Work Holding - fixture plates, self-centering vices, stock prep, adhesives, vacuum chucks?

[Danny Blanchard]

I've just got my V1-10 calibrated and rocking, but while making 6 different calibration blocks to get her dialed to within .001" I noticed that the moving jaw lifts like crazy when it is extended much over .250".  

So I'm already scheming on ways to build a nano-size self-centering vice for this thing, but I can't be the first one who has run into this problem, right?

Other than using a toe clamp on the movable jaw, how have ya'll ridgidized your work holding?  I noticed a few fixture plates and one 3-jaw out there, but other than that I don't see a lot of images depicting various work holding methods. 

If I've somehow missed a wiki on the multitude of methods for the Pocket NC, please let me know, as I really shouldn't be re-inventing the wheel in my limited hobby time. : )

Thanks!

Danny

[Tokyo Pav]

Hi Danny

I use a small grinding vice on a fixture plate doweled to the b-axis, 3 jaw chuck and center it each time or clamp directly to my fixture plate with markings to make setup fast. I use a different cam system so I can set zero anywhere and take care of it with my own post and machining zero configuration so no need to stick to the rotation center as a machine zero. 

I'm in the middle of making an ER32 collet holding system like the V2 machines have. I think there is another user who did this also. 

[Danny Blanchard]

Nice!  The ridgidty of a screwless vise really has a lot of appeal.

Are your B-axis table's dowel holes pretty oversized....like by .005-010"?  Mine have what I'd call "extreme slip fit", such that the vise can be visibly rotated around while "located" on the dowels.  I just don't like all that slop combined with a single hold-down bolt.

Do you have a photo of your 3-jaw in action?  I'm not terribly eager to rip up my B-plate to convert it to an ER system just yet, but a low-profile 3-jaw could be a nice substitute until a stork drops a V2-50 on my porch. : )

Lastly, what is your method for pickup of XYZ?  I'd like to do multi-setup (single part) work down the road but I haven't seen much on how folks are doing their pickups and entering them into CAM.  On a bigger machine I'd swing an indicator to pick up the part, but with the limited space on my V1 (with the old spindle) there isn't much room to swing an indicator, and the spindle is a bit small (.125") for any edgefinder I've ever seen (and I don't really like edgefinders anywho).

Thanks for the feedback!

Danny

[Tokyo Pav]

Hi Danny
The holes on my machine aren’t super tight but not 0.005” loose. I use 3-6 dowels for alignment in each plate and it’s very snug and repeatable within 0.001”.
I don’t have the 4 jaw vice in action but attached a photo of it on the plate. I also use a wobbler or laser finder for unknown positions.
The ER32 collet check will be attached to a plate and dowel located and screwed at the corners. No messing with the original baxis. Photos attached.
I find the addition height given by my fixturing allows shorter tools which is always a good thing.
Regards
Paul