# Milling machine chip tray: install or not?



## ThorstenD (Aug 30, 2022)

Hi all,

My long awaited MD-45 mill finally arrived at the Edmonton Modern Tool location!  Yesterday I picked up the base and chip tray (working on getting the actual beast home).  Trying to decide now whether to install the chip tray or not?  Pros/cons based on members' experiences?  I do not intend to use any coolant system.

Look forward to your wisdom!

Cheers,
Thorsten


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## 140mower (Aug 30, 2022)

ThorstenD said:


> Hi all,
> 
> My long awaited MD-45 mill finally arrived at the Edmonton Modern Tool location!  Yesterday I picked up the base and chip tray (working on getting the actual beast home).  Trying to decide now whether to install the chip tray or not?  Pros/cons based on members' experiences?  I do not intend to use any coolant system.
> 
> ...


My vote is for yes...... Anything to help contain the mess is a plus, and your table travels will occupy the same space when in use, so no real space saving reason that I can see.


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## David_R8 (Aug 30, 2022)

Definitely install the chip tray!


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## SomeGuy (Aug 30, 2022)

I did not install mine...it would just get in the way, less room for hands around some of the components and in general I'm space limited so I crank the axis out of the way when not in use to make for more clearance.


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## YYCHM (Aug 30, 2022)

My tray seems to collect more tools than mill swarf











But Ya, I'd install it.


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## Six O Two (Aug 30, 2022)

In my um, experience... One of the advantages of a chip tray that I hope you never have to take advantage of is that, say for example you need to move your mill, and despite your best efforts to properly secure your mill, it ends up falling over in transport, you might just get lucky and the chip tray will take the brunt of the impact and not harm the mill at all!


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## Susquatch (Aug 30, 2022)

Six O Two said:


> In my um, experience... One of the advantages of a chip tray that I hope you never have to take advantage of is that, say for example you need to move your mill, and despite your best efforts to properly secure your mill, it ends up falling over in transport, you might just get lucky and the chip tray will take the brunt of the impact and not harm the mill at all!



That sounded like the voice of experience! They say that experience is the toughest teacher of all because she gives the test BEFORE the lesson!


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## Degen (Aug 31, 2022)

Ah chip tray....YES!  Initially I was happy with the little tray on the machine, expanded the tray recently and now considering full enclosure.

The more you do, the further the shavings fly.


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## Hacker (Aug 31, 2022)

ThorstenD said:


> Hi all,
> 
> My long awaited MD-45 mill finally arrived at the Edmonton Modern Tool location!  Yesterday I picked up the base and chip tray (working on getting the actual beast home).  Trying to decide now whether to install the chip tray or not?  Pros/cons based on members' experiences?  I do not intend to use any coolant system.
> 
> ...


I would put it on and give it a try. If it not big enough or in the way then you can modify it. As Craig points out it is a good place to put tools while you are working.


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## historicalarms (Aug 31, 2022)

I dont have a "chip tray" under my mill but I do have the "tool collector" that Craig speaks of. My mill stand isnt "store bought" and is just an aray of angle iron legs and frame welded together that has a sheet of expanded metal welded to the top that the mill sits on. Chips fall through the expanded metal holes and congregate on the floor for an easy broom clean up. The tools for cutter change & other odds & ends are never laying in a pool of cuttings....I like the set-up and if forced to ever build another mill stand I would do the same thing.


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## Susquatch (Aug 31, 2022)

ThorstenD said:


> Hi all,
> 
> My long awaited MD-45 mill finally arrived at the Edmonton Modern Tool location!  Yesterday I picked up the base and chip tray (working on getting the actual beast home).  Trying to decide now whether to install the chip tray or not?  Pros/cons based on members' experiences?  I do not intend to use any coolant system.
> 
> ...



I don't have a chip tray on my big knee mill. I did have one on my Rf30/40 type mill/drill. I miss the chip tray on the big knee mill, but I doubt one would actually help. That thing throws chips for 10km in every direction. It's a down side of lots of horsepower.  Torque cuts chips. HP determines how fast you make them. I use a dedicated shop vac to clean up as best as possible. 

Bottom line is that your own usage will probably determine how useful a chip tray is to you. 

But regardless of how well it works for you, I don't think it will hurt. So my advice is to use it.


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## Hacker (Sep 1, 2022)

Susquatch said:


> I don't have a chip tray on my big knee mill. I did have one on my Rf30/40 type mill/drill. I miss the chip tray on the big knee mill, but I doubt one would actually help. That thing throws chips for 10km in every direction. It's a down side of lots of horsepower.  Torque cuts chips. HP determines how fast you make them. I use a dedicated shop vac to clean up as best as possible.
> 
> Bottom line is that your own usage will probably determine how useful a chip tray is to you.
> 
> But regardless of how well it works for you, I don't think it will hurt. So my advice is to use it.


I know what you mean with chips flying all over the place, I put mine in a corner to help contain them.


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## Susquatch (Sep 1, 2022)

Hacker said:


> I know what you mean with chips flying all over the place, I put mine in a corner to help contain them.



That would have been smart, but I only have one corner and it's miles from my machining area. I don't think it's worth building a corner inside the shop for that. 

My thoughts are to make a shield or shields. I'll prolly die first though.....


