Profiling Question

[Skeeterd5150]

I love asking dumb questions, but I was thinking the other day about how I would profile mill a part with no pockets or holes. It kind of baffled my feeble mind. I know you would have to hold it down to the table but then wouldn't the holddowns be in the path. Would you have to account to the hold down location, move the table, plunge again and reposition the holddowns and finish the operation. Maybe I answered my own question but that seems like a humongous pain in the ass. Just curious

[essexraptor]

the other solution would be to use a vacuum table or pnematic holding device

[mrk]

I am still a newbe but this was explained to me by someone I trust.

If the stock is slightly oversize you could do it from one size while clamping the bottom (oversized stock).

To flip it over you would need to mill some soft jaws so you could index/hold from the already profiled sides. On the far side you would simply remove the stock that allowed you to hold it for the first operation.

I have yet to have the need to try this but it seems like it would work.

[essexraptor]

the other solution to milling some soft jaws would be to use a set of paralells ( soft metal equal width plates ) to sit the workpiece on in a machine vice