Cleaning VM16, getting ready for flood coolant

[erikjgreen]

I had thought I posted this yesterday, but apparently I didn't hit submit or something.


I'm cleaning out my VM16F which I acquired last year. I've finally gotten around to commissioning it - getting it facing the right direction in my garage, leveling, I bought more than 2 pull studs that fit it, etc.

For cleaning these machines, it looks like the fiberglass containment won't handle anyone standing on it... do people clean these machines out only from the outside, via the removable panels? I need to clean both some old chips (of plastic) out, and also wash/wipe the interior walls down to get rid of a decade's worth of oil and dust, and that's going to involve some reaching inside. Likewise, does anyone ever do something like cover the table with a piece of plywood and step inside on it? I'd think the table would handle the weight ok, but I'm not sure if that's needed or what.

On the bright side, the machine has only ever cut plastic, which means it probably has had less wear than metal cutting machines, but that also means that there's little bits of plastic/oil amalgam everywhere.

Lastly, if I use flood coolant, am I going to need to check/fix the seams on the enclosure first? I wouldn't be surprised, but I know some brands of machine don't have issues with leaks long term, should I assume I will and do some re-sealing?


Thanks,
Erik

[yugami]

When I cleaned mine I didn't reseal and haven't had any issues. Ymmv.

I didn't stand on the fiberglass but if you run the table forward your can stand on the base to get the nooks and crannies around the machine itself

[ImTippmann]

I routinely stand on my table and the enclosure I climb through the panels and the main door.

After growing up in a fiberglass boat repair shop I wasn't too afraid of standing on the enclosure. I stand on the fiberglass a lot (Im 250lbs) but wouldn't advise others to do so because if I put my foot through it I can fix it in under 20 min. I have heard a few stress cracks form on occasion, I could fix them, but they dont bother me at this time.

The table can easily take someone climbing on it, just dont stand on the way covers, only the t-slotted table. You dont want to bend the covers. Mine were bent when I got the machine. It took a lot of time with a hammer to make them usable again, and they still snag on occasion.

Im not sure about the 16f, but my 16a enclosure is pretty well designed to funnel down to the discharge area without need for sealant.