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Author Topic: Knee Mill Coolant Containment  (Read 21498 times)

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Knee Mill Coolant Containment
« on: September 19, 2008, 07:46:16 PM »
I'm getting really tired of sweeping/vacuuming up chips several times per day, so I've decided it's time figure out how to enclose my mill table, to contain the mess, and while I'm at it, I'll switch to flood coolant, rather than mist.  So, I'm looking for advice on how to accomplish this cheaply, and effectively.  Here's my current thinking:

Fabricate some sheet metal pans to attach to the saddle.  These will extend outward from the center, with a plexiglas shield 6" or so in front of the table, and another mounted to the machine base in the back.  Chips will then hit one of the plexi shields, fall down into the tray, and be collected there, while coolant will be strained and drop back into a reservoir.  The front Plexi piece will be easily removable, for getting to the table.  I'm thinking the sides will be more like baffles than anything else, and will be attached to the table, perhaps just in the ends of the T-slots.  Perhaps with rubber pieces tying these side shields to the front and rear shields.

One of the complications is I have to be able to accomodate my vice, which hangs 6-8" beyond the front of the table, so simply affixing Plexi to the table itself won't cut it.

I'd be really interested in how other people have done this, and especially in seeing pictures.  I don't want this to turn into a major construction project, and also don't want to spend $$$$ on it.  Fortunately, I'll have access to lots of Plexiglas, as leftovers from a project I'm doing.

Regards,
Ray L.
Regards,
Ray L.
Re: Knee Mill Coolant Containment
« Reply #1 on: September 19, 2008, 08:23:30 PM »
Ray,
Had the same problem, coolant, and chips all over the shop.

Just a 6 0r 8 inch shield around the table isn't much help, especially with flood coolant.You don't only want to keep the tool and material cool,
but you want enough coolant to wash the chips away,from the tool. Say your doing a circular pocket. the chips lay there in the pocket and you just keep running the cutter
through that pile of chips, sucking them through the cutter again. You want enough coolant pressure to keep that pocket washed out.

 Machining aluminum, (which I do a lot of) requires some high rpm, and the coolant wants to flood your shop.
On my Yamazen mill, I totaly enclosed it in sheet aluminum I had. to almost 6 feet high, and once in a while will still spray over the top.
Enclosed pic.

 This all depends on how big your machine is.
Bigger is Better

Ed V
Ed VanEss

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Re: Knee Mill Coolant Containment
« Reply #2 on: September 20, 2008, 10:29:16 AM »
Very nice Ed, Alu must be a lot cheaper in the USA than it is here ;)

Hood

Offline Kristin D

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Re: Knee Mill Coolant Containment
« Reply #3 on: September 20, 2008, 01:24:14 PM »
And Monogrammed too!  :o

Kristin
Re: Knee Mill Coolant Containment
« Reply #4 on: September 20, 2008, 02:48:43 PM »
NO it's not cheap, but had it laying around. all the panels are 16 gage,
except the "monogramed " panel is 1/4" which is the main support.
Had to farm out the bending.

The back panels are mounted to the machine base as shown, but added another 12"to top.

Saves a lot of mess.

Ed
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Re: Knee Mill Coolant Containment
« Reply #5 on: September 20, 2008, 07:01:29 PM »
Looks really good Ed, I may end up doing something like that myself if the guard that came with the Beaver mill does not suffice.
 I do a fair bit of Alu fabrication on the boats but I never seem to have enough left over from jobs to do much with :(

Hood

Offline budman68

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Re: Knee Mill Coolant Containment
« Reply #6 on: September 20, 2008, 07:18:46 PM »
Fantastic, Ed, looks great -  :)


Dave
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Offline Chaoticone

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Re: Knee Mill Coolant Containment
« Reply #7 on: September 20, 2008, 08:14:44 PM »
Good job Ed.............. looks good............ looks real good............. shoreanuf pertty.  ;D

You done good.

Brett
;D If you could see the things I have in my head, you would be laughing too. ;D

My guard dog is not what you need to worry about!

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Re: Knee Mill Coolant Containment
« Reply #8 on: October 17, 2008, 05:12:59 PM »
Ed,
 I am planning on doing similar for my Beaver mill and was just wondering the thickness of the Alu you used. My enclosure will need five 2500mm x 1250mm sheets (8' X 4' approx) and I am thinking its going to have to be steel for cost reasons.
Hood

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Re: Knee Mill Coolant Containment
« Reply #9 on: October 17, 2008, 05:44:30 PM »
Hood,
Talk to one of your local sheet metal / duct fabrication shops and ask  about putting some diagonal breaks in it to
cut down the thickness and stiffen the panel. They could probably give good advice just from experience.
May save some money and work.
RICH