin...:withstupi


What do you think the noise levels reduction would be with this laminate glass? Is this like a safety glass (safety has the laminates x2 on outside of the glass?)

[saris]

O bTW the matrix plate has been seen here for cheap (ebay)

http://tinyurl.com/yxbfyc

[digits]

Digits: Yea the left-rear corner is the hole cutout for the drain. I was figuring on putting a slope in either the table or in the enclosure-both back and left slope-then leveling off the mill w/r/t the sloped mount pad...

Is this the way to go?

Hey zipsnipe, that laminated glass sounds like fun, yea I was thinking that the wear on plastics would not be good, then I was thinking if anything struck the glass, plastics would be better. But then again, if anything strikes the glass, Just, well, it shouldnt if the operator knows what he/shes doin...:withstupi


What do you think the noise levels reduction would be with this laminate glass? Is this like a safety glass (safety has the laminates x2 on outside of the glass?)

I am no expert, but I think that it is easier to separate the functions of containg coolant and supporting your mill. If you suspend your mill above a watertight 'basin' or trough, you can make your mill supports as strong as you like, while being able to build a non-structural sloped or funnel shaped coolant collector underneath. The thing to remember is to make sure that no coolant can drip anywhere outside the trough - coolant will get to all sorts of places you'd think were impossible

[bohica]

Bought an IH mill with CNC conversion in October, but had to build a bench first. The attached PDF shows the general configuration with dimensions. Am just finishing the bench this week and will soon start on the mill. The wings slope about 4 degrees to the center. The coolant collects in a tub under the base (not shown). I will be using plexiglas for the top and front panel. Lexan (at least in this area) costs about $10 per sf while plexiglas (1/4") is under $5 per sf. The finish is a urethane paint. Nasty and expensive stuff but about 4x as tough as epoxy paint. The base is built out of 1/4" angle and flat material while the wings are all 16 ga. steel. There are 2 gasketed chip cleanout ports, one on each side of the mill.

[saris]

Nice! What stage are you in in your build? Progess pics if you can - Looks like a good design

saris

[wongstein]

Hi Saris, thanks for starting this great thread with your very useful list of components needed to deck out the CNCBridges table.

I'll soon be buying my first CNC mill to prototype some of my ideas. (my father was a machinist for a couple of decades and then a CNC programmer). I might also want to use the machine to make PCBs and faceplates for hi-fi components to make the machine pay for itself, and those are often bigger than what a Taig or competing table can produce in one pass.

The CNCBridges table seems brilliantly affordable, and portable for its range of motion. For a newbie like me, there's not a lot of detail about exactly what I'll need to be up and running, so your list is very useful. I'm sold on the table, though. Why would we need to buy the X2 standard column if the CNCBridges table comes with the Z axis? Is it just to add tilt?

I condensed your original list to compare your setup against the price of a Taig 2019CN starter kit. Please lemme know if I've got this wrong.

$439 cncbridges.com xyz table
$79 Standard column
$249 Standard head assy, R8 head
$115 Belt drive, includes spindle lock
$24 Motor couplings

Total: $906

I find it amazing that I can get such a large table for less, or maybe around the same once we factor in the cost of the upcoming Z axis reinforcement kit.

Have you made a list of the costs and sources of the other columns and heads that you're interested in? If so, I'd love to see it.

Thanks to all for the info,
Anthony

[Jay C]

<SNIP>

Why would we need to buy the X2 standard column if the CNCBridges table comes with the Z axis? Is it just to add tilt?

<SNIP>

Thanks to all for the info,
Anthony

The X2 uses a rack and pinion versus a lead screw, thus the need for the Z-axis in the build-up.

[acondit]

The CNCBridges z-axis assembly bolts to the standard column.

[wongstein]

Ahhh, Thanks for the clarification. Now I can see in the photos that essentially they're providing a CNC conversion for the existing column and head to be used with their table. I suppose there may be other newbies reading this who might also not immediately see that the CNCBridges Z-Axis unit provides only the motion, while the X2 column has the dovetails and keeps the head tightly on the rails.

I guess Saris was originally soliciting opinions from *experienced* people, but for what it's worth, I was inspired by his plan and I've gone ahead and ordered the table for my first mill (I couldn't believe I could get such a bigger table for less money), and I'm going to get the whole Cummins mini mill and learn on it with a CNC rotary table while I wait for the CNCBridges table. It may be a good way to do my first projects so I can learn G-Code and let the software calculate complex rotary table angles I need, while I get a feel for feed rate.

I've decided to not bother exploring different Z-column options, instead to just go with what CNCBridges has tested and presume that it's going to be good enough for me and my mostly aluminum and PCB projects. If I do much stainless steel in the future and find that there's deflection from the column, then I'll bolster it. Considering basic physics, I don't see how the extra two inches of overhang is going to add much leverage against the column - seems negligible compared to the variance in column stiffness caused by high head positions anyway - so I *imagine* that accuracy should be maintained to the levels that the X2 offers, assuming that the table is just as good. I've read here about someone else adapting a Taig head and column, but it occurs to me now that it may be because he already owns it.

I'm also going to go with the Xylotex controller using my own box and power supply, for the usual reasons and also because there's less to come over the border and pay duty on (I'm in Canada).

I found a kit to convert a Taig headstock into a CNC rotary table, and I think it'll cost me about 100 bucks all together, not including the stepper. The nice fellow is adding a thrust bearing or two to the design before shipping it.

So in short, thanks again Sarin for collecting that list with prices - I haven't heard anything convincing against your setup, and it's pretty much the way that I'm going to go. I don't need a pendant, but I might try to kludge my media-PC remote to jog the head. Just kidding I'm really looking forward to getting this working.

Cheers,
Anthony

[Jay C]

I've read here about someone else adapting a Taig head and column, but it occurs to me now that it may be because he already owns it.

If you are talking about this post then no, he is buying everything piecemeal and going to cobble something together. I'm assuming John needs/wants the Taig spindle since he does engraving. No telling how it'll turn out.

Look forward to reading good things about the CNC Bridges option ... do post a build log with photos

Jay