On Thu, 23 Mar 2006 16:00:40 GMT, Dave Lyon wrote:

"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message
oups.com...
With a recent addition of a mill with a PERFECT table, I now am
considering what to put on it so it stays that way.

What do you prefer for a fixture/tooling plate and how do you like to
prepare them? Holes? T-slots? How thick? What material? Shop made or
commercial?

And remember, a mill table is terrible thing to waste.... ;)

Thanks for any suggestions you might have.

TMT


In my opinion, milling machines are like trucks. I bought it to do a job. I
know it's going to get scratched up, and that's ok. Covers and plates just
get in the way, and add to inaccuracies. The only way I'd put a plate on a
mill as a permanent fixture is if the mill was only bought for one job, and
it would never run anything else.



I agree with the above sentiment.

Unless I need a tooling plate for a specific job, I don't use them because
all they do is collect oil, coolant, slime, oogies... under the plate and
the once pristine table surface now has stains and possibly rust! And,
every time I put it on for a new job, I wind up fly cutting the surface for
flatness. If you were to take it off to clean frequently, you'd have cut
your plate down PDQ.

Just be a good machinist and don't mill/drill into your table!

But, to answer the OP's question, I drill/tap threaded holes wherever I need
them to be for the job. I drill and counter bore (as deep as possible) for
1/2-13 SHCS to hold the plate down to the table surface using standard
T-nuts. Also, if you really want to leave the plate on for extended periods
and are running different jobs, drill a set of tapped holes to mount your
vise.

Thickness depends on how much you want to lift :-) Nothing less than 1"
though.

Many here may gasp and disagree, but I've even drill tooling holes (by
design) directly into the table surface. I pressed in a bushing and had
accurate reference points/ removable stops...

It's just a tool, treat it with care and respect, but use it in whatever
manner needed to be most efficient, and accurate for a job.
--
Skuke
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