Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: Questions about mill enclosures..

I'm not sure about coolant attacking polycarbonate as the enclosures I've
made for my Bridgeport are just for splashes. I don't normally look through
them as they're usually covered in chips etc anyway, however I can tell you
they are completely durable and work great.
Don't try to bolt them (or acrylic) together, as the best way, is to glue
the corners together with Weldon #3. Just butt them together and apply this
solvent cement...Voila, very strong corner. I usually use 1/4' thick though.
If you search for Weldon #3 you'll find it or just go down to your local
plastic fabricator.
Cheers,
Brad

----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Renolds" <prenolds@...>
To: <CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2004 7:42 AM
Subject: Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: Questions about mill enclosures..


> Hi Ballendo,
>
> You may well be right regarding Lexan, thanks for the heads up - I will
> do some more reading before I continue to use WD40. The mist coolant
> "may" also be a long term problem, but I'm pretty sure it is not a
> hydrocarbon base, I'll have to check further.
>
> To be honest, I have used clear acrylic covers (usually 1/8" sheet from
> Home Depot) for several years and have cleaned it with WD40 without
> significant crazing but a bit of discolouration - not enough to worry
> about. I only went over to Lexan in early December - out of frustration
> with the Acrylic cracking. If there is going to be any crazing of the
> Lexan, it probably hasn't presented itself yet - although I may have
> already planted the seeds...
>
> In a couple cases the acrylic has cracked around a screw - even though
> I use oversize holes, flat washers and only gentle tightening torque.
> These are generally minor and more common when the hole is close to an
> edge. I have three covers over my reduction belts - for X, Y & Z and
> what has annoyed is the large cracks that have occurred after I've
> bumped the Y and Z covers which are often around (my) knee height. In
> both cases I only bumped the covers relatively lightly and would not
> have expected the size of cracks that occurred. It's not like the
> covers are stressed at all.
>
> For added strength, I've gone to 1/4" Lexan for my chip shield and had a
> devil of a time bending it! Even with heat, it remains extremely tough
> and springy to bend! I can appreciate how it can stop those little
> projectile thingy's so effectively... As for the belt covers, the
> novelty of watching the belts turn has pretty well worn off so when I
> replace them (soon) I plant to use sheet steel.
>
> Cheers, Peter
>
>
> ballendo wrote:
>
> >Peter, that's an interesting observation.
> >
> >Most plastics suppliers will tell you that polycarbonate is more
> >sensitive to aromatic hydrocarbons, and will craze in the vicinity of
> >many metalworking fluids/ solvents. Whereas acrlic is not affected
> >nearly so much...
> >
> >Did your acylic covers and enclosures crack due to localised
> >mechanical stress? (becasue as you say, acrylic is not near as "tough"
> >as polycarbonate...)
> >
> >Ballendo
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
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