Deal on fixture plates

[smokediver576]

Just FYI, John Sanders at NYCCNC just listed a batch of blemish fixture plates in his store. I just ordered one of the large 1100 versions.

https://saundersmachineworks.com/pro...nt=36652700865

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[mountaindew]

Nice product line.
If I had more wall space in my shop I would buy a Hamier probe poster. If for no other reason so people in my shop ask "whats a Hamier probe tip"

[coffeetek]

So question for you guys on these fixture plates. All videos I have seen on them show people putting another fixture plate on top of it or even worse in my opinion mounting vise on it. I can't see why is this useful since all it does is reduce the Z axis length which is on Tormach machines limited anyways. If I am going to mount another fixture plate on this fixture plate I might as well mount it directly to mill table and same goes for vise...

Educate me please.

[smokediver576]

So question for you guys on these fixture plates. All videos I have seen on them show people putting another fixture plate on top of it or even worse in my opinion mounting vise on it. I can't see why is this useful since all it does is reduce the Z axis length which is on Tormach machines limited anyways. If I am going to mount another fixture plate on this fixture plate I might as well it directly to mill table and same goes for vise...

Educate me please.

So for me it started with getting a surface that would keep me from damaging my main tables surface. Ya see, some of us are true newbies and do stupid crap like drill holes into our table or plunge a Shear Hog in because they forgot to reset the Z height......

However, since then I've added to my collection of fixture plates. I have two that are 12x18 with 1/4-28 holes on 1" centers. I just got in today the full 12x34 table that will allow me to move my Rapid Turn further to the left freeing up space. I guess I'm someone who likes fixture plates for the simplicity the offer on changing from one thing to another. Similar to why welding fixture tables are so popular (Rhino Cart - Strong Hand Tools - getting ready to order one of these next month). I am also making custom hold-downs and quick swap fixture plates that use both dowel pins and 1/2-13 bolts. Swapping from one project to another is a snap. As for the loss of Z..... most of my work is less than 6" tall so this has not been an issue for me.

I'm hoping to start posting up more pictures of my clamps and such with the idea of starting a new post for folks to share their "solutions" to holding parts.

Later,
Awall

[Steve Seebold]

I only do small parts I can hold in a vise. I have one six inch vise, two 5 inch vises and three 4 inch vises.

If I can't hold 6 parts in one hand, they're too big and I'll turn the job down.

[zach540]

I have one of John's fixutre plates, am extremely happy with it. Coffeetek, I do have my vises, yes plural, mounted to the fixture plate, I run 2 5" vises with 6" jaws on it on my 770. So why use a fixture plate with vises? In my case, I run with 2 vises, I nearly max out X axis travel. I use one vise for 2 parts during first op, and the other vise for 2 parts for the second op. When facing my parts, I like to do an extend before retract. Unfortunately 2 vises with limited travel prevents that, at the same time, reorienting my facing op 90 degrees to travel in the Y direction instead. This was impossible using the factory table slots with my vises and CarveSmarts, the fixture plate allowed me to attach my vises further down in the Y than I could do with the factory slot position, making it an ideal solution.