Author Topic: How to clamp these up  (Read 12958 times)

Offline MadNick

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How to clamp these up
« on: February 09, 2012, 05:57:32 AM »
Hi there,

Im looking for some expert advice please on how to clamp the following awkward items up on the mill for drilling.

I need to invert these and drill two 5/16" holes just over an inch deep, square-on to the flat base and just inside their overall diameter by 1mm or so.



Obviously these could be tricky to clamp up as any drilling force extered on the base will make them want to roll away.

I have at my disposal a vertical mill/drill, angle clamp, comprehensive clamping kit.

Your suggestions are most welcome :)

Nick
« Last Edit: February 09, 2012, 09:15:36 AM by spuddevans »

Offline krv3000

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Re: How to clamp these up
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2012, 06:11:28 AM »
HI have i got this right you need to put sum holes in the bottom thees ie on the flat if so have you got a chuck of the lathe that you can clamp on your drill stand and hold them that way

Offline MadNick

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Re: How to clamp these up
« Reply #2 on: February 09, 2012, 06:22:57 AM »
krv,

Yes, you are spot-on, sounds like a simple solution to a, er, simple problem

:)

Nick

Offline Fergus OMore

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Re: How to clamp these up
« Reply #3 on: February 09, 2012, 07:35:31 AM »
If you follow Rob's set up for his clamp- that's it.

Really, all you 'need' to do is make a  jig out of two bits of wood-- and drill a hole- with a spade drill between the two and hold it in the vice on the mill drill or whatever.

You could- if you have a pair- use those serrated clips that people use on telly masts.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You could wrap the things in rope --the stuff left over from making piston rings.

Now where did I read that? :Doh:


Offline MadNick

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Re: How to clamp these up
« Reply #4 on: February 09, 2012, 07:44:40 AM »
Thanks Norma Jean,

Who is Rob and where can I find info on his clamp setup?

N

Offline Fergus OMore

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Re: How to clamp these up
« Reply #5 on: February 09, 2012, 08:06:16 AM »
'Who is Rob, who is Rob?' said he waving his wooden leg aloft!

Rob is the gent wot makes 'contraptions' on his shaper to clamp things.

He's a gobbling mortar rater- or summat :smart:


Offline spuddevans

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Re: How to clamp these up
« Reply #6 on: February 09, 2012, 09:14:53 AM »
Thanks Norma Jean,

Who is Rob and where can I find info on his clamp setup?

N

I think he's referring to Rob Wilson, and here's one of his build threads

http://madmodder.net/index.php?topic=6731.0

Hope this helps

Tim


EDIT: I fixed your link so that your pic shows up in the post :thumbup:
Measure with a micrometer, mark with chalk, cut with an axe  -  MI0TME

Offline MadNick

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Re: How to clamp these up
« Reply #7 on: February 09, 2012, 09:54:10 AM »
Thanks for your help.

Nick

Offline BillTodd

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Re: How to clamp these up
« Reply #8 on: February 09, 2012, 10:50:09 AM »
Clamp a 3 jaw chuck onto the mill table.

Bill
Bill

Offline Fergus OMore

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Re: How to clamp these up
« Reply #9 on: February 09, 2012, 03:07:15 PM »
It's too cold and damp to finish off a set of clamps for an interesting fixture to sharpen slitting saws on my Clarkson.
So, earlier I mentioned the use of wood. Perhaps the excellent web site of Frank Ford called Frets.com machining will illustrate several workholdings with one using wood inserts on one of his vices.

I'll NOT be more specific as almost all of Mr Ford's improvements etc are of immediate or future use to most newcomers. Read -and learn.

'Norma Jean'  :wack:

Offline hopefuldave

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Re: How to clamp these up
« Reply #10 on: February 09, 2012, 03:47:08 PM »
I'd just use a V-block lying on its side against the mill vice's fixed jaw...

That may be Too Simple though, I'm kind of assuming you have a mill vice that'll open far enough!
If your vice isn't big enough it wouldn't be a hard job to make an impromptu (just-about-accurate, not talking surface ground!) shallow V-block that *will* fit in with the 'bar riser?

If you have a lathe with a 4-jaw chuck, you could centre-punch the hole location, get the punch mark centred with a wiggler and drill from the tailstock - would be my easiest solution if I hadn't the big-enough mill vice. Judging from the risers' appearance, you have a suitable lathe...

Dave H. (the other one)

Rules are for the obedience of fools, and the guidance of wise men.

Offline MadNick

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Re: How to clamp these up
« Reply #11 on: February 10, 2012, 08:36:26 AM »
Thanks again for all the help and suggestions.

I have to do more measuring before doing any cutting and will let you know what happens :)

Nick

Offline Lew_Merrick_PE

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Re: How to clamp these up
« Reply #12 on: February 10, 2012, 11:46:26 AM »
Nick,

Speaking for ignorance of the details, you want to drill through from the "back side" of the casting concentric with the (2) ø5/16 holes.  Is that right?

It seems to me that:  (1) You have a pair of bosses that appear to be 90° to the spot-faced surface around the holes.  (2) The (ø5/16) holes have a spotface about them that is (probably) normal to the axis of the hole.  Thus, you could make an appropriate diameter locator that has a (presumably) ø5/16 tit on the end (or pressed in ø5/16 pin) to locate the hole concentric to your spindle.  An angle plate butted up against the bosses on the end should give you alignment in that axis.  A pair of screw jacks or mated wedges carefully applied should support the "ends" of your casting such that you can get a strap clamp of some kind (probably with some packing alignment stuff) to clamp the unit down onto the jacks or wedges.  A C-clamp (G-cramp -- to those on the other side of the pond) will hold things to your angle plate.

Assuming that the other side of the casting does not have a nice flat surface, use an endmill (slot drill -- to those on the other side of the pond) to estabalish a spotface slightly larger than the hole you need to drill.  The rest should be simple -- if my assumptions are correct...

Offline MadNick

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Re: How to clamp these up
« Reply #13 on: February 11, 2012, 02:09:43 PM »
Thanks Lew,

I would have loved a diagram to see how that would work, my minds eye was struggling a bit.

Thanks for all the comments, heres how I did it in the end -




Worked a treat......so far!

Nick

Offline krv3000

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Re: How to clamp these up
« Reply #14 on: February 11, 2012, 07:05:06 PM »
good job

Offline Lew_Merrick_PE

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Re: How to clamp these up
« Reply #15 on: February 12, 2012, 11:39:56 AM »
Nick,

I had assumed that you wanted to drill through the (assumed aluminum) casting that is odd-shaped from the "back side" of the holes that line up with the (assumed) steel parts -- not the (assumed) steel parts themselves.  The holes in the (assumed aluminum) casting have spotface diameters cleaned up around them.  That's what leaped out and bit me.  I was looking at the wrong part -- which is why my answer made not sense.

We are stuck at the top of the truck, not the bottom!  ;-)

Offline MadNick

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Re: How to clamp these up
« Reply #16 on: February 12, 2012, 12:38:08 PM »
Oh Lew that is priceless :)

lol

Nick