Newbie- Engraving Material Bowing

[cainam]

We just purchased a used New Hermes Vanguard 3400 and are trying to figure this sucker out. Our biggest issue at present is that when we clamp the material to the table it either bows in the middle due to the pressure of the clamp, or we don't tighten the clamp enough and the material moves. There doesn't seem to be a happy medium.

Does anyone have any tips for getting engraving materials to lay flat on the table? I tried folding up a piece of printer paper and putting that underneath to give some resistance to the bowing, but unless I used just the right amount it would just bow the other way. Any help would be appreciated.

[Tweakie]

For my machine I either use double sided sticky tape for the 3mm and over or a vacuum table for the 1,5mm and other thin stuff.

Tweakie.

[Dave's_Not_Here]

Get yourself some MultiMat. Johnson Plastics has the best prices. Works like a charm and no need for clamps!

Double sided and will last a long, long time. You can't go wrong!

DNH