[rwskinner]

I spent the week making some nice wood gifts for some of the family members and now I'm going to engrave some stuff on some pre-cut 1-1/2" OD round brass blanks that are only 24ga. (0.025" thick). I actually have to engrave on the surface then run a tool around the OD to make a slight bevel.

I'm trying to figure out the best way to hold these. I thought about double sided tape but then I bend and deform the part removing it.

I'm thinking that I can counterbore some pockets into some 6061 for the tags to sit in and then apply a vacuum to hold them in place. I was going to make the pocket then take a ball mill and put a groove in the bottom of the pocket for a thin o-ring for the seal then of course a hole for the vacuum. I'm not sure how much the o-ring needs to protrude up out of the slot but I'm thinking it can't be much or I will deform the blank when I vacuum it down.

Ideas?

Richard

[MichaelHenry]

Tormach sells some low-temperature melting plastic that might work:

31841 - SuperSoft Jaws Kit

or a hot glue approach might be feasible too. Mitee-Bite sells a product called Mitee Grip that might work, too.

Mike