Redesigning some old fixtures for current machines and I want to get away from toe clamps on the first op if I can.
I make a few hundred parts annually from 1-1/4" to 3" thick sawed 6061 plate with an average size of 18" square. Smallest is 10"x10" and largest is about a 21" square.
How can I deal with sawing tolerance of the blanks VS the tiny clamping range of Pitbull clamps? I was looking at the #26050 1/4-20 sized knife edge clamps, but they only have a .024" range. My blanks are usually very close within a batch, but different batches can vary by .050" per side. If I go with the larger sizes of pitbull clamps my fixtures have to be thicker to hold the pocket and have enough thread for the SHCS. I don't want the expense or heft of 2" thick fixtures.
For the first op, using pitbull clamps, why do I see tons of fixture examples online where people use them on all sides of the blanks instead of using the pitbulls on one side to push the blank into a fixed cleat like a talon grip insert? Is it because the pitbulls have such a small stroke?
Thanks for any help!
I make a few hundred parts annually from 1-1/4" to 3" thick sawed 6061 plate with an average size of 18" square. Smallest is 10"x10" and largest is about a 21" square.
How can I deal with sawing tolerance of the blanks VS the tiny clamping range of Pitbull clamps? I was looking at the #26050 1/4-20 sized knife edge clamps, but they only have a .024" range. My blanks are usually very close within a batch, but different batches can vary by .050" per side. If I go with the larger sizes of pitbull clamps my fixtures have to be thicker to hold the pocket and have enough thread for the SHCS. I don't want the expense or heft of 2" thick fixtures.
For the first op, using pitbull clamps, why do I see tons of fixture examples online where people use them on all sides of the blanks instead of using the pitbulls on one side to push the blank into a fixed cleat like a talon grip insert? Is it because the pitbulls have such a small stroke?
Thanks for any help!