I'll follow up the many helpful messages here.

So I will be sure to find some casting resin with a slow hardener.
Another method of cooling for very large castings is to have some
parting compound loaded copper pipes running thru the piece to get rid
of some more head. The shaker table is something I can probably rig
together quickly. The silane solution, well maybe I'll use it if I
don't get good results. I planned on doing a small test block.
Hopefully this will work out.


(Richard Nienhuis) wrote in message . com...
I've been looking around the net for information on how epoxy/granite
machine bases are formulated. So far I have come up with very little.
I'm going to attempt to make a smallish mill with a somewhat homebrew
epoxy formula. If anyone knows anything about these sorts of things
feel free to speak up.

For the base material I'm using the folowing formula:

First I will use quartz rock etched with a moderately strong HCL
solution.
The stones will consist of 1/2 to 1 inch stones.
For fine filler I will try a mix of 90% quartz sand and 10% carbon
fiber.
All the agregates will be soaked in silane and dried before being used
as filler.

For the mold I will use varnished wood. The steel dovetails will be
set directly into the epoxy plum.

Some problems I have a
Where can I get 2 or 3 gallons of epoxy and enough hardener?
I need to find some cheap ground dovetails.

I am probably going to need to make a couple small test batches. If I
cure the epoxy under heat and vacuume is there anything I can use to
seal it to reduce water uptake?

Anything else anyone can think of?