[keffer322]

I have been looking at Quartz Counter Top remnants to use for a CNC router base. Has there been any research on this?

[keffer322]

Attachment 307162Attachment 307164
Rough concept of what I am talking about. The Quartz counter top is made of 93% quartz and 7% binder. It is pressed and heat treated for high strength. The size of pieces that I would use are all available in the remnant area for about 10$ a square foot. I would use inserted nuts for clamping and jack screws and then fill the gap between pieces with epoxy so that all dimensions could be as accurate as possible.

[keffer322]

I have finally started this build. Here is what my almost finished design looks like.
ATTACH=CONFIG]350452[/ATTACH]
I am working to finish the X and Z axis before I finish with the frame and Y axis.

[keffer322]

Some pictures of the build

[keffer322]

I was able to do the carbon fiber layer today. I had to wait for some new epoxy, what I had didn't look good.
Attachment 352862
I didn't want to get anymore epoxy into the inserts then I had to so I taped over the holes. As I inserted the bolts to clamp the pieces together, the tape pushed out of the way. I also covered the bolts with petroleum jelly to keep any epoxy from sticking.
Attachment 352864
When I did the dry fit for the washers I used feeler gauges to see what the gaps would be. The ends were about 0.070" while the middle was 0.100. I found where the curve hit 0.088" (eight layers) and then cut additional fabric from scrapes to make up the gap in the middle of the layup.
The layup of the carbon and indicating in the surface went good, not perfect but close enough. The linear rail mounts will be bonded next and will need to be as close as I can get them, hopefully 0.0001"
Attachment 352866
While I was waiting for the epoxy I picked up the rest of the quartz that I needed and the tubing for the base. Cost for the piece was $200 so a total of about $270 for all quartz. This should get me very close.
Attachment 352868
I purchased this harbor freight saw which was rated fairly good but I had problems the first time I used it. I don't think it was meant to cut 30 mm material. The suggested 4 1/4" blade didn't quite cut all the way through so I pickup a 4 1/2" which should do the trick. The other problem was there was no guide to use and when you are cutting there is a cloud of dust. I found some scrape aluminum and mounted it to the front by welding a couple of threaded couplings to the saw base. The other problem was I didn't cut 90 degrees, just too weak for the material so for now I jammed a wood wedge between the motor and the base to hold it solid. Need to test this on some scrape next.

[dharmic]

I'd be asking two questions:

- is it flat
- is it stable or at least consistent wrt temperature changes

[keffer322]

I'd be asking two questions:

- is it flat
- is it stable or at least consistent wrt temperature changes

1.2 x 10^5 for quartz vs 6 x 10^6 for cast iron. I will put my sample on my surface plate tomorrow

[RCaffin]

Probably more stable than home-made epoxy-granite, as the makers are doing it on a production basis.
Flat? That you can fix/handle yourself fairly easily with a tiny bit of epoxy fill.

Old tombstones - they are the thing. Matured.

Cheers
Roger

[dharmic]

Hmm, might have to go "shopping" one night?

If it goes all Buffy on me I'm gonna blame you, Roger.

[RCaffin]

Ah, don't worry: we'll send the Drop Bears after her.
Hey - maybe we could put the whole Liberal Party (State & Fed) into the Hellmouth?

Cheers
Roger

[dharmic]

*BACK into the Hellmouth?

[RCaffin]

YEAH.

[LeeWay]

Is no one worried about the eventual Ghost in the machine?

[RCaffin]

Ghosts?
Poor weak pathetic gutless GHOSTS?

Look Lee, our machines already have quite enough Gremlins in them that there is no room for ghosts. Forget it, ain't gunna happen.

Cheers
Roger

[dharmic]

Descartes or Deadly Terrors type Ghost in the Machine? I can deal with the former, and I write software so wrestling psychotic bugs into submission is part of the daily routine.

[RCaffin]

Boggarts. Definitely.

[dharmic]

Yess, Miss Susan.

NOT THE POKER!

Ahem.

None of this is helping the OP.

Levelling out with a gloop of epoxy - surely that's not going to be particularly strong without filler, is it?

[LeeWay]

It works great as an adhesive or a filler. Not as well as a surface. Especially if it is laying on an already smooth surface.

[RCaffin]

Epoxy - well, I know many people have used it happily. It's all about pressure: if the epoxy is spread out over a large area the surface pressure will be low, within what epoxy can handle. Sure, add filler if you want. Not a lot of difference between epoxy fill between rail and base to handle small gaps, and Turcite plastic on dovetails. Granted, some discretion about what is resonable is required.

Cheers
Roger

[LeeWay]

Having it ground flat is likely the best scenario. Anything else may or may not work, so would be a gamble.
If you have some extra material. Give it a few tests. You might consider adding glass fiber if it is pretty thin. That would give it some inherent strength.