Cnc3 3018 pro

Hi,
I have a standard cnc3 3018 machine with a 300mm x 180mm bed and am considering widening it from 300mm to 550mm. The front and rear frames are made from a type of plastic (manual refers to bakalite) which I don’t know what it is? Does anyone know what this type of plastic is and where it can be purchased please?

Dont know the material but suspect it is Delrin / Acetal (which is a proprietory name for POM)

Bakelite is a very hard & brittle material, previously used largely in automotive distributor caps, and still used on cookware, like griddle handles & feet. It is normally cast into shape, and I’ve never seen it sold at a raw material form. IMO, it’s not a very desirable material for use on a CNC. I think Delrin (as mentioned by Haldor) would be a more suitable material, and much more machinable.

Bakelite is a phenolic resin material. It was one of the first plastics developed and resists high temperatures. You used to find all sorts of parts made from it, old fashioned telephone parts as one example and the distributor cap up above, as well as radio knobs. In sheet form it is also known as garolite. McMaster carr sells it.

thank you all for the information, I didn’t think it was the bakalite I knew of from years ago. i’ll check out the delrin as suggested.

Anytime you can make your machine more rigid you are better off. I would replace with something more rigid than plastic, maybe aluminum plate.

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