Workholding Tips and Tricks

Hi Guys. How are we all coping in this new covid 19 world?..

Please post any workholding tips and tricks you have discovered.

I will start the ball rolling with this video. To follow, clips on vise standoffs, tabs, T slot 'repositioning' , vise 'crabbing', pivoting vise jaws, clamps, tilt your vise, sheet metal tricks, retracting stops, and other tools you might want!

Cheers Cliff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeU6Ak85Jtc&t=56s

Great thread idea! I'm always on the lookout for new workholding ideas.

Awhile back I had a project where I needed to hold some relatively small delrin parts during a secondary chamfering operation. I had the 3D models of the parts, so I was able to 3D print a block with some negative cutouts of the part that would sit in a vise. I routed air lines to the part and had an area to connect a tube for a vacuum pump to provide some holding force. It totally didn't work, my parts exploded, and I threw the fixture across the room. But I think 3D printed fixtures may have some merit.

I am also a big fan of superglue holding thin metal parts to a flat aluminum plate and then using a torch to get them off the mounting plate at the end of the operation.

Micah

I a new mill machinist could see only one video, this one would be it.
I've been at this for ten years now, and workholding has always been the toughest thing to get.
I wish this video had existed when I started :-)

Good informative video as usual Keen!
I follow some model engine builders that impress me all the time with the setups they come up with. Some use what they call "mules" to fully test the setup, tooling and tool paths before they perform that series of operations on a final part or assembly.

Thanks Cliff for starting this thread.

You will see looking at the photo why I make my clamps out of alloy! Saves the cutter breaking most times.

I too use superglue to hold thin work pieces to a flat surface. But I stick decorators masking tape onto the mating surfaces then plenty of glue and clamp them together. Makes taking them apart afterwards easy without using heat. Just slip in a knife to separate them.

I made a delrin bobbin today which screws into existing m5 hole in stand (770). Now I will not longer be tripping over the splash thingy.

The tool holders are made from nylon sheet I had knocking around. The arms are modified monitor arms.

I number the toolholders with a white paint pen which stays on pretty well.

I've used the tape + superglue approach at times. However, I find that if the tape or glue layers aren't perfect (and they aren't, no matter how hard I try) I will get slightly out-of-flat mounts. It'll vary by one or a few thou side to side.

Thanks for the Tips and Tricks so far - Keep them coming!

Here is part 3 just for variety - Tabs and Vise Standoffs

(part 2 is next!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSEPb6I085s&t=11s

Keep your workholding tips and tricks coming - here is another set from down under!

Cliff


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NoUzwAE7xo&t=5s

Another workholding tips and tricks video. Cheers Cliff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7B8AsxbVUc&t=737s