For normal jobs the smart clamp arrangement works fine but when you want to mill something that can’t go under the clamp then things get interesting.
I’m looking for a better solution than packing the clamp with something the same thickness as the work which is what I have been doing.
Any ideas ?
Gaz
I hate dealing with clamps. Here’s what I do.
I put blue painter’s tape on my wasteboard and the bottom of the piece I’m working on. I then lay a small bead of super glue on each strip of tape and then put my work piece on it. In this order below…
Work Piece (material)
Blue tape
Super Glue
Blue tape
Waste Board
When you’re done, just pry it off and peel off all the tape. Using this method, I never use ‘tabs’ for little pieces that get cut ‘through’ since they’re held down already by the tape. I never have to worry about my spindle running into a clamp.
The additional benefit: if your waste board is really flat and you cut through a piece, if you’ve measured your material thickness accurately, you can cut through the material just enough that it will then just scrape the blue tape on the waste board without cutting INTO the waste board. Saves your waste board and eliminates the use of tabs.
Works for me.
Problem here is that with the Carvey you have to use the smart clamp.