I’m in the process of installing a Saunders 24R fixture plate and HDPE spoilboard on my 48x48 CNC. The biggest problem was the front and rear edges only had half holes as they were designed to butt up to other fixture plates. I did have to move the second support rail around 5mm closer to the front. I used 2 pieces of 1x1 aluminum and bolted them to front and back to complete the mounting holes. I cut the 1x1s down to 20mm wide by .95" tall. The plate has 5 columns of mounting holes out in the middle so in installed supports between the front and 2nd support rails. I think I need more clamps.
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Those SMW tooling plates are really nice!
I recently did this setup for a trade show:
These are a couple of generic tooling plates we had. I made some vacuum fixtures on the left and some fixed hold downs on the right.
I had some tiger claw clamps I was going to use, but they didn’t get to me in time so I had to get creative with some delrin scraps I had around.
What is it you’re going to be making on your machine?
Really nice setup. I should have gotten a custom plate if it wasn’t going to be to expensive. Very nice vacuum plates, what do you use for gasket material? Those are something I will be making. The Saunders low profile vice is really slick. With a standard vice you lose to much Z travel. After I get the HDPE spoilboard and fixture plate installed, I hope to pin the whole thing to the machine so it would go back together without a lot of traming. That way if need to remove the plate to carve a door or something longer than 48" I still can. I’m building my ATC so I can still do that.
Maybe a full size Hans Solo in carbonite. A lot of time and money but I’d also like to make a plastic injection mold of a 3" round part for another unrelated car project. Right out of HS I started a tool and die apprenticeship. That was until Uncle Sam needed more targets. One of those bucket list things. I was thinking I’d make furniture but no I mostly make more tools and help my kids, grandkids and friends with projects. I’m trying to turn my oldest son a software consultant into a hardware guy. At least hobby wise.
Great setup! thank you for taking the time to share! Much more rigid than the spoil board, drilled holes and flanged threaded inserts that I used.
Give yourself some credit an least you’re out there making stuff.
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Ha, sounds like me. I spent more time building parts for my cnc and re-arranging the setup and software than I do building other things with it. But I guess that was the point, something to do in retirement thats fun.
I’ve long since accepted that the tools are my hobby, and making things is just justification for more tools…
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I used some soft silicone rubber tube I got from Mcmaster. It’s .125 in diameter so it was pretty easy to route a channel for it with a .125 bit.
It still amazes me how well those little fixtures hold stuff down. I used to make fixtures like that when I was doing production runs. If you pair those with some plastic pins to register parts you’re in excellent shape.
Thanks all for the help. I may be crazy but it’s nice to know I’m not alone.
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