Looking for cnc mill top design sugestions

[FandZ]

Hi all. I'm currently building a cnc mill to work in metal. My mill head is on it's way but I still haven't designed a table top to use with it. I plan on a lot of wet cutting. I'm stuck on how to collect the fluid. There seems to be two methods for fluid control. Option A, sit your machine in a huge pan to catch the fluid. Option B, have a pan on your table top. I like option B better but I haven't found any pans that'll fit it (25"x8"). SO I'm thinking something custom will be needed to be made.

I'd really like to go with 1inch piece of aluminum for a table top and machine t track into it or machine slots to mount some t-track in. I'm posting some design ideas I have.

[jsheerin]

You might try posting this in the metal working forum...

[FandZ]

You're probably right. However, after reading on the topic some more last night, I think I'm going to give just dry cutting a try first. Carbide's are cheap enough that I don't think I'll need to use HSS endmills that would need flood cooling. Guess I'll see how it goes.

[CarveOne]

Would something like this X-Y cross table from Grizzly Industrial be of any interest? It is essentially a milling machine base without the column and milling head. T-slots are included, oil drain is included, and the ACME screws can be changed to ball screws. Standard low cost clamp sets and fixturing works with it. Cast iron construction.

CarveOne

[FandZ]

Originally Posted by CarveOne Would something like this X-Y cross table from Grizzly Industrial be of any interest? It is essentially a milling machine base without the column and milling head. T-slots are included, oil drain is included, and the ACME screws can be changed to ball screws. Standard low cost clamp sets and fixturing works with it. Cast iron construction. CarveOne

I may go that route if I fail, actually I'll probably buy a mill and convert it, but I already have my linear components and frame together. I'm too vested to turn back now. lol

I think this weekend I'm going to try and make the table pictured above the 1 inch aluminum plate out of some TREX stock I bought last weekend. If I like the feel and functionality of it, then I'm going to order some aluminum stock and mill it.

I think I'm going to find out just how good Ahrens roller assemblies are.

[jsheerin]

I would highly recommend way guards. They'd be easy to add to your design.

[FandZ]

Originally Posted by jsheerin I would highly recommend way guards. They'd be easy to add to your design.

Way guards are in the plans for sure. I'm thinking about making some out of plexi that slide over each other and deposit swarf at the the ends of the axis's. The acordian style does seem like the easiest to implement though.