Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Using vee packing blocks
It is useful to have a few vee packing blocks to support round bars and tubes
while clamped down on the table. Vee packing blocks are easy to make; just
put a block of metal into a vice at 45 degrees and mill the groove with a stand-
ard cutter.
Round bars
A large round bar can be clamped to the milling machine's table by dropping
it into the tee slot. The bar should be at least 50 per cent larger than the width
of the tee slot. Do not over-tighten the clamps; just use sufficient force to stop
the bar from moving. You could add a clamp on the table at each end of the
bar to stop the bar sliding along the tee slot when you are machining it.
CLAMPING UNUSUAL SHAPES AND SIZES
Using toolmaker's clamps
It is possible to clamp a toolmaker's clamp on the machine's table or in the
vice and use it to clamp workpieces down, especially small or funny shaped
workpieces. A selection of different sizes of toolmaker's clamps can be made
in the home-workshop or purchased from your tool supplier and will be found
very useful.
