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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Posts
    231

    New Taig Enclosure - New Beginnings

    Its been over 5 years since I had the Mill up and Running. Space is much tighter now and containing the mess is far more critical.

    1) All new "tight" enclosure. I will post more detail pics later. Just let me know if you want to see anything specific.

    2) Upgraded her to the Ball Screw Version while I was at it.

    Still a way to go to get it all going. Final Assembly,Software Setup,Tramming, dialing in, etc. But at least it has a proper home now.




    Click image for larger version. 

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  2. #2

    Re: New Taig Enclosure - New Beginnings

    If you can spare the time, I'd like to know all the details on your enclosure. I need to do this but have put it off for over 10 years for one reason or another. When I had time, I didn't have the money, and vice-versa! Do you have an idea what the general cost would be to build this enclosure? Thanks a bunch.

    Lynn




    Quote Originally Posted by under-dog View Post
    Its been over 5 years since I had the Mill up and Running. Space is much tighter now and containing the mess is far more critical.

    1) All new "tight" enclosure. I will post more detail pics later. Just let me know if you want to see anything specific.

    2) Upgraded her to the Ball Screw Version while I was at it.

    Still a way to go to get it all going. Final Assembly,Software Setup,Tramming, dialing in, etc. But at least it has a proper home now.




    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20190407_113533.jpg 
Views:	3 
Size:	58.9 KB 
ID:	417350

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Posts
    231

    Re: New Taig Enclosure - New Beginnings

    Lynn,
    I had an enclosure long ago and it was on the moderate side. It trapped 90% of the mess but the other 10% still went everywhere. I played around with a lot of designs over the past few months, using an array of base structures as well as materiel for the enclosure itself. These designs ranged from the cheap and dirty to the downright outrageous in complexity and price. Made from everything like sheet metal, to wood, to sheet plastic and beyond. I am glad I held off a bit until I really dialed the design in. I didn't want to half A this one the way the other one was. I wanted it as compact and efficient in space as possible, while giving enough room to operate to full capacity. I also wanted it modular in a way that could be broken down to some degree and moved. I always liked the 80/20 enclosures and kept gravitating back to them as the most flexible and durable. Swiss Army Cadillac. The enclosure is not bolted to the table BTW, only held by gravity but very well gasketed. I used bulb door gasketing at all breach points. The stuff you get at Home Depot for sealing doors from drafts. Its aluminum extrusion with a rubber seal along edge. ill get pics.

    I will tell you these things:
    1) It was on the pricey side. I would have to sit down and calculate it all. It took a multiple orders and a few returns as things evolved. I can rough estimate at some point
    2) It was a bit tricky to assemble but in the end I feel worth it. I picked hardware that was more concealed. If you notice there are no external joining plates like you see on a lot of enclosures of this kind. It was a bit more difficult to assemble as certain parts required to be assembled in a certain sequence. The hidden hardware also required a lot of tapping at all connection areas as well as pass through holes be drilled for Allen keys. In the end I think it looks slick, was I believe cheaper from a hardware and connector standpoint and am clad I did it despite a lot of cursing and a lot of breaking things apart and reassembling them as I went along. In the end, now that it is done i am glad for it.

    I cut drilled and tapped everything myself. I believe some places will do this for you, at a charge I am sure.

    All the 80/20 specific I got off McMaster. Perhaps not the cheapest but they had what I wanted and the website is easy to use. The rest came from HD and Amazon

    I can send you the basic CAD model if you like. It doesn't have all the hidden connectors in there or all the panels and gaskets but it could be a start.

  4. #4

    Re: New Taig Enclosure - New Beginnings

    Thank you very much for the information and insight into your newest enclosure. I think it's really a well designed and thought out project.

    However, honestly, I don't think I will be able to put together as much time as it will take to build it any time soon. And, there is the "pricey" part; I love my mill and have had many years of fun with it, but it is a hobby for me and one of many hobbies. So, with limited funds, I find myself being somewhat stingy with what I'd say would be "luxuries" (for me) and find myself saving for the next actual machine of interest.

    It's a great project and it sounds like you achieved all the goals you had in place for the enclosure. Isn't it great when that finally happens?! Thanks for sharing this.

    Lynn

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