Securing the Object

[mkuzzy]

Im having trouble securing my piece of wood by putting screws into the wood. What are some other ways to secure the piece of wood to the platform without damaging it????

[erik_f]

Some have used cam clamps. Coming from using a 4x8 PRT I had some difficulty adjusting to the Buddy's moving table since I was able to use clamps to hold down flat stock on the fixed table machine. I ended up putting together a version of Brady's 9-15 vac pump and stole his idea for the 1x3" tubing to get vacuum to the center of the table. I haven't had much time since getting the vacuum set up and never used vac hold down before this and I'm sure there is an adjustment period of getting used to using vacuum, but for me, screws into the spoil board seem to be very quick and effective if you can find a way to make it work. I have considered getting rid of the vac system and just going back to sheet rock screws into the spoil board. I will give the universal vacuum more of a chance since I am new to using it.

[dana_swift]

Mike.. I have done a long list of things that worked:

#1 (the root method) bolt the material to the tapped holes in the ALS (Aluminum slab). Nothing has ever shifted that has been mounted that way.

#2 Mount a drill press vise to the "aluminum slab" using the 1/4x20 grid and hold the material to be cut in the vise. Easy to cut into the vise, but it works really well if you can trust your toolpaths.

#3 Mount a purpose built vacuum clamp fixture to the AL slab. Build the fixture using method #1, then use the same holes used to hold it during construction to mount it to the table during use. This is the method that gets used most often.

#4 Design a general purpose vacuum hold fixture, use it to hold all kinds of odd shaped stuff. This works, but it is a pain in the a** to get a good seal sometimes.

#5 use Dave Buchsbaum's cams. They work. I am new to using them so I dont have a long history to report yet, but like what I see so far.

http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/board-profile.cgi?action=view_profile&profile=beacon14-users

#6 Make a custom side vise clamp. I have used this a lot, especially prior to getting David's cams. This works very well, but some material has "made the leap to freedom".


3628

In this photo the vise is that block of wood at the bottom of the photo. It is mounted to the table using the 1/4x20 grid. Then it has its own bolts pushing sideways into a sacrificial bit of scrap wood that push onto the work.

In this case I have a "slider" block held to the C track embedded in the spoilboard. The hold-down of the slider block is just barely tight so it can slide sideways into the material being held (nothing there at the moment) but prevents vertical motion.

#7 Use the hold down blocks that bolt to the C rails in your spoilboard. (You did put C rails into your spoilboard didn't you?) This is about the third most likely hold down method I use.

#8 Super77. I have written this up elsewhere and how to use Super77, an HDPE substrate, and naptha to clean up the mess when you are done. This is wonderful for small parts.

#9 Wood screws to the spoilboard. It works, but is almost my least preferred method.

#10 Double sticky tape. Abandoned when I found out how much better Super77 is at the job. Any dust will render this method unfeasable.

Doubtless there are other methods, and I bet they will be suggested here.

Those are just some of the ones I use on my Buddy.

Hope that gives you some ideas-

D

[khalid]

Dana..I am using #9 all the time, two screws are enough to hold the complete work piece securely...some time i use #10...

[cubicdissection]

Hi Dana,

I've been reading some of your past posts about vaccuum clamping. I'm in the conceptual stage of building some jigs which will be production pieces and I have some questions about vaccuum clamping really small stuff. Would it be possible to pick your brain via email or IM a bit? Can't find your email in the profile, so if you have the chance can you send me one? Mine's eric AT cubicdissection (.) com.

[rpeterson]

Mike,
See David Buchsbaum's "Sandbox" website for ideas on a clamping system.

http://welcometothesandbox.com/

[dana_swift]

Eric- you have mail, check your spam box if you didn't get it.

D