I want to route a small item about 4"x4", and only a few mm thick.
Plan is to use a template and template cutter to produce a flowing
shape. But how can I clamp this thing to work on it? Its a tough hard
plastic board.


NT

"Tabby" wrote in message
...
I want to route a small item about 4"x4", and only a few mm thick.
Plan is to use a template and template cutter to produce a flowing
shape. But how can I clamp this thing to work on it? Its a tough
hard
plastic board.


NT

Double sided tape and go gently.

AWEM

On Jun 23, 8:37*pm, "Andrew Mawson"
wrote:
"Tabby" wrote in message

...

I want to route a small item about 4"x4", and only a few mm thick.
Plan is to use a template and template cutter to produce a flowing
shape. But how can I clamp this thing to work on it? Its a tough
hard
plastic board.

NT

Double sided tape and go gently.

AWEM

Thank you, I like that idea. Sounds a lot better than a very shallow
screw fixing, followed by trying to come up with an elegant way to
sort out 2 screw holes.


NT

On Thu, 23 Jun 2011 20:54:24 +0100, Tabby wrote:

On Jun 23, 8:37 pm, "Andrew Mawson"
wrote:
"Tabby" wrote in message

...

I want to route a small item about 4"x4", and only a few mm thick.
Plan is to use a template and template cutter to produce a flowing
shape. But how can I clamp this thing to work on it? Its a tough
hard
plastic board.

NT

Double sided tape and go gently.

AWEM

Thank you, I like that idea. Sounds a lot better than a very shallow
screw fixing, followed by trying to come up with an elegant way to
sort out 2 screw holes.


NT

How about one of the 3M command adhesive products? At least it would be
easier to unstick at the end of the job.

Rod

On 23/06/2011 20:05, Tabby wrote:
I want to route a small item about 4"x4", and only a few mm thick.
Plan is to use a template and template cutter to produce a flowing
shape. But how can I clamp this thing to work on it? Its a tough hard
plastic board.


NT

Can you find a larger sheet of material - e.g. plywood - of the same
thickness, and cut a hole in it the same size as your item - and then
clamp the larger sheet to a bench? [Also, use double-sided sticky tape -
as suggested by others - if necessary]

Not only will that stop your item from moving about - it will also
support the router properly.
--
Cheers,
Roger
____________
Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom
checked.

"Roger Mills" wrote in message
...
On 23/06/2011 20:05, Tabby wrote:
I want to route a small item about 4"x4", and only a few mm thick.
Plan is to use a template and template cutter to produce a flowing
shape. But how can I clamp this thing to work on it? Its a tough hard
plastic board.


NT

Can you find a larger sheet of material - e.g. plywood - of the same thickness, and cut
a hole in it the same size as your item - and then clamp the larger sheet to a bench?
[Also, use double-sided sticky tape - as suggested by others - if necessary]

Not only will that stop your item from moving about - it will also support the router
properly.

The problem with that is that once you've routed half of the inner
shape, it's no longer held firm against the edge of the outer shape.

Double sided tape is fine. Nowadays even poundshop double sided tape
is so strong that it will take a surface layer off of plywood
and may need white spirit to separate, even from plastic. Strips
of ply by way of support for the router around the outside can be
taped to the plastic. The plastic sheet will need to be taped underneath
to another sheet of ply both in the centre and the outside otherwise
the routed section and template may float around when finished.


michael adams

....



--
Cheers,
Roger
____________
Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom checked.

On Jun 23, 10:32*pm, "michael adams" wrote:
"Roger Mills" wrote in message

...

On 23/06/2011 20:05, Tabby wrote:
I want to route a small item about 4"x4", and only a few mm thick.
Plan is to use a template and template cutter to produce a flowing
shape. But how can I clamp this thing to work on it? Its a tough hard
plastic board.

NT

Can you find a larger sheet of material - e.g. plywood - of the same thickness, and cut
a hole in it the same size as your item - and then clamp the larger sheet to a bench?
[Also, use double-sided sticky tape - as suggested by others - if necessary]

Not only will that stop your item from moving about - it will also support the router
properly.

The problem with that is that once you've routed half of the inner
shape, it's no longer held firm against the edge of the outer shape.

Double sided tape is fine. Nowadays even poundshop double sided tape
is so strong that it will take a surface layer off of plywood
and may need white spirit to separate, even from plastic. Strips
of ply by way of support for the router around the outside can be
taped to the plastic. The plastic sheet will need to be taped underneath
to another sheet of ply both in the centre and the outside otherwise
the routed section and template may float around when finished.

michael adams

The more I think about this, the more I'm concerned about the ds tape
option. The sheet is very tough stuff, but the decorative surface
isnt, and I doubt would survive ds tape.

A vac table might hold the sheet down enough, but wont hold the
template onto it. And I'd rather not spend 60 plus, though I might. So
I'm kinda feeling stuck again.

