T-slot covers

[rleete]

First off, yea or nay?

If yea, did you buy or make?  What material?

Grizzly sells them for my mill, but they have holes for coolant, which kinda defeats the purpose for me.  I've found others on-line, but apparently my size is unusual enough that they aren't readily available.

Ed, have you got 3D printed ones on your machine?

BTW, my mill specs say the slots are 12mm, but they are much closer to 7/16", or just a hair over 11mm.

[Hawkeye]

I cut a cover out of a piece of treadmill belt, with a curve to fit around the base of the mill vise. It doesn't seem to mind any hot chips that land on it. When I need the space, I can just toss it on the floor - you can't hurt it by walking on it.

[EdK]

(08-16-2024, 12:14 PM)rleete Wrote: Ed, have you got 3D printed ones on your machine?

I do but I'm going to make some rubber ones that fit around the base of the vise and cover the table. Much easier for clean up. The t-slot insert type are a bit of a pain in the butt, but they're better than nothing.  

Ed

[rleete]

I have access to lots of thin (.060) polypropylene. I have a large piece tacked to the workbench top, and when it gets too dinged up, I toss it in the recycle bin and get another. Sounds like that may be my solution.

I'll cut it to fit around the vise and cover the bed that way. Thanks for the replies.

[rleete]

I made some.  Took me all of 10 minutes to cut them out.

   

Saves more time than that cleaning out the t-slots, and I can remove them anytime.  Left side was left long to cover the x-axis power feed, which is still under construction.