1500MX was factory assembled. By the time I received it, numerous leaks were present. I tried fixing the issue by purchasing a tube of Sikaflex , cleaning the spots that were leaking, spreading the Sikaflex over the areas and allowing to cure for a few days. However, leaks are still happening and a few new ones developed. Also, I didn’t sand or smooth out the Sikaflex beyond the initial spreading of the product. Is there a better product to use? Something like Bondo that can be sanded smooth, but still resistant to water and coolant penetration? I don’t currently have the wash down unit installed and before upgrading, getting this figured out needs to happen. Any suggestions or help is appreciated. Also, I have a number of places in the bottom of the machine where paint is flaking off. Is this normal for everyone else?
Thanks,
Clint
The only way to stop leaks is separate joints and reassemble with sealant. Then hunt down the remaining leaks. Leaks are standard equipment on all machines everywhere.
These leaks aren’t minor. Tearing apart the enclosure isn’t an option unless there is a way to get the Sikaflex to release the pieces. I was asking if anyone knew of a product that I could apply and possibly sand that would also “work”.
I assembled mine in house, and had MANY leaks. Having done the assembly, I knew exactly where all the joints are, but you could get the same result looking at the assembly manual. I bought another tube of Sikaflex, and absolutely FILLED all the joint areas, especially at the joint between the base and the trays (under the table). That got me down to just a couple of dribbles, and those self-clogged after about a month.
Note: after doing the initial assembly with a standard caulk gun and having my hands cramp so bad on the way home that day I had to pull over, I bought a M18 caulk dispenser and it made all the difference in the world. 5/5 would recommend
Without seeing the leaks, the only thing I can say is, it’s sort of normal. Not for tormach’s, for any cnc running flood. Most products can’t handle exposure to coolant for very long so sticking with sikaflex is probably your best bet as it does seem to hold up well where a lot of hardware store sealants start to melt pretty quickly.
My suggestion is to keep applying it until the leaks are gone or you can tolerate what’s left. Bear in mind that where the coolant is coming out isn’t necessarily where it’s coming from. My 1100mx was sealed when I assembled it, and sealed some more after. Still had leaks that drove me nuts because there was sealant RIGHT THERE!!! But eventually I realized the coolant was getting in between the panels on the other end, travelling along the edge, and finally coming out quite a ways away.
As for the paint, also kinda normal. See my above statement about products not able to handle coolant. Some coolants are easier on the paint that others but in the end, you can expect a lot of the interior paint to flake off. This will get worse over time as things get scratched from chips and bits of broken tools or material getting flung around which gives the coolant an entry point. I got really upset when my machine started losing bits of paint, I tried to keep it clean and looking nice. Eventually you start treating it like the work truck that it is and just accept that dents, dings, scratches, etc. come with the territory.
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This ^^^^^
The searing pain from “tennis elbow” months ago that came out of nowhere when using the eGo blower is mostly gone after weeks of PT and dry needling. I ended up having to replace two basement windows during rehab. The Ryobi version has been worth every penny.
Agreed. From cars to home plumbing,…you take it apart, clean it, new sealant/replacement gasket material/parts and put it back together for best results…I’ve tried applying over existing Sikaflex.
Careful use of a normal razor blade to separate the panels and then a plastic razor blade and/or equivalent tools is probably your best bet.