Small Epoxy Granite Filled "Watchmakers Lathe" Design Question

Cut the faucet holes in our counter tops with a diamond hole saw and water from a squeeze bottle. I'm not sure you would want the grit from the granite on your mill. Could raise havoc with the bed ways if any gets in there.
 
Cut the faucet holes in our counter tops with a diamond hole saw and water from a squeeze bottle. I'm not sure you would want the grit from the granite on your mill. Could raise havoc with the bed ways if any gets in there.

I was planning on using water as coolant with a diamond core drill and vacuum the grit right as it comes off.
 
I've drilled marble a number of times on a drill press, works fine. i realize marble is a much softer than granite, but the technique was the same. I don't think I would do it on a milling machine. As well intentioned as the idea sounds, vacuuming it off or trying to collect it at source will likely not be as effective as you envision. If done wet, the droplets sling all over the place and before you know it the machine is coated. Similarly dry, even with close proximity collection there is likely to be "leakage". At least this has been my experience with it.

-frank
 
I was planning on using water as coolant with a diamond core drill and vacuum the grit right as it comes off.

That might work, but if the granite is big enough, you won't need coolant (it's a heat sink). Just go slow, and work the vacuum
nozzle around the cut. I'd prefer a drill press (easier to clean after). Better still, an ultrasound drill (it just pecks up-and-down
very fast).

A 'core drill' is like a holesaw? So it's gonna be a wide through hole?
 
That might work, but if the granite is big enough, you won't need coolant (it's a heat sink). Just go slow, and work the vacuum
nozzle around the cut. I'd prefer a drill press (easier to clean after). Better still, an ultrasound drill (it just pecks up-and-down
very fast).

A 'core drill' is like a holesaw? So it's gonna be a wide through hole?


I saw some pretty tiny core drills online. I figured I’d be able to hit the slug left in a blind hole with a punch at an angle to knock em off but I just know that won’t work out as nicely as I think it will
 
My goodness, what an amazing wealth of experience in such varied areas of expertise! It never ceases to amaze me, how many VERY sharp people hang out here.
That said, my hillbilly mind got snagged on this concept
including a vibrating table for removing air from the granite mixture.
In my experience with concrete, as in slabs on grade, formed stem wall/foundations, or grout into block, the vibration applied is CRITICAL to the strength of the final product. This strength relates to tensile, or compressive. How it relates to the OP issue, I do not know. Sorry for the intrusion. Please, carry on.:encourage:
 
Not sure if anyone cares but I'm almost finished with the bed and ways figured I'd share some photos. I went with a steel bed and welded some reinforcements. IMG_4161.JPG
Here's the bed as of today. I had the steel stress relieved twice, a very nice local shop hooked me up free of charge.
The cast iron is fastened on bonded to steel bed with Devcon metallized epoxy.

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A shot of the roughed dovetail. The profile was milled after bonding and was left oversized ~.002 and will be ground to final size tomorrow on a sine mag chuck.


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The epoxy granite setting up on a vibratory table.

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Cleaning up the feet after the second, post weld stress relieving. You can see some of the welded reinforcements. It was the first time I'd picked up a mig gun so try not to laugh too hard.

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Working on the motor mount and tensioner this week.
 
Nice! How deep is the granite epoxy? How many layers did you cast it in? How much did it tweak the cast iron bed?
 
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