[RCaffin]

Does anyone in Australia stock or supply T-slot plates? Steel or Al.
Or does everyone make their own? That seems a bit silly, but I can't find a local source.

Cheers
Edit: my thanks to CDTooling for a reply about slotted ANGLE plates, but that is not what I am looking for. I want the flat bed plate with T-slots.

[phomann]

Hi,

This is what I'm using on my 24"x14" CNC router
http://www.woodworksupplies.com.au/prod322.htm

Cheers,

Peter.

[RCaffin]

This is what I'm using on my 24"x14" CNC router

A step forward, but not quite robust enough. If all the webs were >5 mm thick it would be great. I'm machining metal.

Any other ideas?

Cheers

[jazz352060]

Hi,

Have you tried Capral. (www.capral.com.au).

I am sure they have a form of T slot, not sure if it will suit you.

Their website does not offer much info, but you can use it to locate a store or reseller near you.

Regards,

Albert

[port_huon]

I don't know if they have what you're looking for but give G.James a try.
The have an enormous range of aluminium extrusions - one may be suitable.

[RCaffin]

Thanks all for the suggestions, but they are all light-weight extrusions for framing and similar use. The aim of most of them seems to be to get the largest dimensions with the least mass of aluminium being used.

Basically, what I want to buy is a T-slot table such as you find on a milling machine. It has to be something like 20 mm thick cast PLATE with T-slots in it, not something cobbled together out of light bits of extruded framing. It needs to be about 250 mm x 400 mm x 20 mm.

It looks as though I will have to either get someone to mill it for me, or mill it myself.

Cheers

[CraftyGoodness]

I don't know if you've already found an alternative, but this might work:

http://www.modularcomponents.com.au/...es-8/#bedplate

[RCaffin]

I don't know if you've already found an alternative, but this might work:
http://www.modularcomponents.com.au/...es-8/#bedplate

Yeah, some of that stuff would work well. Thanks. The ITEM brand is not cheap though ...

I found some 40 x 80 Al extrusion which is nice and solid at AME Systems. Reasonable price, and they happily posted to me as well. Yet to integrate, but looks fine.

Cheers

[universalfab]

What does australia do? They from what I've seen and heard don't have much in the line of materials or products that they actually make. What do you ausies do over there? I'm just curious...

[Rodm1954]

We mine and export all the ore. You need primary industry before you can manufacture.

[diecutter]

I would check the salvage yards for a really shot mill or other machine and steal the table from it. They are usually the last thing on the machine in good shape and should not be too expensive (plus no shipping and they are plenty beefy.

[RCaffin]

What does australia do? They from what I've seen and heard don't have much in the line of materials or products that they actually make. What do you ausies do over there? I'm just curious...

Export ore to China ...
Buy goods from China ...

Yeah, manufacturing here is difficult. Labour costs are very high. Customer volumes are low. So we have to specialise in high-value-add items, and automate.
Which is a problem for other countries outside Chindia as well.

Cheers

[mrjonbon]

diecutter has the right idea.
there around everywhere, auctions, salvage yards, ebay, machinery wreckers.
if you ain't got one yet I can send you some links.

[JeremyFisher]

there around everywhere, auctions, salvage yards, ebay, machinery wreckers.
if you ain't got one yet I can send you some links.

Do you know of any good salvage yards or auctions in Melbourne? Thanks.

[RCaffin]

diecutter has the right idea.
there around everywhere, auctions, salvage yards, ebay, machinery wreckers.
if you ain't got one yet I can send you some links.

For Sydney, preferably North? Much appreciated.

Cheers

[mrjonbon]

apex for all sortsm, melb. the post or I can help, give them call, they may have something not advertised

classifieds, wanted and for sale, aus wide

this pantograph is old and totally **** and rusty, but they come up quite often, I have one working rust free, deckel are decent, these are M12 slot

this seller on ebay,always got good bits and pieces, contact him and see, john I think his name is, Auburn nsw

then there's all the auctions, online and traditional, grays, dominion, the thursday age paper has a big list.

tool society, regular meets and swaps, huge network of old boys with sheds.

[RCaffin]

I bought some 40 x 80 aluminium extrusion from AME Systems and made up a 'surface plate' by bolting 4 lengths together. That gave me 8 T-slots. The slots take M6 or M8 bolts, and AME are able to supply suitable nuts and square washers for the slots.

I'd post a photo here except that it seems this Forum can't actually upload them.

Cheers

[AussieMatt]

WHAT DID YOU END UP DOING, I NEED ONE OR TWO PIECES TO A TOTAL OF 1400 X 800 OR 700 X 800 (X2) WITH WHAT EVER T-SLOT.

[RCaffin]

As indicated - I made up a composite from the rectangular extrusion, bolted it together tightly, and surfaced it very lightly on another mill.
But it is LIGHT and you cannot apply large torque to the T-slot nuts. If you do the aluminium sections can distort slightly - I am talking of tens of microns here. It is fine for light machining on wood, plastics and some aluminium. I don't use it for steel.

I will add that a lot of the second-hand stuff I looked at (eg Apex) was MUCH too big for my needs! But there does seem to be a bit of it around.

Cheers

[twinkle_wrinkle]

Profile 8 is generally 240/40 , i could probably find something , but unsure , i'll get back to u