Stand for milling machine?

Hi,

I'm looking to build (or buy) a stand for my X3 mill. The proper ones are about £150 plus carriage, and I can't afford that.

Thought of knocking something up from mild steel box section - but what size? Would 40mm x 40mm do, or would 50mm x 50mm be better? Should the legs angle out as they go down?

Any other ideas/suggestions?

Ta,

-- Peter Fairbrother

Reply to
Peter Fairbrother
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We used a stand that was originally built for an oven at our old PCB factory, I think it's made from 40mm square X 5mm box, and we have 1" ply top covered in

16g Zintec. Frame was powder coated.

I'll see if I can check dimensions later.

Peter

-- Peter & Rita Forbes Email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk

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Reply to
Peter A Forbes

I made mine out of 19mm MDF - constructed a box with an open front, using 2X2 timber to reinforce the joints, used 2 thicknesses of MDF for the top & a couple of coats of varnish to seal, It now provides storage as well as support. Worked a treat.

Regards, Tony

Reply to
Tony Jeffree

Tony Jeffree gebruikte zijn klavier om te schrijven :

Haha, I did almost exactly the same..! 4x 60mm square garden timber poles and waterproof 18mm plywood, doubled on top. Screws and construction glue. Wide plywood braces, a drawer too. Holds a 250kg drillmill nicely and...does not rock and roll ;-) Dirk

Reply to
Dirk

It's 50 X 50 Box, 36" square and 34" high including the top. A half-height ring of box section runs round to stiffen the legs and we had 4" square feet welded on. The oven was scrapped when we closed the factory but the stand was too good to throw.

Peter

-- Peter A Forbes Prepair Ltd, Rushden, UK snipped-for-privacy@prepair.co.uk

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Reply to
Peter A Forbes

Peter,

I have a Centec 2 sitting on a steel 2 drawer filling cabinet with a piece of 3/4 ply cut to go between the mill and the cabinet, the height is good and it is solid and the draws hold milling equipment. Cost £0 at I got it on Freecycle.

Martin P

Reply to
campingstoveman

How about the CWB80 bench from Machine Mart see

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's 70.48 pounds but only 59.98pounds if you wait for one of their sale evenings when they take off the VAT. I have used their larger bench
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support both a mill and a small lathe. They come as a flat pack which fit in the back of a small hatch back car.

Alan

Reply to
Alan Dawes

First, thank you all for your suggestions and help.

Here is my milling corner as of today, with a stand for the X3 mill approximately as discussed - 2x2 legs and 4x2 top frames, all morticed, well glued and screwed, with 18 mm flooring board top and sides.

I was going to double up the top, but it doesn't seem necessary in this case as the ends of the mill base rest over the frame.

I think 2"x2" timber is a bit too small for the legs though, it does wobble a little, but not too much. I'll use 3"x3" when I do it again - I'll eventually use that stand for the BCA, and make a new 3"x3" based stand for the X3.

The BCA is in bits, as usual - the workpiece on the X3 table is going to be an adapter for CNC converting the BCA.

The beige thingy under the stand is a 4 lpm DeVilbiss oxygen generator, good for brazing and small-scale welding. It also provides almost silent compressed air, though only to about 80 psi, but enough to drive the alternative 60k rpm air spindle for the BCA. It will also eventually serve as a source of oxygen for my liquid oxygen making plant when that's completed.

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Thanks all once again,

-- Peter Fairbrother

Reply to
Peter Fairbrother

What about a panel for the back? That may add the required stiffness.

Mark Rand RTFM

Reply to
Mark Rand

There is a panel on the back, it also goes all the way down. I might extend the side panels further down tho', they only go down a bit. Also a panel on the floor might help - but I think 3x3 legs will be best! :)

-- Peter Fairbrother

Reply to
Peter Fairbrother

Given the extreme top-heaviness of the setup a little wobble is surely inevitable whatever the construction. I have the factory stand for my SX3. Despite its solid appearance it wobbles like crazy when I crank the Z axis handle fast. Putting 40kg of steel stock in the bottom made absolutely no difference, I'm planning to fill the bottom half with cement next time I have cause to mix some.

Reply to
pcb1962

The base we used was about 4ft X 4ft plan, with 4" square feet on the box section. Rock solid.

Peter

-- Peter & Rita Forbes Email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk

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Reply to
Peter A Forbes

I have either the factory stand, or at least a contemporary stand, for my Excel Motel 0/BCA 2 clone. It's made entirely with eighth plate including the door, except for the top, which is 1/2" Tufnol. It don't wobble under any normal provocation :-)

Mark Rand RTFM

Reply to
Mark Rand

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