Taking the CNC Plunge

looks goods Tom, I have had some road blocks crop up on my conversion but hope to get back on track soon.
Bill
 
looks goods Tom, I have had some road blocks crop up on my conversion but hope to get back on track soon.
Bill

Thanks Bill. Don't give up just keep plugging away. It will get done. If your road blocks are related to the conversion let the forum know. We can help.

Been working on this enclosure for a few weeks now and still not done. I have three of the panels done and five to go plus two doors. Then I need to fasten everything together to keep it from falling apart. Between my consulting business travel and my wife's insistence on traveling in the RV I haven't been able to put in the time I'd like. I guess that's why they call it a hobby.

Tom S
 
Thanks Bill. Don't give up just keep plugging away. It will get done. If your road blocks are related to the conversion let the forum know. We can help.

Been working on this enclosure for a few weeks now and still not done. I have three of the panels done and five to go plus two doors. Then I need to fasten everything together to keep it from falling apart. Between my consulting business travel and my wife's insistence on traveling in the RV I haven't been able to put in the time I'd like. I guess that's why they call it a hobby.

Tom S
No its not related to the conversion BUT it is related to our family, just to many things going on:( maybe next week:encourage:
Oh well the beat goes on & on & on:)
 
Finished up the enclosure wall panels today. Sorry but no pictures for a few days while I'm out of town. The next order of business is to make the doors. The opening is about 40" wide and 34" tall so each door will be about 24" by 36" allowing for overlap. I plan to mount a light weight sliding door track across the opening and hang the doors with door trolleys. What I need some input on is the material for the doors. Should I use Lexan, Plexiglass, tempered glass, or ??? Obviously the doors will be clear but I'm not sure what material is best suited for a flood coolant environment with chips beating on it.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Tom S
 
Should I use Lexan, Plexiglass, tempered glass, or ???

For sure not glass, if you break an end mill and it goes flying, the glass will just shatter. It's costs more, but if it was me I'd go with Lexan, as its much stronger than plexi glass.
 
I would rule out plexiglass (acrylic) as it scratches very easily and can shatter if hit hard enough.
Lexan is virtually unbreakable, doesn't scratch as easily as plexi but will degrade if exposed to a lot of flying chips. There is a higher grade called Lexan MR-10 that has a mar resistant coating, although, it's very expensive.
Tempered Glass is the most scratch proof and is very break resistant and if it does, it shatters into tiny pieces. It would be possible to get injured if you were close to it if it shattered.
I would consider making the doors out of sheet aluminum and have viewing windows in them that are a standard size of a common door lite, that way you can get either TG or even Lexan pre cut to size. You could even do a inner window of Tempered Glass and an outer one of Lexan (that's the way many bullet proof windows are constructed) and have the best of both.
 
Thanks guys. I can buy Lexan sheet at the local big box store in the size I need. What about thickness? They have .093", .125" and .250". The .093" is in stock. The other thicknesses have to be ordered.

Tom S
 
I would go with the .250. Google ''plastics redding ca'' you might find much better pricing than the big box store. Many times your local glass shop will have Lexan window panes also.
 
Be sure to check that the coolant you plan on using is compatible with polycarbonate. The coolant I prefer (Rustlick ws-5050) will attack polycarbonate and make it brittle and difficult to clean.
 
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