PM932 CNC Build

After two years of running with a pvc pipe and shower curtain enclosure I decided to update the enclosure to something a little easier to maintain.

The frame is 1x1 & 1x2 8020 extrusions. The back and sides are 1/16" aluminum and the doors are 1/8" polycarbonate. The door panels are 12" wide by 24" tall. The door hangers overlap so each side opens and closes together. The outer panels are fixed to the enclosure frame. The sides of the enclosure are two pieces with the rear piece being fixed. The forward panel can slide back for easier access for cleaning or for parts longer than the width of the enclosure.

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After two years of running with a pvc pipe and shower curtain enclosure I decided to update the enclosure to something a little easier to maintain.

The frame is 1x1 & 1x2 8020 extrusions. The back and sides are 1/16" aluminum and the doors are 1/8" polycarbonate. The door panels are 12" wide by 24" tall. The door hangers overlap so each side opens and closes together. The outer panels are fixed to the enclosure frame. The sides of the enclosure are two pieces with the rear piece being fixed. The forward panel can slide back for easier access for cleaning or for parts longer than the width of the enclosure.

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Nice!! Best thing I ever did was build an enclosure for my mill. Keeps the chips and coolant contained and easy to clean up. Are you going to plumb it for a wash down system? Makes cleanup much easier.

Tom S.
 
The shower curtains work great when they are new but after a while they get hard from the coolant and become difficult to deal with plus they only last about a year. I'm also planning on putting in some splash shields on the head for more splash control with the open top enclosure.

A revamp of the coolant pump system is in the works so I may think about adding a wash down system.

I'm also looking for a different coolant the the Rustlick 50/50. I really like it because it does not get rancid and does not affect my skin but if I'm not using the mill daily I still get rusting issues even with the higher concentrations. I'm hoping to find something that I can let sit for extended periods without having to pull my fixtures and wash the coolant off the machine.
 
The shower curtains work great when they are new but after a while they get hard from the coolant and become difficult to deal with plus they only last about a year. I'm also planning on putting in some splash shields on the head for more splash control with the open top enclosure.

A revamp of the coolant pump system is in the works so I may think about adding a wash down system.

I'm also looking for a different coolant the the Rustlick 50/50. I really like it because it does not get rancid and does not affect my skin but if I'm not using the mill daily I still get rusting issues even with the higher concentrations. I'm hoping to find something that I can let sit for extended periods without having to pull my fixtures and wash the coolant off the machine.

I ran my mill for about 4 hours today and at the end of the run I had chips everywhere including stuck to the interior walls of the enclosure. Took me a total of 10 minutes to wash everything into the drain tray. I'll let it "drip dry" over night and vacuum the chips in the morning. I'm using a 50 psi Harbor Freight clear water pump on my system (about $50). It gives me plenty of pressure and volume. I plumbed in a recirc line so I don't deadhead the pump.

Interesting comment about Rustlick 50/50. I'm using it too and mixing it at 35/1. No rust problems at all. After washdown I don't wipe any surfaces, just leave the excess coolant where it lies. Sometimes it's a couple of weeks before I get back to the mill but no rust.

Tom S.
 
I'm mixing at 10:1 and I still find rust under the way cover and under fixtures if I leave it for more that a few weeks. Maybe it's my proximity to the SF bay.

Thanks for the heads up on the HF pump. I will check it out.
 
Tom. Did you document your coolant system? I don't see it in your build thread.
 
Tom. Did you document your coolant system? I don't see it in your build thread.

Sorry, didn't document it as I'm on Rev. 3. If you want pictures let me know.

Tom S.
 
I'm mixing at 10:1 and I still find rust under the way cover and under fixtures if I leave it for more that a few weeks. Maybe it's my proximity to the SF bay.

Thanks for the heads up on the HF pump. I will check it out.

It's been raining in Nor Cal for the last three weeks and I have no rust issues. My shop isn't heated either.

The HF pump part number is 62508. On sale for $47.97.

Tom S.
 
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