Waterproof CNC Router Cutting bed

[bobby]

Ok, so I have 3 options now. I checked this foamex on ebay and it is much cheaper. I can drill holes and glue in t nuts at the bottom. I'm just a bit concerned about the rigidity of this material. It is a light foam material after all..

How about Rigid PVC BLACK PLATE/SHEET 1520mm x 1300mm X 25mm THICK

ebay item number: 152320149415

Machineable, tappable, solid!

A bit big for your purpose though? Maybe he would cut it??

[cropwell]

I have got a sheet of 10mm thick paxolin marked out ready to cut to size to fit my machine bed and drill with a matrix of holes 45mm apart (so that they coincide with the T-slots) the holes then have M6 brass inserts pulled into them with a smear of araldite as lubricant. I plan to use this as a permanent sacrificial bed. For the moment I am just making up jigs for each job, like this one



Rob

[Maxakarudy]

This is my router bed, 3mx2m in 19mm foamex, I cut a grid with 100mm centres for easy reference to keep things square, I cut a lot of sheet material 3-25mm, I prefer to screw things to the bed, in the slot 5mm deep, so there is liitle chance of movement of the panel and clamps are more bulky and can slip.
My machine has a vac bed, however I've learnt of the years it's not 100% reliable to stop movement of the panel, 1 screw up and it's all over, I cut quite a bit of aluminium sheet with mist coolant so don't use the the chip collection system, I do use it on dry materials like perspex & mdf.
BTW I conterbored it to the aluminium slats with Tec screws which are about 10mm from the cutting surface, then milled the bed flat



I have a piece of 19mm foamex 1000x500 I can get it delivered for £50 if you are interested
Martin

[mondrota]

Martin,
I'm now leaning more towards this foamex stuff. Thanks for the offer but it's just a little small.. I found this listing on ebay at a decent price 171981860453

I'll see if they can supply custom sizes.

[mondrota]

One more thing, on the picture I think I can see that your foamex is pretty much fully supported (correct me if I'm wrong).
My diy router has 20x40mm profiles running lengthwise and about 10cm apart. I hope this foamex will not sag where its not directly supported?
Cheers

[Maxakarudy]

One more thing, on the I think I can see that your foamex is pretty much fully supported (correct me if I'm wrong).
My diy router has 20x40mm profiles running lengthwise and about 10cm apart. I hope this foamex will not sag where its not directly supported?
Cheers

Dunno really, you might have put more support in, but 19mm is really rigid.

Also if anybody hasn't used foamex as a sacrificial bed, they shouldn't diismiss it, every industrial router I've owned has been fitted with it.

[Boyan Silyavski]

IMHO there is no better bed than Phenolic. All else will suck water like crazy and will change shape like wood or will crack or... It is the perfect material for sacrificial bed. Plus holds dimensional stability like nothing else for the price. Paper phenolic is ok for the job. If the machine is precise when you say cut to full depth it will slide on top of phenolic and no need to surface it so often.

[mondrota]

Thanks for your input Boyan,
Do you mean phenolic plywood? Ebay number 162227405235

Or could you find one and post a link/number?

Thanks Kamil

[Boyan Silyavski]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_od...sheet&_sacat=0

I use 10mm / cause i had some old McDonalds doors/

[mondrota]

Thanks, my main concern is that since its plywood coated in something, won't the plywood absorb moisture around the edges and swell?