Tormach PCNC 1100 CNC Mill - New Fixture Table! Ch. 22

[roddersauify]

Any update on the use of the table?

[saunixcomp]

@roddersauify I am overdue for an update - I'll try to post a video soon. Any specific questions that you would like me to cover?

[roddersauify]

@saunixcomp

Nothing too specific... it will be great to see the "increased capacity/range" beyond the standard envelope of the tormach.... and the repeatability of placing an example work-piece into various positions/segments that the 312 holes will allow

[roddersauify]

@saunixcomp Thanks for your candour in the follow up videos on the use of the plate IE clamping the fixtures into the vices and finding zero ...

[gbowne1]

Yeah, the key to this system is to plug the unused holes with set screws. Also make some sort of written index table to help you record your setups so that you can place everything where it was on all of your jobs that you run over and over again

[saunixcomp]

@gbowne1 Spot-on on both points.

[gbowne1]

@saunixcomp Modular' fixturing is a great advantage to repeated setups. I have a mini version of this for my Kurt D-675/D-688 vise.. It's a small plate with the same pattern which is thenclamped in my vise(s). Now, I have a Fadal 4020 sized machine and it works great for very small parts. You might even look into a 2L vaccum plate..the drawback is that the rubber pads are expensive.. Yeah, open slots are ok for a lot of jobs set up ontop of 1-2-3 blocks or paralells.

[roddersauify]

@gbowne1 Perhaps a print out of a photograph of each job setup with a written index table and marked up arrows identifying the correct holes...?

[roddersauify]

Hi from Melbourne Australia...

Hoping to see a chapter 23 on the use of the tool table soon!

[danbye1]

See the new Tosa Tool Modular Fixturing Page for ordering information on the table and its accessories. tosatool dot com

[hankjunior]

Nice plate, Modular Tooling is the way to go if you run a lot of repeat jobs .

I use set screws and a shop Vac to keep holes clean.

[danbye1]

Hi Dan from Tosa Tool here,

I used these modular tables during my apprenticeship and once you get used to them and trust them, they speed setups incredibly vs the t-slots in the table. Use a vacuum to clean the table, set screws to plug the threaded holes when you are not using them. Having a table on your Tormach that has accurate locating 3.4 time the travel of your Tormach really helps you get the bigger jobs done on the smaller machine.

[joleenmorganjohn]

You really cant beat the versatility of open T- slots. Clean the T-slots, slap a vice on (keyed in the Y axis) edge find the X axis 10-12 minutes for two vices. Cleaning 324 taped holes takes forever. You will also find the taped holes will slightly bulge above the work surface. I hope you have better luck with it than I did.My boss was ticked when I chucked the plate, untill he saw how much more time was added to all are setups.Just to clean holes All the plates where chucked within two months.

[saunixcomp]

@joleenmorganjohn It's not just the convenience of locating a vise. It's the ability to mount a vice, quickly & accurately, at various angles. it's the ability to use dedicated fixtures with G56+ offsets. It's the ability to "multiple" the size of my work envelope by using the extended X & Y length of the fixture plate to locate, accurately and quickly (again), part geometry. And I use the oversize table to clamp pieces outside the work envelope.

[joleenmorganjohn]

My work tryed a setup like this. After the first job I ripped the plate off and chucked it in the scrap dumpster.The holes fill with swarf, no matter how much you blow the holes out ya never get all the chips out.Its nearly impossible to blow off and wipe clean without wipeing chips back in the holes.The steel sub plate changes with tempeture more than the cast iron table and warps. Even with all those holes close together ya still find times when ther'er not in the right spot.

[JohnGrimsmo]

Very exciting, I was impressed that it's made from STEEL, since hoss made his from aluminum. Very awesome indeed. Looking forward to more videos about this, because I want to make one for my X2.

[mc2racing7emh]

Having the work suface engraved with the work envelope is a brilliant idea. I can't wait to see this fixture plate in use.

[alexanderkm11]

There are 312 threaded holes and 324 unthreaded, inserting and removing that many screws and plugs would be an eternity, I even complain every time I have to remove the six screws to revers the jaws on my lathe chuck.

[alexanderkm11]

I have seen those fixture plates used and the one of the problems that often plagues fixtures is having chips fill all the holes. A possible solution that you may be interested in, is to cover the surface with residue free painters tape.

[killakobra]

You beat me to it although i would vear away from tape especially if you arn't going to remove it withing a day or two.

[gbowne1]

@alexanderkm11 I fill the unused locations to keep this from happening with the appropriate set screws.

[crashes3221]

That is a fantastic looking plate. So many possibilities... Reminds me of something Hoss did for his mill.