El Beast - Initial design phase, comments and critique welcomed!

[Edward]

I just got a piece of SRBP to try. It's incredible that it's made out of resin and paper, it looks really tough and quite heavy. I only got a 400x300 piece, in 15mm, as it's quite expensive, I think you use larger sheets?. I am guessing that Tufnol is a brand name, but the same thing?

I just wanted to ask roughly how thin does it get before you discard it, with regards to having enough thread left in the holes with sufficient strength to clamp the piece, 8mm or so? If you use M5 bolts, I suppose you need a good 5mm of thread? Secondly, I assume that you don't skim it every time you cut a new piece, provided you have enough of a flat, clean area left for the next piece to sit flat, is that right? Also, what's your favourite tool for skimming the SRBP? Does it machine similarly to Delrin? (the only plastic I have machined).
Keep on posting about your progress, the more the merrier:)

Edward

[Chaz]

I just got a piece of SRBP to try. It's incredible that it's made out of resin and paper, it looks really tough and quite heavy. I only got a 400x300 piece, in 15mm, as it's quite expensive, I think you use larger sheets?. I am guessing that Tufnol is a brand name, but the same thing?

I just wanted to ask roughly how thin does it get before you discard it, with regards to having enough thread left in the holes with sufficient strength to clamp the piece, 8mm or so? If you use M5 bolts, I suppose you need a good 5mm of thread? Secondly, I assume that you don't skim it every time you cut a new piece, provided you have enough of a flat, clean area left for the next piece to sit flat, is that right? Also, what's your favourite tool for skimming the SRBP? Does it machine similarly to Delrin? (the only plastic I have machined).
Keep on posting about your progress, the more the merrier:)

Edward

Its pricy alright, £60 for my size machine. That said, if its makes machining a lot easier, its worth it. Also keen to understand if there are variations of this material that might be worth looking at.

[Edward]

I paid £44.32 including the £15 for UPS, for the 400x300 piece. I guess if you ordered a few pieces it would just be the one-off transport fee. At least they provided an invoice, so I can discount it off my tax as a legit expense.

They also call it Phenolic Sheet.

Edward

[Desertboy]

At prices of Tufnol I'd glue it to a 12mm sheet of mdf then you can mill through the whole lot screw wasting any.

If you have issues with losing 12mm of travel on the Z then you really have issues lol

[Chaz]

At prices of Tufnol I'd glue it to a 12mm sheet of mdf then you can mill through the whole lot screw wasting any.

If you have issues with losing 12mm of travel on the Z then you really have issues lol

Problem is that MDF absorbs fluid and 'pulls' apart.

[Davek0974]

Yep, MDF is pretty duff for metalwork, great for woodwork.

At these prices, has anyone priced up a slab of aluminium?
Its pretty reasonable in 12-15mm thicknesses.

[Chaz]

Yep, MDF is pretty duff for metalwork, great for woodwork.

At these prices, has anyone priced up a slab of aluminium?
Its pretty reasonable in 12-15mm thicknesses.

Oddly, was thinking the same. £86 + VAT + Del for 12mm tooling plate at 650 x 450. Normal plate is still £75.

[Edward]

Yes, similar prices. So what's the attraction? Is Tufnol easy to skim, I bet it skims like butter and really fast, probably quite messy, though not as messy as MDF and harder?