machine bedding options in Australia

[Slixxor]

Hi guys,

I'm getting well into my build now and need to choose a bed that the job will be mounted to. I have looked at aluminium box extrusions but find it really pricey for the runs I would need to make.

Where did any Aussie guys find their beds?

I was considering getting a 6mm stainless plate with 12mm holes drilled spaced every 150mm in a grid.

What do you guys suggest?

[Boyan Silyavski]

Hi,
Australia or the North pole, all is more or less the same. Please take a look at my thoughts on the subject #165 (http://www.mycncuk.com/threads/6619-Quite-an-Unusual-one?p=68612#post68612) with detailed price comparison . It's in Euro but even in $ preces are similar and relations between them also. My personal choice is 140 UPN profile for a serious machine.

[Sven]

How about tooling plate?
I'm currently building a router with a 30mm bed.
Not sure about the grid for the holes yet, but the machine will make them by itself.

I would never choose stainless though, too difficult and expensive.

[Boyan Silyavski]

How about tooling plate?
I'm currently building a router with a 30mm bed.
Not sure about the grid for the holes yet, but the machine will make them by itself.

I would never choose stainless though, too difficult and expensive.

If you make a Mill or heavy duty Z axis like router is ok. But how to do it with normal Z axis milling steel? If router, i mean. We don't know what his machine is? But tooling plate made from 2 pieces, right? Normal steel flat stock you mean? Bolted together?

[Paul3112]

Hi guys,

I'm getting well into my build now and need to choose a bed that the job will be mounted to. I have looked at aluminium box extrusions but find it really pricey for the runs I would need to make.

Where did any Aussie guys find their beds?

I was considering getting a 6mm stainless plate with 12mm holes drilled spaced every 150mm in a grid.

What do you guys suggest?
Hi, I am also in Aust..Melbourne.
How big is this machine? any pics or dimensions?
What is it to be used for??

sorry no answers only questions

Paul

[Slixxor]

Hey Paul approx 1200x750mm. Photos below:

Plan is to mill aluminium and hardwood. Spindle is 2.2kw water cooled.

194991950019501

[Slixxor]

If you make a Mill or heavy duty Z axis like router is ok. But how to do it with normal Z axis milling steel? If router, i mean. We don't know what his machine is? But tooling plate made from 2 pieces, right? Normal steel flat stock you mean? Bolted together?

Boyan,

Great work. I will go for C channel steel. it will be the cheapest by far.

[Paul3112]

OK
http://www.actionaluminium.com.au/index.html They have interstate branches! QLD has the bigest stock/range.
Give them a call and see what they can do for you. In Melb they are quite friendly.

Here is the trick.. If you are thinking of making production run parts think about making jigs and the attachment of those jigs.
If on the other hand you intend to have a big plate with dowels and threads then it is a lot of money and rarely used to its full capacity.
I did a similar design that had a series of pedestals that supported a number of plates.
At the end of the day we ran a dial mic over the jig and adjusted the jig so as to have finished parts within tolerance.
Moral of the story .. figure out what you want to do and design to meet those needs. bolt it on so as to have flexibility if the goals move or change. example " oh dear a plasma cutter would be nice"
Now we need a fume extraction or water bath as a bed.
I don't mean to confuse the issue, a good plan and a set of goals is more that half the work.

[Slixxor]

OK
http://www.actionaluminium.com.au/index.html They have interstate branches! QLD has the bigest stock/range.
Give them a call and see what they can do for you. In Melb they are quite friendly.

Here is the trick.. If you are thinking of making production run parts think about making jigs and the attachment of those jigs.
If on the other hand you intend to have a big plate with dowels and threads then it is a lot of money and rarely used to its full capacity.
I did a similar design that had a series of pedestals that supported a number of plates.
At the end of the day we ran a dial mic over the jig and adjusted the jig so as to have finished parts within tolerance.
Moral of the story .. figure out what you want to do and design to meet those needs. bolt it on so as to have flexibility if the goals move or change. example " oh dear a plasma cutter would be nice"
Now we need a fume extraction or water bath as a bed.
I don't mean to confuse the issue, a good plan and a set of goals is more that half the work.

You are quite right I do want to do Plasma cutting but not cut my expensive bed. hence the plate idea. I can easily place it and remove it. depends on what I can do I wanted a swappable bed. but it's hard to keep it at the right height if it constantly swapped in and out.

Thanks for the heads up.