Are there any blueprints for the side panels? I want to make my own in something heavy… very heavy…
(my nomad pro is still nestled in my enclosure so I cant measure the hole positions…)
I was just thinking of doing something sort of along those lines as well. Though I was looking to do something as a replacement to HDPE so I could get a neat paint job on the side. What material are you thinking of?
concrete… rebar and perhaps a granite slab as base, 
(the goal is to not feel the need for an enclosure)
That’d be one hell of an enclosure. I was thinking like 1/4 inch aluminium would be crazy, but that is going to be one crazy task.
If no file is available you could take current panel and make a mold out of it?
Also not sure how that thin of concrete would hold up.
I don’t have a file or a link to the file, but a carpenter friend of mine said that one should always measure at least twice before cutting.
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The enclosure really doesn’t provide any sort of significant rigidity (you’ll see when you take it apart) - it’s primary purpose is contain noise and chips. That said, Nomad just doesn’t have the power to make any significant use of more structure. It’s way overbuilt for the spindle it has…if it had a 500w spindle it might be different. (I have an 883 pro and a SO3). Increasing the spindle power is just not terribly practical on it though. By the time you start getting serious about it, you either just built yourself a shapeoko, or you will have spent way more than you would have just buying a larger machine.
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Agreed. The Nomad is the best example of the “Wonderful One Hoss Shay” problem I’ve ever worked with.
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oh I know, thing is the noise part where I think the hdpe performs poorly and something more acoustically dead would be much better.
(and my diy soundproof box under-performed)
On top of that I want space for some of that accordion dust covers that the standard enclosure doesn’t have space for, outlet for a dust hose and some lighting.
But since I like design and I like seeing whats happening inside I’m hoping that some concrete and perhaps hardened glass will maintain the design of the nomad just a little bit bigger and well… glass, concrete and quiet enough so I dont feel the need for an additional enclosure.
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Have you looked into how efficient those materials (concrete and glass) are at reflecting sound?
If you want to absorb sounds at most frequencies I suggest that you reconsider your ideas. For example, rooms that have floors covered with carpet and rugs tend to be quieter than those with tiles or wood flooring. Also, rooms with walls that have flat and/or hard surfaces tend to be much louder than those with tapestries or similar soft/organic materials on the walls. Try looking into acoustic ceiling tiles, or similar.
oh I know and I might line the concrete in something. But I believe a large amount of the noise from the nomad is due to the machine and especial the side panels resonating not that they are poor isolation or that I need more absorption.
Honestly, nomad is pretty quiet when running correct speeds/feeds. A Shapeoko though…that’s a different matter.
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