[SCzEngrgGroup]

I recently enclosed my 9x49 knee mill, using a hybrid design. I used sqaure aluminum tube to build a frame to support Plexiglas panels that enclose the front and sides of the table. The front is a pair if bi-fold doors. This whole assembly lifts off the table very easily if needed (though I've never needed). The Y/Z ways are covered by a telescoping metal cover. I had a local HVAC company fold/solder a large pan to catch all the chips and coolant. This sits on a wooden table on casters, so it can be easily rolled out from under the machine for cleaning. It'll hold about 100 gallons of chips. The back is covered by simple shower curtains, which wrap around the sides, to catch anything that get's past the Plexiglas. Coolant is caught by the pan, it then dumps through two drains onto the mill base, which is hollow, to act as a coolant reservoir. A sump pump inside the base pumps the coolant to a 15 gal. external tank and pressure pump.

It all works perfectly.

Regards,
Ray L.

[fretsman]

Ray, do you find the quickframe (aluminum tubing) vibrates apart at all from the press in connectors? (how old is it now?) Or have you possibly added hardware to secure it from doing so?

Dave

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Ray, do you find the quickframe (aluminum tubing) vibrates apart at all from the press in connectors? (how old is it now?) Or have you possibly added hardware to secure it from doing so?

Dave

Dave,

No, not at all - it's surprisingly strong. The four bottom corners are screwed to the table (just sheet metal screws into the plastic corner blocks). I aded corner gussets to the lower front corners, to keep the (large) door opening from racking. With all of that, the rest of it stays put very nicely. I've used it almost every day for the last 3-4 months.

Regards,
Ray L.

[fretsman]

Thanks so much, Ray-

Dave

[fusion_crank]

Thanks for your help guys.

Ray, do you find that the coolant or chips splash over your enclosure? How tall is it? I like the simplicity of a table mounted enclosure, but I only have 8" max travel in the Y, and I hate to give any of that up.

Mike

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Thanks for your help guys.

Ray, do you find that the coolant or chips splash over your enclosure? How tall is it? I like the simplicity of a table mounted enclosure, but I only have 8" max travel in the Y, and I hate to give any of that up.

Mike

Mike,

Occassionally, a very small amount of coolanr or chips will find their way over the enclosure, but it's pretty rare. A lot more ends up on the floor just from opening the doors to do work in there.

The enclosure did not cost me any loss of travel on any axis.

Regards,
Ray L.