What is the benefit or perceived benefit?
I was thinking I might make a vinyl cover for my mill to keep dust and other shop particle out of the slide surfaces and screws to reduce abrasive wear and increase the life of my machine. Now I am wondering if an enclosure might be better. As I type I am thinking also that it might reduce working noise while running a CNC program. I've got a sewing machine and a welder on standby. LOL.
I haven't used anything like the enclosure pictured. It looks to me like there's a cutting lube supply tube going to the tool holding device mounted on the spindle.
That may be a constant flow type of delivery, and considering the high speeds that should be used for small diameter cutting tools, the cutting lube could get slung outward for a significant distance.
The cabinet would be practical for mister or cold air applications, too.
So keeping a significant mess inside the cabinet would be the major benefit, it seems. So if someone needed to have their mini mill in the kitchen or somewhere clean, the cabinet would likely keep most of the mess contained.
I don't know how effective the metal cabinet would be at reducing noise, especially if the machine isn't mechanically isolated from the cabinet (speaker cone).
I've used heavy duty clear vinyl for lots of covers, and it sews relatively easily if the correct type of needle is used. I had gotten some cutting needles from an upholstery shop, that the owner recommended for sewing most heavy materials with (straps, for example). I found that the cutting type needles would pass thru the vinyl easily without the vinyl wanting to cling to and ride up 'n down with the needle. The heavy clear vinyl I used was 8 and 12 (which I think was .008" and .012" thick), and it makes great covers for lots of items.
WB ......... metalworking projects
Very nice, and certainly cain't hurt. Allows flood coolant, instead of mist, contains chips, etc. I don't think it will do much for noise, unless you really make a project out of it -- and, with coolant, might be very difficult to impact on noise.
How big is your machine?
If as big as a BP, I've seen people build a box on the table itself, to catch chips, coolant.
I have a mini mill with that is a little bigger than the one in the picture. I could probably make a box for it with two pieces of sheet easily enough.
My younger brother has a cnc mill, with an enclosure. It keeps the coolant spray, flying chips and noise down very well. It also has lights mounted inside of it. The lights really make it nice to do fine adjustments.
His is made of tin and plexi. All the parts are removable, kind of like a stake bed truck, for cleaning and super large parts.
bob in phx
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