Toolbox as base for benchtop mill?

[Innovate1]

Have a medium size benchtop cnc mill - I am guessing about 200 pounds. Need to put it on something and considering a 54 - 72" rolling toolbox. Would need to add a top to most of them to spread out the load - maybe a butcher block top. Have seen the reviews of tool boxes and probably would do the HF or similar. We did a similar thing at work but the use is a pretty light - mostly aluminum and its a manual mill. Have seen where a heavier base is good to reduce vibration. Don't expect to be doing any super fast moves where throwing the head around would cause some high forces. Just wondering if this is good or I should be doing something else. The tool box would make really nice, handy storage for tooling. Most of the boxes I have seen are rated for a lot of weight so that shouldn't be an issue even though the tooling will add up to some weight.

 

[liliysdad]

I would want something much heavier and more stable. You might consider building a steel tubing table around the roller cabinet to mount the mill too. If you absolutely have to mount the mill to the cabinet, I would pull the casters off and place it directly on the floor.

 

[kaymccampbell]

I've got a 44" HF box under my lathe and mill. It sits on a sheet of 1/4" steel the size of the entire top and is bolted down. I made sure I filled the box with lots of heavy stuff.

 

[isb cornbinder]

A solid base is important.
I restored and mounted a HARBIL paint mixer on an inexpensive toolbox. The paint mixer can make this toolbox dance the Watusi. The drawers rattle and randomly open and close. I have gallons of paint in the lower section. While this helped, the mixer still makes the toolbox get a move or two going.
TIP: I often put a few ball bearings in the paint before torturing the paint in the Harbil mixer. This works really well. I pick the bearings out with a stick magnet.

 

[BombShelter]

Did you mean 2000 lbs? 200 lbs would be a tiny tool....
Vibration will give you a headache, I have two different HF Boxes and might put a little drill press on one but it wouldn't be permanent. I never seem to have all four of the wheels on the floor at the same time, it doesn't bother me so I haven't checked why, it might just be my shop floor.

I have to believe a new base made for equipment would be a better choice and around the same price range. I bought most of my heavy duty tables used, from auctions for pretty cheap, if you have a truck and some time I'd keep an eye open.

The good news is if you do try the toolbox, you'll always be able to use it even if it doesn't work for a base.

 

[gearhead1]

I would want something much heavier and more stable. You might consider building a steel tubing table around the roller cabinet to mount the mill too. If you absolutely have to mount the mill to the cabinet, I would pull the casters off and place it directly on the floor.

I’m thinking along the same lines. I don’t think most toolboxes would hold up to a mill unless it was a super tiny mill.

Just as a reference:

This Rong Fu model RF-45 is 726 lbs.

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This Rong Fu model R-31 is 660 lbs.

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[RoninB4]

I would be quite concerned about making a top heavy platform that tips over if it runs over anything thicker than 4 sheets of paper. A crack in the cement floor or an errant metal chip can create the tipping point. I have an arrangement like that and it doesn't take much to lift the casters off the floor.

Vibration will also likely render surface finishes from milling/boring to be less than it would solidly mounted. Those 200 pound mills vibrate too much as is.

 

[Innovate1]

Did you mean 2000 lbs? 200 lbs would be a tiny tool....
Vibration will give you a headache, I have two different HF Boxes and might put a little drill press on one but it wouldn't be permanent. I never seem to have all four of the wheels on the floor at the same time, it doesn't bother me so I haven't checked why, it might just be my shop floor.

I have to believe a new base made for equipment would be a better choice and around the same price range. I bought most of my heavy duty tables used, from auctions for pretty cheap, if you have a truck and some time I'd keep an eye open.

The good news is if you do try the toolbox, you'll always be able to use it even if it doesn't work for a base.

No I didn't mean 2000 lbs. That would be a full size Bridgeport mill. It's a benchtop mill. Larger than an X2. Similar size/wt to a Precision Mathews PM25 which I just looked up and is 275 lbs so it may be a bit more than 200. An X2 shipping wt is 138 lbs from HF and bigger and more power than that.

 

[rayra]

200# will work well enough. I've got a couple decent rolling tool carts, the smaller used as a stand for a 54"? cutting station / chop saw setup. Have to worry about balancing heavier beams on it. Usually do that on an 8' rolling table instead.
The bigger Husky tool / work table would easily handle a 200" mini mill, IMAO.

I have this model and am very happy with its quality and sturdiness. Has big wheels, too.