Is there any possible mileage in using the router as a makeshift
spindle moulder with hand held workpiece? I assume this is a total no-
no - though if doable it would solve all the other probelms.

There is one thing I wondered, but I suspect its too dodgy. A layer of
rubberised string between teplate and sheet, and another from sheet to
bench. And taking it very easy!


NT

"Tabby" wrote in message
...


Is there any possible mileage in using the router as a makeshift
spindle moulder with hand held workpiece? I assume this is a total no-
no - though if doable it would solve all the other probelms.

You can put a router in a table and use a bearing guided template cutter.
I don't see how it helps.
You still need the template stuck to the job.

I have seen, but never done, the double sided tape- paper- double sided
tape used to fix stuff.
The paper makes it easy to separate.


There is one thing I wondered, but I suspect its too dodgy. A layer of
rubberised string between teplate and sheet, and another from sheet to
bench. And taking it very easy!


NT

On Jun 24, 12:09*am, "dennis@home"
wrote:
"Tabby" wrote in message

...

Is there any possible mileage in using the router as a makeshift
spindle moulder with hand held workpiece? I assume this is a total no-
no - though if doable it would solve all the other probelms.

You can put a router in a table and use a bearing guided template cutter.
I don't see how it helps.
You still need the template stuck to the job.

I have seen, but never done, the double sided tape- paper- double sided
tape used to fix stuff.
The paper makes it easy to separate.

I find an easier option is masking tape onto the two surfaces (or
maybe only the more delicate surface) and then double-sided between
them. You can use low tack masking tape which peels away easily when
pulled off perpendicularly, but will hold firm against the lateral
forces encountered when using the template as a guide.

dan.

On Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:49:12 -0700 (PDT), Tabby wrote:

The more I think about this, the more I'm concerned about the ds tape
option. The sheet is very tough stuff, but the decorative surface
isnt, and I doubt would survive ds tape.

Is the double-sided foam tape an option? This is thicker and so can can be split
with a wire or thin knife drawn throuhg the joint, and then the rest dissolved
off.


Thomas Prufer

"Tabby" wrote in message
...
On Jun 23, 10:32 pm, "michael adams" wrote:
"Roger Mills" wrote in message

...

On 23/06/2011 20:05, Tabby wrote:
I want to route a small item about 4"x4", and only a few mm thick.
Plan is to use a template and template cutter to produce a flowing
shape. But how can I clamp this thing to work on it? Its a tough hard
plastic board.

NT

Can you find a larger sheet of material - e.g. plywood - of the same thickness, and
cut
a hole in it the same size as your item - and then clamp the larger sheet to a bench?
[Also, use double-sided sticky tape - as suggested by others - if necessary]

Not only will that stop your item from moving about - it will also support the router
properly.

The problem with that is that once you've routed half of the inner
shape, it's no longer held firm against the edge of the outer shape.

Double sided tape is fine. Nowadays even poundshop double sided tape
is so strong that it will take a surface layer off of plywood
and may need white spirit to separate, even from plastic. Strips
of ply by way of support for the router around the outside can be
taped to the plastic. The plastic sheet will need to be taped underneath
to another sheet of ply both in the centre and the outside otherwise
the routed section and template may float around when finished.

michael adams

- The more I think about this, the more I'm concerned about the ds tape
- option. The sheet is very tough stuff, but the decorative surface
- isnt, and I doubt would survive ds tape.

As its a small item, after routing out the shape you can simply dunk
the whole lot in white spirit and leave it overnight. Providing
the template is made of ply or another porous material it will
eventually soak up enough white spiriit to allow the work to
be separated. The trick is to be patient and allow the adhesive to
soften not to try and lever the template, and bending or breaking
the workpiece in the process.

Andy's idea of using a thick piece of cardboard between the work
and the template which can then be separated afterwards and the
tape soaked off of the work more easily seems very promising.

In all of this its's necessary to remember that you'll need to
secure the work underneath as well - middle and outside
to prevent it spinning around before you machine that last
mm or so,

- A vac table might hold the sheet down enough, but wont hold the
- template onto it. And I'd rather not spend 60 plus, though I might. So
- I'm kinda feeling stuck again.

The DS tape will work fine. Buy a pack of 4 rolls from the poundshop
and a bottle of white spirit and so some experimenting as to how
easy\difficult its going to be to separate the work afterwards.
How long it will need to soak etc. For some people the downside
of white spirit may be the smell, but as with ammonia, acetone
etc smells and fumes have never bothered me.

Try Andy's idea of the intermediate thick cardboard.

- Is there any possible mileage in using the router as a makeshift
- spindle moulder with hand held workpiece? I assume this is a total no-
- no - though if doable it would solve all the other probelms.

