As the subject says.....

I would like to machine some 2D shapes out of ABS sheet plastic, but I
don't know how to hold the stock while doing so.

I think some sort of adhesive w/ a sacrificial backer would be best,
but then don't know what to use. Something that I can stick it down,
machine it and then peel off the part and clean off the adhesive.

The only other option I can think of is vacuum, but that is a lot more
involved than the other method.

TIA

Jeridiah

On 16 Jan 2006 08:02:15 -0800, "jw" wrote:

As the subject says.....

I would like to machine some 2D shapes out of ABS sheet plastic, but I
don't know how to hold the stock while doing so.

I think some sort of adhesive w/ a sacrificial backer would be best,
but then don't know what to use. Something that I can stick it down,
machine it and then peel off the part and clean off the adhesive.

The only other option I can think of is vacuum, but that is a lot more
involved than the other method.

TIA

Jeridiah

Dependingo the soze of the pieces I had good success using double side
Scotch tape. If the pieces are real small though there is not enough
gripping power in the tape. Trial and error will guide you.

Errol Groff wrote:
On 16 Jan 2006 08:02:15 -0800, "jw" wrote:

As the subject says.....

I would like to machine some 2D shapes out of ABS sheet plastic, but I
don't know how to hold the stock while doing so.

I think some sort of adhesive w/ a sacrificial backer would be best,
but then don't know what to use. Something that I can stick it down,
machine it and then peel off the part and clean off the adhesive.

The only other option I can think of is vacuum, but that is a lot more
involved than the other method.

TIA

Jeridiah

Dependingo the soze of the pieces I had good success using double side
Scotch tape. If the pieces are real small though there is not enough
gripping power in the tape. Trial and error will guide you.

I will give it a shot. Any particular brand or style(of tape) that
seems to work better?

JW

Use Indoor-Outdoor carpet tape. There are 2 kinds.
The stuff that works has a fabric weave in it. The fine weave tape isn't as
good.
We ust it a LOT for router hold downs.

Scott.

--
Have a great day

Scott
"jw" wrote in message
oups.com...

Errol Groff wrote:
On 16 Jan 2006 08:02:15 -0800, "jw" wrote:

As the subject says.....

I would like to machine some 2D shapes out of ABS sheet plastic, but I
don't know how to hold the stock while doing so.

I think some sort of adhesive w/ a sacrificial backer would be best,
but then don't know what to use. Something that I can stick it down,
machine it and then peel off the part and clean off the adhesive.

The only other option I can think of is vacuum, but that is a lot more
involved than the other method.

TIA

Jeridiah

Dependingo the soze of the pieces I had good success using double side
Scotch tape. If the pieces are real small though there is not enough
gripping power in the tape. Trial and error will guide you.

I will give it a shot. Any particular brand or style(of tape) that
seems to work better?

JW

At work we're really fond of a no-backing kind of tape called Mactac.
Mactac appears to be the manufacturer and it is most awesome stuff. The
fact that it's just the adhesive alone means all the shear strength in it is
the surface its bonded to. We use it to secure parts and/or tools together
temporarily for drilling, milling, and part holding, but it also has
permanent applications elsewhere in the factory. Takes a good bit of
patience to get apart two solid objects, since they are so securely bonded
together. Give it a bit of a wedging and wait before prying some more.
I like to secure some objects together by using regular masking tape on
the more fragile surface, putting the mactac on the masking tape, the
putting them together. The tape combination allows a surface with some
variations in it to stick to a more smooth surface, and spreads out the load
so it doesn't peel up vinyl or other thin surfaces and finishes.
Never had to buy it, so I wouldn't know where to get it.

| I will give it a shot. Any particular brand or style(of tape) that
| seems to work better?
|
| JW
|

This is easy. If plastic has no paper then get some from gavrielli. Use
3M 77 adhesive and glue that sucker down
Mill away. That works in the sign trade all day long.

daniel peterman wrote:
This is easy. If plastic has no paper then get some from gavrielli. Use
3M 77 adhesive and glue that sucker down
Mill away. That works in the sign trade all day long.

Hope this doesn't seem dense.....

Are you saying, IF I had plastic with paper on it, I could use 3M 77 on
the paper side and stick it down.

Since what I have does not have paper on it, would using 3M 77
permenantly bond it to my backer or is there a way to "unset" it? I
had found references to this adhesive in searching the archives, but it
looked to be somewhat permenent.

Thanks.

JW

"jw" wrote in message
oups.com...
As the subject says.....

I would like to machine some 2D shapes out of ABS sheet plastic, but I
don't know how to hold the stock while doing so.

I think some sort of adhesive w/ a sacrificial backer would be best,
but then don't know what to use. Something that I can stick it down,
machine it and then peel off the part and clean off the adhesive.

The only other option I can think of is vacuum, but that is a lot more
involved than the other method.

In the past I've used double-sided carpet tape from the hardware store to
mill thin stock, usually with a piece of sacrificial aluminum under the
tape. The worst was probably 0.015" thick nylon which was milled into 1/8"
x 1/4" pieces with 0.060" holes on end of each piece and a 1/32" x 0.10"
slot on the other. I used a 1/32" end mill for all but the hole, which made
with a drill bit. The major problem was pulling up adhesive into the end
mill, which would gum up the works so to speak. Getting the cutting depth
just below the work helped, but it still needed cleaning after each piece.
Acetone generally worked well to release the work, though ethanol should
also work.

You'd probably want the sort of double-sided tape that does not have a foam
base.

Mike