Husky 46 in. W x 24 in. D 9-Drawer Gloss Black Deep Tool Chest Mobile Workbench with Hardwood Top H46MWC9V2-C - The Home Depot

The all new Husky Extra-Deep 46 in. 9-Drawer Mobile Work Bench has arrived. This black tool chest with wheels work bench is 24.5 in. D, which creates 36% more storage capacity than traditional 18 in. D units. The extra-depth on the Husky 46 in. tool chest also means there is a much larger solid...

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I don't see a total weight bearing capacity, but it has 9 drawers each rated to 100#

 

[BombShelter]

I guess saying it was medium size that threw me off, those little HF Models are tiny, more of a micro-machine. I might even say a Bridgeport was medium size and at minimum something like the Clausing 8520. I saw a big one at an auction a few years ago, it didn't sell, too much work to ship it and too much work to unassemble and scrap it.

I wonder if you stuck some of that anti-vibration/noise material to the inside of the cabinet if that would help. I think they use it more for cars and vans but if there's enough space it might help out alot.

 

[Innovate1]

I guess your are right in that "medium" is all relative but I thought "benchtop" might narrow it down. Haven't every seen a Bridgeport on a bench but now that I have said it someone will probably prove me wrong.

 

[Innovate1]

200# will work well enough. I've got a couple decent rolling tool carts, the smaller used as a stand for a 54"? cutting station / chop saw setup. Have to worry about balancing heavier beams on it. Usually do that on an 8' rolling table instead.
The bigger Husky tool / work table would easily handle a 200" mini mill, IMAO.

I have this model and am very happy with its quality and sturdiness. Has big wheels, too.

Husky 46 in. W x 24 in. D 9-Drawer Gloss Black Deep Tool Chest Mobile Workbench with Hardwood Top H46MWC9V2-C - The Home Depot

The all new Husky Extra-Deep 46 in. 9-Drawer Mobile Work Bench has arrived. This black tool chest with wheels work bench is 24.5 in. D, which creates 36% more storage capacity than traditional 18 in. D units. The extra-depth on the Husky 46 in. tool chest also means there is a much larger solid...

www.homedepot.com

I don't see a total weight bearing capacity, but it has 9 drawers each rated to 100#

Thanks for that. At work we use a Husky box like that but longer - think it is 72"- for a similar size mill and it works pretty well but also pretty light use. The only issue we have is the front of the top is sagging slightly. The back is supported better with the back of the tool box. I have considered bolting a length of steel angle on the front to fix that. The top drawer binds a little because of the sag.

I looked at the General boxes from HF. The are 22" so only a bit less. Some brands are even less.

 

[rayra]

Thanks for that. At work we use a Husky box like that but longer - think it is 72"- for a similar size mill and it works pretty well but also pretty light use. The only issue we have is the front of the top is sagging slightly. The back is supported better with the back of the tool box. I have considered bolting a length of steel angle on the front to fix that. The top drawer binds a little because of the sag.

I looked at the General boxes from HF. The are 22" so only a bit less. Some brands are even less.

Maybe a frame of square steel tubing on top of the box as an extra layer of reinforcement. The angle iron might block the top drawer.

 

[Innovate1]

Maybe a frame of square steel tubing on top of the box as an extra layer of reinforcement. The angle iron might block the top drawer.

I figured I would put the angle so it was on top of the top and the front flange would hang down over the top, not interferring with the drawer.

 

[rayra]

I figured I would put the angle so it was on top of the top and the front flange would hang down over the top, not interferring with the drawer.

There's more room there than I thought, just measured my Husky box and there is 3 inches from the top of its wood countertop to the top lip of the top drawer. There's a key cylinder and the 3D Husky logo that both stick out about 1/8" from the cabinet face.

 

[Innovate1]

I considered putting it under the top. It would be a cleaner look and eliminate the lip on the front of the top but getting it under there is a lot more difficult. I didn't completely figure out what's involved in removing the top to insert it. As I recall there are some struts front to back that prevent it from being slipped in by removing the top drawer and putting it in through the drawer opening.

 

[WAS Jr]

Grizzly and others sell the actual stand separately. That would fix all your weight problems.
Bill S

 

[zmotorsports]

Check out TerryH's thread. He has a gorgeous looking workshop and has a smaller sized round column benchtop milling machine. He built a small box with drawers that sounds very similar to what you are trying to accomplish.

Here is a link to his thread on the milling machine.

Stand for bench top mill...

I'm in the planning stages for a new stand for my Enco 105 mill. Looking for input/pics/etc.. What are you guys using? How tall is it? Wood or metal?

www.garagejournal.com