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## Hacker (Sep 1, 2022)

I made a room in my shop for the machines so that I could keep the temperature at 15C in the winter and keep the rest at 5C. The problem is that it also slings a bit of oil and this gets on the walls. I have been thinking about getting some of that puck board or fibreglass panelling to help with cleanup, but that is as far as it has got. As you have pointed out " I'll prolly die first"


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## whydontu (Sep 1, 2022)

movable welding screens are cheaper than walls, and the Cruise Director doesn’t complain about the unsightly mess as much



			https://www.princessauto.com/en/6-x-6-ft-portable-welding-screen-and-frame/product/PA0008192775


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## Tom O (Sep 1, 2022)

There should be a lot of plexiglass out there after the pandemic also.


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## Degen (Sep 1, 2022)

I started with chip catchers, shields, semi enclosures when the chips started migrating into the house mysteriously.  The second reason was flood cooling, good for machining bad for anything within spray range.


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## DPittman (Sep 1, 2022)

Would a shower curtain(or similar) around the back and sides of a milling machine be worth a damn at keeping most of the chips in the area?  
My shop is not large so I have things packed in pretty tight so cleaning up after a milling project is a pretty big task because I have to move so much stuff.


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## Degen (Sep 2, 2022)

DPittman said:


> Would a shower curtain(or similar) around the back and sides of a milling machine be worth a damn at keeping most of the chips in the area?
> My shop is not large so I have things packed in pretty tight so cleaning up after a milling project is a pretty big task because I have to move so much stuff.


I use curtains and it helps greatly.

Couple of mats (the larger version) something like this help greatly as it traps the chips where they fall and greatly reduces pickup on you shoes.  Just lift and sweep or vacuum.



			https://www.princessauto.com/en/22-x-34-in-rubber-ramp-edge-floor-mat/product/PA0009035452


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## Hacker (Sep 2, 2022)

DPittman said:


> Would a shower curtain(or similar) around the back and sides of a milling machine be worth a damn at keeping most of the chips in the area?
> My shop is not large so I have things packed in pretty tight so cleaning up after a milling project is a pretty big task because I have to move so much stuff.


I suspect that a shower curtain would catch all those nice hot chips and look like netting in a couple jobs.


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## Degen (Sep 2, 2022)

Hacker said:


> I suspect that a shower curtain would catch all those nice hot chips and look like netting in a couple jobs.


Actually not, So far never burnt a hole in yet.  Depending on what I'm doing I use not cooling (usually manual operations), mist cooling (rarely but if with manual operations), flood cooling CNC.


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## Hacker (Sep 3, 2022)

Good to hear. I have stopped wearing anything that is synthetic when I am working in the shop as I usually end up burning a hole in it. LOL


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## Susquatch (Sep 3, 2022)

Hacker said:


> Good to hear. I have stopped wearing anything that is synthetic when I am working in the shop as I usually end up burning a hole in it. LOL



I think it depends on your tooling, material your cutting, how fast you cut it, and how deep you go. Some swarf stays hot for a long time!


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## Hacker (Sep 3, 2022)

It's those blue ones that get you. especially if it drops down your collar.


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## Degen (Sep 3, 2022)

And thus is why chip trays and chip containment becomes important when you run your machine at speeds.

Mill: BB CT054 (yes this is/was small knee mill)
CNC Control: Acorn
Motor: 2hp with VFD at about 3300rpm spindle speed
Motion: Clearpath SDSK Nema 34 servos, love these things run cool and if you stall them you've exceeded +1000 in-oz of torque.  They are connect with solid couplings no gear reduction and are able to achieve 100ipm rapid movement (would push the mill speed at that too without issue, see not below for reason not too).
Endmill: 1/2" 4 flute, carbide
Coolant: Microchip Flood
1/2 D cut, 0.050 depth of cut, 20ipm (yes servos could do more but rigidity, ways, feed screws would suffer excessive wear).

This is the mess you get after a about 10 pieces.

BTW those Aluminium chips are extremely sharp, fine, pointy and act like needles. And you guys wonder how I create the volume of chips I do.


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## whydontu (Sep 3, 2022)

Degen said:


> And thus is why chip trays and chip containment becomes important when you run your machine at speeds.
> 
> Mill: BB CT054 (yes this is/was small knee mill)
> CNC Control: Acorn
> ...


and you can’t pick them up with a magnet


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## Degen (Sep 4, 2022)

whydontu said:


> and you can’t pick them up with a magnet


As the the saying goes....

Aluminum good, Aluminum bad.


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## Dabbler (Sep 4, 2022)

If the shower curtain is any distance, say 24" it should stand up:  after about afoot of flinging, those chips are a lot cooler.

Princess auto regularly has welding blankets on sale for about the same price as a shower curtain - fibreglass, and melt-resistant.


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## Degen (Sep 5, 2022)

Dabbler said:


> If the shower curtain is any distance, say 24" it should stand up:  after about afoot of flinging, those chips are a lot cooler.
> 
> Princess auto regularly has welding blankets on sale for about the same price as a shower curtain - fibreglass, and melt-resistant.


At the closest I'm about 8-9" with Vinyl sheet, so far no issues.


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## ThorstenD (Sep 15, 2022)

Hi all, thanks for your advice.  Chip tray it is!  And maybe a shower curtain later!

Cheers,
Thorsten


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