Model Engine Maker

Help! => Hints, Tips & Tricks => Topic started by: Paulc on October 23, 2019, 03:14:43 AM

Title: Part support while milling
Post by: Paulc on October 23, 2019, 03:14:43 AM

What does one use to shim under a flat part when edge milling on a rotary rable?
Don't want to gouge the table inadvertently.

Title: Re: Part support while milling
Post by: Flyboy Jim on October 23, 2019, 03:28:35 AM

Quote from: Paulc on October 23, 2019, 03:14:43 AM

What does one use to shim under a flat part when edge milling on a rotary rable?
Don't want to gouge the table inadvertently.

I use aluminum plate often times for a sacrificial shim.

Jim

Title: Re: Part support while milling
Post by: AOG on October 23, 2019, 03:32:24 AM

When I am feeling lazy I just clamp the part to a piece of aluminum waste stock to lift it off of the rotary table. When I’m feeling fancy I’ll make a sacrificial fixture out of aluminum or more recently 3D print one.

Tony

Title: Re: Part support while milling
Post by: steamer on October 23, 2019, 02:00:15 PM

Many choices

I've used aluminum plate, and also  plywood!

If the cut is just cutting through, use the plywood as is.   If you have depth cuts that are important, mount the plywood up  first and face cut it with a fly cutter gently....that will bring it flat,    then mount the work piece down and have at it.

Clockmakers have used wooden chucks to machine all sorts of things for 500 years......

Dave

Title: Re: Part support while milling
Post by: Jasonb on October 23, 2019, 02:41:26 PM

Whatever is to hand - Ply, MDF, Aluminium, Plastic sheet, etc Or pack with something that is smaller than the OD of the part so you don't cut it, subject to how it can be held.

Title: Re: Part support while milling
Post by: Paulc on October 23, 2019, 10:59:40 PM

 Thanks guys. All great ideas and I'm sure one or all will be tried depending what I have in the junk pile ;)