Joe's 1000x600x200 steel and aluminium router started

[AndyUK]

Rapid progress! No messing around here! You're making me look like a snail though ;)

For the epoxy I'm in the same situation re uninsulated garage. I waited until summer looking for a week of predicted lows over 10 degrees. I remember something about an 8 degree minimum... When I tried the first time I heated the garage to around 28 - but the reaction is exothermic and excess heat sets it off faster which is very counter productive. The second time I didn't bother and it was much better but probably for other reasons.

[devmonkey]

I've actually burnt myself with epoxy before using the normal hardener not the super slow 209. I was building a fibreglass mold and mixed up about half a pint of epoxy, spent about 5 mins stirring it in a container that was far too tall and narrow and it exothermed, spat on my hand which burnt the skin and I threw it outside, the container completely melted and the epoxy was smoking. Only happened once and I've done this many times, I always mix it in a large shallow container now (like a takeaway rice container), never happened since. Trick is to maximise the surface area when mixing.

Anyway I now have a plan:

I picked up a 40w tubular heater today from Toolstation for £14. It has a thermostat. I will get some sheets of polystyrene floor insulation and build an oven around the machine on the garage floor, then pour epoxy and 'slow cook' at 20 degrees for a week. Wont be until next week as I'm still waiting on the ballscrews before I can finish the frame.

One other thing, I'm wasn't planning to put any levelling feet on this machine, it will be mostly sat on a table/bench so I'll just put some self adhesive rubber pads on the bottom. What do you think? For the epoxy pour I will level it with shims off the concrete floor.