- Joined
- Feb 28, 2019
- Messages
- 499
I've been using 3/8 thick AL for various fixture plates. Both for use in my tiny but capable desktop CNC and my Seig X2.7 type mill.
There are two reasons I'm using aluminum, first I got a reasonable quantity of it in odd sizes for free as scrap. Second, I can use my CNC machine to make the fixture - or at least mark up and spot holes - this makes creating and accurate fixture place very easy.
To be clear, when I say fixture plate, it's something that has a number of holes for locating pins, threaded holes for securing and other stuff for aligning and registration etc.
Using scrap AL and working around whatever holes are already in it has served me pretty well to date. Now I've moved on to making bigger stuff manually on my mill and I'm thinking I need to up my game a bit. The threads in the AL plate wear down / loosen up over time and I often get the depth over cut such that I need to resurface or scrap the fixture. This also happens with using fixture plates on my CNC.
So I'm thinking of using steal plate for the fixtures instead. This would mean that the CNC machine would be used to layout and spot/pilot hole the fixture and I'd need to do more of the machining of it on my manual mill (not a big deal). In the end the fixtures would be more durable.
So first question, what's a good choice for fixture plates?
Just because I've been using Speedy Metals - I look there and they have A-36 and 1045 hot rolled plate. I'd have to fly cut the skin off but would need to flatten pretty much anything I used.
Other options? Pros/cons?
Anything cheap or free is of course a big plus. I haven't checked out the local metal place ends and cutoffs but that also tends to be hot rolled.
Regarding over cutting the depth and messing the fixture up, Any thoughts on how to handle that better? I've used a sacrificial layer ABS sign material in some cases. But that can lead to other issues - uneven thickness and compliance can cause problems.
If I had a bigger pile of scrap aluminum I probably wouldn't be asking!
There are two reasons I'm using aluminum, first I got a reasonable quantity of it in odd sizes for free as scrap. Second, I can use my CNC machine to make the fixture - or at least mark up and spot holes - this makes creating and accurate fixture place very easy.
To be clear, when I say fixture plate, it's something that has a number of holes for locating pins, threaded holes for securing and other stuff for aligning and registration etc.
Using scrap AL and working around whatever holes are already in it has served me pretty well to date. Now I've moved on to making bigger stuff manually on my mill and I'm thinking I need to up my game a bit. The threads in the AL plate wear down / loosen up over time and I often get the depth over cut such that I need to resurface or scrap the fixture. This also happens with using fixture plates on my CNC.
So I'm thinking of using steal plate for the fixtures instead. This would mean that the CNC machine would be used to layout and spot/pilot hole the fixture and I'd need to do more of the machining of it on my manual mill (not a big deal). In the end the fixtures would be more durable.
So first question, what's a good choice for fixture plates?
Just because I've been using Speedy Metals - I look there and they have A-36 and 1045 hot rolled plate. I'd have to fly cut the skin off but would need to flatten pretty much anything I used.
Other options? Pros/cons?
Anything cheap or free is of course a big plus. I haven't checked out the local metal place ends and cutoffs but that also tends to be hot rolled.
Regarding over cutting the depth and messing the fixture up, Any thoughts on how to handle that better? I've used a sacrificial layer ABS sign material in some cases. But that can lead to other issues - uneven thickness and compliance can cause problems.
If I had a bigger pile of scrap aluminum I probably wouldn't be asking!