Originally Posted by VTX  Yes, I planned on putting a drain the the base and the coolant will drain below the entire enclosure into a container of some sort.
The bottom panel slopes towards the front of the enclosure and the enclosure overhangs the workbench, so my plan was to put at least one drain up in the front of the bottom panel. Probably more all along the front edge.
It sounds like maybe I need more of a slope though? |
I think in large diameter open pipe 1/8" is condsidered min. but you will have swarf in there so I doubled it, I looked at some wash tube basins at home depot today and they would work well, in your case I would be drilling alot holes in the bottom, maybe 1/4" or less, and screeening them to catch the swarf. You could also cheat and tilt the whole assmebly or the bench, some as you don't want coolant to sit in the open terribly long. Another word of caution with 80/20 as I strolled into work this evening one of the guards around a machine that I have came loose, apparently the mounting, and t-nut wore through, as there is small pile of alum dust at that corner, shut the whole dammed thing down as its saftey interlocked and the switch pulled out enough of its keeper. Now I have to try and weld(not so much fun) or remount that bar(its not gusseted because of room)so watch your mounting on the mill!
I am not a real big fan of 80/20 esp when its touching the machines, other companies make better stuff. The boss ordered some 80/20 the other day thats considerably more hefty, but at its price for the jig we are making I could have welded steel and it would have weighed nearly the same at around 1/3 the price. Its flat on the back side with four t slots on the other, its very stiff but also weighs a ton.
but I digress
chris