The motor DC motor on my Taig mill can get really hot. To lengthen it's life I decide to add heatsink fins. Since cutting a full size heatsink would
be a very large part for the Taig and also unlikely to be cut without mistakes, on the wise advice of Nick Carter of Carter tools, I decide to
cut a dozen or so small segments and bolt the together. This divide and conquer technique is great idea because I was able to scrap any
segments that were defective. Below is a picture of the Taig cutting it's own heatsink.
Notice I installed the segments temporarily as I made them. I was able to see the temp drop with each fin.
Here is a single segment on a stack of cut and drilled bar stock for the other 15 segments.
Being compulsive and not wanting them to turn dark with exposure to coolant I buffed them all out then anodized them with Caswell's LCD aluminum
anodizing kit. I think they turned out really nice.
When I started this project I was using a Sherline mill/lathe motor rated about 1/4hp. I've had a really small 5/8 hp Hirata servomotor on my shelf and noticed
it fits as well. I've upgraded to that motor and now have MAJOR torque and closed loop feedback on the spindle. Not pictured is the motor with the
heatsink. I will post them very soon. The 'ears' with holes on the segments allow a 92mm 134CFM muffin fan to blow down through the stack.
With the Sherline motor I couldn't get any detectable rise above ambient regardless of power level. Previously the paint was blistering.