Extruded Aluminium Base (stock MDF base replacement)

Has there ever been any discussions on using extruded aluminum t slot to replace the original base? I’m not a huge fan of the MDF base, and feel aluminum extrusions would be much more rigid and reliable.

Here is what I would like to ask the community:

Could you use enough pieces of say 30mmX180mmX974mm bolt 3 of them to the original mounting locations, and connect the non bolted extrusions to the 3 that are mounted with t slot connectors? You could easily attach spoil board material to the top of the extrusions and utilize all the tslot for clamping options at the least.

Look forward to hearing everyones thoughts!

Yes, this has been done, and was quite popular for the SO2 (there was one size of Misumi extrusion where a pair of pieces would fit an SO2 as if made for it).

Here’s one: Wasteboard that deals with different materials and there are a couple of others

I’ve got a plan drawn up where it seems a pretty straight-forward thing:

  • aluminum extrusion front–back
  • a right angle at the front and back with screws/bolts through it and into the extrusion (get the sort that has suitable holes in the ends already)
  • aluminum spacers in-between the extrusion and the right angle which the screws/bolts fit through — this will allow the space needed to load hardware at the front and hopefully won’t impinge rigidity too much
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Here’s what I did Parker and very happy with it. Elsewhere Will has expressed his desire to have the slots running on the Y axis but I find no problem with them running in line with the X axis, Personal preference I guess.

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Thanks for the reply. After pricing it out, I just cant justify it. I have a lot of friends that are in the fabrication business so I guess my next best bet is to sweet talk them a bit lol.

In the meantime I have just screwed down t tracks and put in MDF filler strips. I think I need a long weekend of time to sit down and square the machine properly, then maybe I can talk myself into buying enough t slot extrusion.

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