Milling plate clamps

[Chris GragsonParticipant @chrisgragson62922]

Hello, looking for some advice on a clamp kit for a small mill plate I have knocked up & tapped M6, for a Hobbymat. The plate is only 150mm x 100mm

I would appreciate advice on where to enquire for a reasonable cost, I have searched ebay but picking seem to be slim, I might be using the wrong terminology?..

 

Thanks

Chris

 

 

Edited By JasonB on 24/01/2020 19:36:07

[Chris GragsonParticipant @chrisgragson62922]

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

This doesn’t seem unreasonable: **LINK**

MichaelG.

[Ian Johnson 1Participant @ianjohnson1]

Have a look at this set from Warco. The studs are M6 and will screw directly into your table, but you can make studs out of any M6 bolt or M6 stud iron (all thread)

**LINK**

Ian

[Chris GragsonParticipant @chrisgragson62922]

Thanks both very much! Way better than anything I could find on ebay.

I went for the Warco set as its UK based and same price.

Thanks again cheers Chris

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Chronos do a M6 set, the Unimat 3 clamps would also fit.

[Ian Johnson 1Participant @ianjohnson1]

The Warco set is the same one I use on my milling machines, I've made lots of different height / length studs depending on what I want to hold.

Nice job on the plate by the way

Ian

[Chris GragsonParticipant @chrisgragson62922]

Cheers Jason, looks a similar set to the Warco.

Thanks Ian, the plate was cheap & easy enough for me to knock up, however the tooling is starting to add up, but I knew this

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

Chris

Given the small size of the plate and (mostly) small workpieces you may find some home brew additions worth the effort. Although effective bar and step block clamps tend to need fair bit of real estate.

Way back the I had my BCA I made some simple L shape clamps from 8 gauge (4 mm these days) strips perhaps a little under 5/8" wide with a 1/4 clearance slot down the middle of the long side. Lengths of short and long sides were whatever seemed useful. I suspect I made them ad hoc fashion when I had nothing suitable to hand to whatever size I needed for todays job figuring that what suited one job might well do for something else so I'd eventually build up a set. As I recall it the long sides would have been in the region of 1 1/2 to 3 inches, but 2 inches sounds most likely to be a common one, and short sides between 1/8 and 5/8 inch, probably mostly 1/4, 3/8 or 1/2 inch.

I also made some thicker plain bars with a jacking screw at one end. Probably 1/4 inch thick and again between 1/2 and 5/8 inch wide. Similar 1/4 inch clearance slot and similar lengths. Probably 1/4 BSF or 2 BA jacking screw with a permanent, free ly rotating foot on the end. I imagine I put a small groove a suitable distance from the end of the screw, made the foot a similar shape to that on a G-clamp and peened it over to keep it in place. Long time ago tho'.

Where possible bolt through is more effective than clamping although rarely enough on its own as, generally, only one bolt is possible.

Clive

[Chris GragsonParticipant @chrisgragson62922]

Clive, I appreciate this and thanks for posting back.

The size scope for milling is small indeed, I need a starting idea of what size material can be reasonably clamped and the initial clamp kit will provide perspective I hope. I'm under no illusion that bespoke clamps and aids will be needed for specific projects but at least I will have a clamp start to practice with.

I have some material sizes that you mention for ad-hoc jigs/ brackets, which could accumulate to a bucket full of useful stuff I hope over time.

Thanks for your advice, much appreciated.

Best Chris

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

If I need inspiration I have a look on Harold Hall’s site. There is usually something to be made or modified for the particular purpose.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

One reason I suggested teh Unimat type is similar to what Clive says as they use a captive jacking screw rather than stepped packing blocks so a lot easier to work with on a vertical surface and easy enough to make from flat bar, in your case just use studs inplace of the tee bolts.

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

**LINK**

Or look at miteebite.com

[Barry ThurgoodParticipant @barrythurgood45522]

Hi

A little late for the discussion perhaps, I have used Manifold clamp bars from the Triumph range of car engines, the earlier ones are about 1.75” and the later about 1.125”, you may need to grind off the “pimples”

[Author]

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