So I’ve always intended to make a video of this but I never seem to make the time so I’ll just share these pictures and what I did…
These are just renderings but is EXACTLY what is on my Pro 4896 right night.
I reconfigured the framing slightly to mount a vertical spoil board that only took up 8" of my overall machiniable Y Axis becuase that seemed to be all that is neccessary if i’m just milling dovetails, mortises, ect… at the tail end of stock.
I bolted (20) pcs 3/4" x 2-1/2" steel bar (red oxide primed and shown here in RED) to all my cross members as a way to add weight (mass) to the stationary portions of my machine. This added approx 510 lbs.
I milled a TON of 2" x 2" x 1/4" aluminum extrusion using my AVID CNC to make all the interlocking cross bracing in both X & Y axis. As well as making a more robust sheet support at the bottom of my AVID leg kit to hold plywood. I forget how much wieght I added in aluminum but It was atleast another 100-200 lbs.
Everything was carfully modeled in fusion 360 to be pre drilled, interlocking, etc and bolted right up to the existing 8020 frame.
The end results were as follows:
I doubled the weight of my machine as well a made a marked imporvement on the overall stiffness of the base. I used to be able to “scoot” my machine over or just observe it “walk” itself out of position in my garage (I traced lines around the feet onto my concrete floor and saw that my machine had shifted up to 1/2" over the course of a couple years.) Now, regardless of acceleration and/or toolpath, I have not observed any shifting or shaking. Also, this machine is HEAVY! I told my wife were are going to grow old and die in our house because I don’t want to ever move this machine. 