what is the best material to build a mill enclosure out of?

[rk9268vc]

I am working on designing and building an enclosure for my PM-30MV conversion (mill)

I am trying to figure out the best metal for building the enclosure out of. I will be TIG welding it and possibly do some bending.

3105-H14 aluminum, painted both sides 0.063" thick
https://www.coremarkmetals.com/3105-h14 ... inum-sheet

6061 aluminum 0.063" thick
https://www.coremarkmetals.com/6061-t6-aluminum-sheet

A366/1008 cold rolled steel 16ga
https://www.coremarkmetals.com/cold-rolled-sheet

The steel is the cheapest, but I will have to paint it and worry about rust
6061 is easy to weld but it doesnt bend easy and I would want to paint it
3105 comes pre-painted, but I would have to grind the pain off in spots to weld and then re-paint

Anyone have experience building an enclosure/ maintaining one that can offer some insight?
Thanks!

[tblough]

I'd skip the pre-painted material. You'll never match the color exactly and without a lot of work, the ground areas will pattern through the new paint and look like painter over ground areas.

Steel is the cheapest option of the bunch and also the easiest to weld and bend. Take the money you saved over the aluminum and have the finished enclosure powder coated.

[rk9268vc]

Steel is the cheapest option of the bunch and also the easiest to weld and bend. Take the money you saved over the aluminum and have the finished enclosure powder coated.

Do you think that 16ga would be thick enough?

[Upnorth]

Mine is made out of galvanized steel. The stuff they make duct work out of. If you have a shop near by they can shear and bend it to your dimensions. The price they charged me was very reasonable. Its been in a barn unheated for about 3 years and heated for 2. No rust so far. Mine is held together with bolts and pop rivets.

[tblough]

Do you think that 16ga would be thick enough?

Hard to say without seeing a design. You can crease the panels to stiffen them and add turned/hemmed edges. You can also add welded-on z-braces for further reinforcement. It all depends on your unsupported span lengths.

[rk9268vc]

how about 5052?
https://www.coremarkmetals.com/5052-h32-aluminum-sheet

i can weld and bend it and it costs slightly less than steel

My thoughts would be to go aluminum so i dont have to worry about rust or reacting with coolant

Thoughts?

[Miamijerry]

Coroplast anyone?

[tblough]

Aluminum doesn't rust, but it still oxidizes especially in the presence of water.

[Vwfan]

Truthfully if you’re having rust happening in your enclosure you’re going to have a lot bigger problems with Russ on your tools your tool holders your table and everywhere else so if Russ does your issue you really need to correct the amount of oil in your coolant generally keep it above 7 to 10%

[Upnorth]

A few strategic pop riveted channel or angle pieces can stiffen up the structure. When I built mine it was more than stiff enough except for around the door.