Fixture Plate

[vlmarshall]

Does a larger T-slotted table for my Sherline count? ;D I didn't like having less clamping area than mill travel, so I made a table that'd give me extra room, without limiting travel inside the mill's enclosure.

 

[BMyers]

Let's see pictures Vernon. I had to go the other way. sometimes my parts are too small to easily clamp to the Van Norman's table

 

[ghart3]

The cam locks for holding flat material by the edge was copied from someone else but can't find the link to it. Got some small toggle clamps but haven't made adapters yet, think might work good. gary

 

[mklotz]

Attach a (removable) squared-up block to the bottom. Size the block so it can be gripped in the mill vise and the bench vise. I find it's more convenient to do the setup with the fixture plate in the bench vise and then transfer the whole assembly to the mill vise. As always, YMMV.

Drill and tap the edges of the plate for some removable fences. I have that feature on mine and it makes things worlds easier. Also consider a fence that attaches across the surface of the plate and has a reference edge so it can be easily mounted perpendicular to one of the plate edges.

Make some seesaw clamps...

They're a lot easier to set up than conventional clamps.

 

[vlmarshall]

Let's see pictures Vernon. I had to go the other way. sometimes my parts are too small to easily clamp to the Van Norman's table

Sure thing. I know what you mean about clamping tiny parts. I got around it by halving the distance between Sherline's T-slots.
In this photo you can see 4 of the 6 countersunk screws holding the new table to the original. The table isn't completely supported underneath, only for an area the size of the stock Sherline table, by a .500" spacer, needed to raise the table over the stepper mounts. It's flat within .0003"in X, but drops off almost .001" at the unsupported front edge. Mostly, I needed this to clamp my 4th axis. It was worth the trouble. ;D

 

[macona]

I got a set of fixture plates from Stevens engineering. New they are incredibly expensive. About $3k for the plate and about 1K for each vise sets. Luckily a friend of mine who does surplus was told about them and I got them for about 1/15th new price. Every other hole or so on these plates is bushed and jig bored and the are supposed to be in line within .0001 in 40". Yikes!

 

[Tin Falcon]

for the x-2 types out there fignoggle has free pans for x-2 bed jig plates

http://www.fignoggle.com/plans/figNoggle_X2FixturePlateV2.pdf
Tin

 

[John S]

I don't like that X2 design, I use jig plates a lot and they need central holding bolts to stop bowing and provide stiffness.

John S