Seig X2 minimill CNC conversion, part 9: Coolant and Enclosure

brought to you by:  Dave Williams
This page: www.bacomatic.org/~dw/tool/x2/cool/cool.htm
Main page: http://www.bacomatic.org/~dw/index.htm
Last Updated: 18 Sep 2008

Author: Dave Williams; dlwilliams=aristotle=net


Way Covers

The extended Y modifications meant the original X2 Y way covers no longer had a place to mount. So I made some new ones.
The X2's Y- cover sort of flopped around, held in the middle with two closely-spaced screws and a thin steel strip. I decided it needed a more substantial support, so I milled a piece of 1" aluminum angle.

Here's a trial fit...

The original steel strip, such as it is. Since the rubber cover already has holes punched there, I retained those two screws.

Finished cover support and clamp. Notice I turned it around the other way, with the flat part in front. I thought it looked better that way. This meant I had to drill four new holes, which wasn't a total loss since the front center ones will be useful to hold the bracket in place while I attach the rubber cover.

The 1/2x1/8" aluminum strip in the foreground is the new clamp that replaces the cheesy steel strip shown above.


Table Drains

The X2 didn't come with any way to drain coolant out of the T-slots of the table. Some would eventually leak down past the end blocks... right onto the ballscrews if you didn't use sealer on them.

I drilled a 5/16" hole through and then counterbored a 3/8" diameter, at each forward end of the table. These are the new drains.