Machine plate grouting (most common method)

[Steve WanParticipant @stevewan33894]

[Steve WanParticipant @stevewan33894]

Hi guys

Has anyone here try concrete grouting over a metal base plate to increase the weight of the machine? I like to add more weight on the power hacksaw base plate. I need to know what's the most common practise used. Or simply using extended bolts and pour the mortar over the inverted base plate? Appreciates any tips and guides-Steve Wan

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Not heard of this before. Seems a little awkward to reverse. How about casting an entirely seperate lump of concrete to bolt the machine to.

[Steve WanParticipant @stevewan33894]

Hi Bazyle, I'm open to any option. Your way is good for servicing in the future to take the heavy load away when not in use, easy to carry off the weight-thanks!

[JohnFParticipant @johnf59703]

Hi Steve,

Have a look on the http://www.lathes.co.uk web site at Peatol and Taig lathes, they use an aluminium extrusion filled with concrete as their machine base.

John

[Steve WanParticipant @stevewan33894]

Hi John, unable to see the Taig cast. Perhaps, I find a baking tray to cast the slab. Once dried, I invert it and bolt to the base of the power saw. As the tray has a curvy edges, spray a texture paint. One may take it as part of cast iron.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Steve,

It might be easier to bolt the machine down to a paving slab.

… what "footprint" is the base of the machine ?

MichaelG.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Is your power hacksaw a bench mounted type, or is it mounted on legs? If on legs, a weight at each end, one for each pair of legs, a bolt cast into the concrete for each leg, sit the saw over the bolts, put on a nut. I'd make the concrete about 50 mm / 2" thick, the size would be dependant on the size of the saw. Ian S C

[Steve WanParticipant @stevewan33894]

Hi Micheal, I'm trying to figure out the best footprint Hi Ian, nice to hear from you again. Yes, it would be mounted on 4 legs. I may cast the concrete on a wooden plywood tray with a thick base, supported by 4 legs. The motor is screwed underneath which in turn pressure the pulley belt. The power hacksaw unit is then bolted above the tray.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Steve Wan on 30/04/2014 11:16:19:

I'm trying to figure out the best footprint

.

Sorry Steve, I presumed you were talking about the machine in your photo album

If you are still at the design stage, then:

The best footprint would be one that fits nicely on whatever heavy paving slab you can acquire.

… Get the slab first, drill some holes; then make the mounting feet to fit.

MichaelG.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Steve, I hadn't until now looked at your photo, I see that it is basically the same as the one that is evolving here, I had not thought of the top rail with the weight, Looks like a good idea, that will go into the design ideas department. What I would do is Fit wheels at the rear, under the motor, arranged so that they come in contact with the floor when the front end is lifted. Might be a bit difficult on the cast (?) legs on your machine. I suspect my saw will have wooden legs, the main body of it will be the bit of 4" x 2" channel steel that was the basis of my first saw.

Ian S C

[Jon GibbsParticipant @jongibbs59756]

Another way often used with wood lathes is to add a ballast box and fill with kiln dried sand – either bagged or not.

**LINK**

It will also do a good job of damping vibrations and isn't as much work as casting concrete by any means.

Hope this helps

Jon

[John McNamaraParticipant @johnmcnamara74883]

Hi Steve Wan

I am not sure what your are trying to achieve, Is it to reduce vibration? Or is it to stop the machine walking along the floor when it operates? A hacksaw is not a high precision machine.

A lot of machine commercial builders fill their steel machine castings with Epoxy composite material
Usually gravel/Silica sand/epoxy as a damping medium. Some do away with the steel and make entire frame castings from the epoxy material, Hermle in Germany use it for most of their machines For example: **LINK**.

The use it to reduce vibration important when you are working to microns.

Regards
John

[Steve WanParticipant @stevewan33894]

Hi guys

Thanks so much for the feedbacks and concerns.

It's at the raw stage now. The concrete fill is to dampen the vibration only. I would prefer using concrete fill as I'm familiar with. The mix would include loose fibre-glass threads and wire mesh to hold the structure intact from cracks. Basically, I will make an inch deep with a well around the aluminium block where the saw is attached.

If anyone here is keen to follow through the process, please keep my email: stewan@gmail.com

I shall post photos as I get along, it may take time as I have many other jobs. The whole process is made by small scale Sherline mill /lathe and plenty of hand work such as sawing/filing and sanding.

Steve Wan

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Steve Wan on 01/05/2014 18:24:59:

It's at the raw stage now. The concrete fill is to dampen the vibration only.

.

Steve,

I obviously mis-understood your original question … I thought you just wanted to add mass, but it's now obvious that you want damping. In that case; as well as looking at the "Epoxy Granite" materials mentioned by John, it might be worth you reading-up on "constrained-layer damping"… This can be very easily achieved by building a bolted or bonded sandwich of metal plates and [for example] Tufnol or MDF.

MichaelG.

[Marcus BowmanParticipant @marcusbowman28936]

There is a large, long-running thread about epoxy/concrete fills here:

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/epoxy-granite/

Marcus

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