Industrial router bed material

[D-man]

On some of the industrial machines there is a black material being used as the bed. Can anyone tell me what that is? My router is a big one that can cut an 8x4 sheet no problem but having an Ali extrusion bed would cost a small fortune

[martin54]

Not an expert but the black material you are referring to will probably be some kind of sacrificial rubber or plastic sheeting over the top of the bed for the vacuum system to work more efficiently.
Wouldn't imagine the beds are particularly cheap considering the price of most machines & what they have to do.

[D-man]

Oh never thought of that. I thought maybe it was that HDPE stuff rather than using a wooden base, as that stuff is soft to cut should we go through the workpiece

[martin54]

as with a lot of lathes & milling machines my guess would be cast iron for the bed on most of them because they need to be rigid. Then a covering over that for the vacuum. Course I could be completely wrong lol

[Tenson]

I assumed HDPE sacrificial with something ridged below as the actual bed. That's what I'm going to try with mine.

[D-man]

Just priced a sheet of 20 mm HDPE from Amati plastics.... £179 plus vat..... MDF it is for me haha

[Tenson]

I went with 10mm and cost about £100 delivered from Direct Plastics. I don't have much choice as I see it, since I want to do flood milling later on so MDF would warp.

[D-man]

Yeah true. But now you mention the flood cooling. I may just do the same incase I decide to so that in the future. Thanks

[AdCNC]

Or get a machine like mine big D :joker:

[D-man]

Mate I've already got a morgage that thing you got is like a fricken bungalow!!! And a similar price too!! Might try pop along today if I'm close enough

[alex wight]

Hello mucker, i used to work a sabre 404, which had the normal aluminum base which was covered in 10mm compressed foam board. This foam board is widely available from sign companies, and is sacrificial. It was self routered to form the vacum bed. Hope this helps.

ps, i wouldn't use mdf personally as i feel that it has a mind of its own and distorts too easily especially if it gets wet for some reason, (lubricant for ally?)

cheers alex.

[D-man]

Never thought of that stuff mate nice one!!

[martin54]

Would only be any good as a sacrificial covering so you still have the problem of what to use for the bed to start with. Plus how do you clamp stuff for machining in the first place. OK if you have a vac bed but wouldn't really work if you don't.

[alex wight]

Would only be any good as a sacrificial covering so you still have the problem of what to use for the bed to start with. Plus how do you clamp stuff for machining in the first place. OK if you have a vac bed but wouldn't really work if you don't.

your right martin, i worked with a vacum bed, but also had runners at 300mm intervals for T clamps.

alex.