Ready Steady Eddy

[EddyCurrent]

I think the meniscus extends about 5mm across the width so with that each side it leaves a 30mm flat section in the middle, as you say that will be plenty for rail mounting. A file will soon sort out the meniscus removal later.

I forgot to mention that I had an epoxyduct at each end, plus, and it might be going extreme, I gave the epoxyduct pieces of wood a coating of sanding sealer thinking that the bare wood might soak up some of the epoxy, unlikely though it might be.



Also in the excitement I forgot to put Vaseline on the sides of the draught excluder but not to worry it just means a bit of sandpapering later.

[njhussey]

Looking good Eddie, I've ordered the draught excluder so will be finishing off the frame to the point where I decide whether to paint it first or epoxy and then paint. I quite fancy getting it powder coated...

[EddyCurrent]

I had those thoughts myself but decided to epoxy onto bare metal. I had put metal primer on the box section beam but before putting the moat on I sandpapered it off the top. My intention is to fit the linear rail and paint over everything up to that.
Also sod's law, my glasses fell to bits as I was getting set to pour, the frame had broken letting a lense drop to the floor, had to quickly superglue it all back together.

I know this is somewhat less than scientific but I just had a play with the sample epoxy pour I did 3 days ago, a scriber barely scratched the surface and a centre punch made no more of a mark in it than it did in the steel box section. Overall I'd say that stuff was rock hard.

[njhussey]

I had those thoughts myself but decided to epoxy onto bare metal. I had put metal primer on the box section beam but before putting the moat on I sandpapered it off the top. My intention is to fit the linear rail and paint over everything up to that.

I'll take the paint off where the epoxy will go with a flapper disc on the angle grinder so it's back to bare metal. I guess the epoxy would be OK when the paint was in the oven (180°C) but will get it painted before just in case.

I know this is somewhat less than scientific but I just had a play with the sample epoxy pour I did 3 days ago, a scriber barely scratched the surface and a centre punch made no more of a mark in it than it did in the steel box section. Overall I'd say that stuff was rock hard.

That's good to know that it sets rock hard. Will be interesting to hear how you get on with the filing the meniscus off, I can imagine it clogging the file. I might have a go at how Graham (Wobblycogs) suggested getting the meniscus off with a router. If you have a bit with a guide bearing and ran the bearing on the epoxy surface and the router plate on the side of the box section I can see it being quicker. Might have a play when I get there...

[EddyCurrent]

Will be interesting to hear how you get on with the filing the meniscus off, I can imagine it clogging the file.

A course bastard file works great, then finish off with fine sandpaper wrapped around a wooden block, making sure not to contact the middle area.

I might have a go at how Graham (Wobblycogs) suggested getting the meniscus off with a router. If you have a bit with a guide bearing and ran the bearing on the epoxy surface and the router plate on the side of the box section I can see it being quicker. Might have a play when I get there...

You're on your own with that idea, keep some bandages handy

[Clive S]

I'll take the paint off where the epoxy will go with a flapper disc on the angle grinder so it's back to bare metal. I guess the epoxy would be OK when the paint was in the oven (180°C) but will get it painted before just in case.

I had my frame powder coated with the rail tops covered with 50mm masking tape I thought it would burn off but it didn't. Then a scraper removed it quite ok. ..Clive

[njhussey]

That's good to know Clive, will save a few slips with the flapper disc that's for sure!!

[Wobblycogs]

I think a bearing guided bit would work but that wasn't quite what I had in mind. I'd try a chamfer bit with the depth set slightly less than the depth of the epoxy. Run the fence of the router along the edge of the steel. You'd probably need a couple of passes as the leading edge of the router would ride up a little but I'd guess it'd take longer to set up the router than it did to clean up the epoxy. I think this would probably work better with the more often used clamping-wood-to-the-steel method of keeping the epoxy in while it's poured as you wouldn't have to be quite so careful about correctly setting the depth of cut.

Great looking result Eddy.

[njhussey]

This is what I was thinking of...

[Clive S]

This is what I was thinking of...

That would work until you get to the end where the router body stop the cutter getting to the end. You could do this with a file in a few minutes