This is one of the main uses of small workbench mounted router
tables - of the kind designed for MOF 96's. However that's for using
with a template. The bearing is on the top and the work is run
against the bearing.

The tape will work. Trust me. However assuming you're curtting out
the template by hand - that its not a ready-made object - then why
not cut out shape itself by hand using a coping saw and files,

Years ago double sided tape was £4 a roll and the cheaprest Trend
bearing trimming cutters were around £20. Nowadays DS tape is 4 rolls
for £1 and Toolstation sell perfectly serviceable trimming cutters
(just remeber to check the bearing for tightness first) for £2.50
and up. We should be so lucky.


michael adams

....









There is one thing I wondered, but I suspect its too dodgy. A layer of
rubberised string between teplate and sheet, and another from sheet to
bench. And taking it very easy!


NT

In message
,
Tabby writes

The more I think about this, the more I'm concerned about the ds tape
option. The sheet is very tough stuff, but the decorative surface
isnt, and I doubt would survive ds tape.

A vac table might hold the sheet down enough, but wont hold the
template onto it. And I'd rather not spend 60 plus, though I might. So
I'm kinda feeling stuck again.

Is there any possible mileage in using the router as a makeshift
spindle moulder with hand held workpiece? I assume this is a total no-
no - though if doable it would solve all the other probelms.

There is one thing I wondered, but I suspect its too dodgy. A layer of
rubberised string between teplate and sheet, and another from sheet to
bench. And taking it very easy!

Back to first principles... what about simple *over centre* foot clamps?

Clamp one side and rout all you can safely reach. Fit second
clamp/remove first and rout the remainder.

Alternatively (the agricultural solution) trap the work piece and
template with a stiff bar coming in from the side and resting on a
spacer so that you can exert pressure using a G cramp between the work
and the spacer?

regards

--
Tim Lamb

On Jun 24, 9:57*am, Tim Lamb wrote:
In message
,
Tabby writes





The more I think about this, the more I'm concerned about the ds tape
option. The sheet is very tough stuff, but the decorative surface
isnt, and I doubt would survive ds tape.

A vac table might hold the sheet down enough, but wont hold the
template onto it. And I'd rather not spend 60 plus, though I might. So
I'm kinda feeling stuck again.

Is there any possible mileage in using the router as a makeshift
spindle moulder with hand held workpiece? I assume this is a total no-
no - though if doable it would solve all the other probelms.

There is one thing I wondered, but I suspect its too dodgy. A layer of
rubberised string between teplate and sheet, and another from sheet to
bench. And taking it very easy!

Back to first principles... what about simple *over centre* foot clamps?

Clamp one side and rout all you can safely reach. Fit second
clamp/remove first and rout the remainder.

Alternatively (the agricultural solution) trap the work piece and
template with a stiff bar coming in from the side and resting on a
spacer so that you can exert pressure using a G cramp between the work
and the spacer?

regards

Finally, we have a solutuion. A clamped bar the router can run over
the top of. All I need now is to work out where to get a 4mm steel
bar.

Sawing the workpiece would produce too rough a finsh, and its not
fileable/sandable. Doing so just produces a right mess. Hence I'm
hoping the high speed of the router can make a clean cut.

Ds tape will simply rip the decorative surface off, using solvent to
remove it would leave gloop soaked into the porous finish. However I
do have some clear epoxy, and am wondering about using a thin layer of
that to harden the finish, then ds tape may work.

I realised that as the workpiece is so thin, I need to use a thick
template, otherwise my template cutter wont work.

Thanks every one!


NT

In message
,
Tabby writes
I want to route a small item about 4"x4", and only a few mm thick.
Plan is to use a template and template cutter to produce a flowing
shape. But how can I clamp this thing to work on it? Its a tough hard
plastic board.

Vacuum pump and a perforated table?

I have seen something like this on my carpenters X/Y engraving machine.

I have seen him use double sided tape which might be cheaper:-)

regards

--
Tim Lamb

On Jun 23, 10:12*pm, Tim Lamb wrote:

Vacuum pump and a perforated table?

Not on a 4x4, unless it's specially designed for small pieces.

Most vacuum tables have cells about 2x2. Each cell has a foam seal
around the edge and a sprung ball valve in the middle - if it's
pressed, they try to suck there. You can have a couple of uncovered
cells leaking, but usually you try to position so that all cells are
either fully covered, or they aren't triggering the valve. You need a
good few cells, more than 4x4, to get adequate grip.

Depending on what I was doing, I'd use either DS tape (profiling) or
glue-gun around the edge (engraving) to hold it down. Be careful with
DS tape though, it can be hard to removed afterwards without cracking
or bending something. I often use DS to both sides of thick grey
cardboard, then afterwards I can split the cardboard with a knife.
It's easier than splitting a DS tape joint and I can remove the DS
tape more easily when I can access the whole area.