Holding down smaller pieces

[VE5MDH]

I use CA glue and blue painters tape. It took some time for me to try it because I just didn't think it could possibly work, but it does...

I also like it better than edge claps because it holds down the material over the entire bottom surface and not just around the edges.

As a Newbie to the Sport of CNC, this idea shall be on the top tray of my tool kit! Thanks for this share, John!

Michael

[Xxray]

Vacuum hold down would be ideal but would require an investment that may or may not be worth while to you.

I've used double sided tape in the past with success, don't see the phobia some people have of it.
Get a similar chunk of scrap wood, try it out and see what happens.

[martin54]

VE5MDH If your fairly new then as time goes on then you will develop your own hold down methods
Lots of ways to hold small parts some as the vacuum hold down Xxray mentions require an investment, another one would be a small low profile vice. There are posts on the forum about vices with files to make them.
Like Xxray I don't see the problem with Double sided tapes, there are many different sorts on the market & some work very well, a lot depends on the type of adhesive the tape uses. I have lots of different types of double sided tape for other work I do as a signmaker so have tried a lot of different types

[redwood]

Being the paranoid guy that I am, I'm going to use both the double sided tape and the painters tape with super glue. I've used double sided tape before and for the most part it worked fine, but a couple of times there was some movement of the piece. Now those times may have been my fault, but who knows now. This is easily the smallest part that I've milled and I don't see that I have enough room to safely clamp it and not worry about something.

[Xxray]

Really depends on how much bite the workpeice is subject to, double tape would not be sufficient [in most cases] for a cutout for example, but for engraving should be fine.

[4DThinker]

If the small parts could be held by the edge, a thin vise might be worth making. I made this one just for that reason: http://forum.vectric.com/viewtopic.php? ... se#p189439

4D

[martin54]

You could probably make a small jig that would hold it securely while it is engraved, something along the lines of the one Andrew Pitts shows in one of his tutorials




if you are worried about movement with any hold down method then just slow the feedrate & reduce the DOC to something you feel happier with

[sharkcutup]

I created a couple of small hold down vises for whenever I need to carve small items/parts.

Just a Thought!!!


Sharkcutup

[NormanAlbert]

For those who think hot glue might be a hold down answer, here's a tip. use Corian as a temporary spoil board ( screw it down at the corners) and hot melt your
work piece on. Corian fabricators use hot melt all the tight to make temporary clamp bars on the surface to hold 2 pieces together . A rap with a hammer sideways pops the piece right off and leaves no residue on the Corian.

[cbr_speedster]

My table has T-tracks to secure thin melamine plates wedged to hold small parts. You can cut the 45 deg clamping area on an angle to knife wedge the parts in. I found the smaller and tighter you make the plates the more secure the parts are. Another tip is to make T-Track blocks that slide in the track for a positive stop to bump parts against.

[newmexico]

http://www.rockler.com/auto-lock-t-track-clamp

[newmexico]

[newmexico]

[newmexico]

http://www.rockler.com/auto-lock-t-track-clamp


(I could not figure out how to add multiple photos to one posting.)

[cbr_speedster]

Hey NewMexico,,,, Those look to be pretty useful... I haven't had my machine long so waiting to see what would be best for my application without spending money on shtuff I don't need.
Thanks for that visual..