And here I am watching this video 12 years after, Though I have been following NYC CNC for many years but It was a nice surprise to get this in the search result for a toe clamp, Thank you NYC CNC for all those good years :)
A little late to the ball game here, but wanted to share something an old machinist showed me a few decades ago. At the time I was in working towards my BSME while working in machine shops to pay the rent (and learn how things work in the real world). The machinist was running a vertical CNC at the time. He had taken a 2" thick aluminum plate and bolted it to the work surface using counter boarded holes and SHCS. The length and width of the plate were very close to the working length of his mill. He profiled the outer edge of the plate just to make it square and pretty, then faced the top so that it was flat. Then, on a 2" x 2" pattern, he machined a .75" deep hole to accept a 1" dowl pin that he could use to locate/position the flat edge of a work piece or vice. In the center of each hole, he drilled and tapped a 1/2-13 through hole that he could use for toe clamps. The entire hole pattern was located at an even position on his coordinate system. He turned UHMW plugs for each hole, and cut an o-ring groove on each one to keep flood coolant from getting into the pockets. Each plug had a set screw in the top that he would remove and then use a machine screw to remove the plug if he needed access to the hole. The set screw simply kept the debris out of the threads. This configuration allowed him to quickly clamp work pieces and vices on his mill at known locations which significantly reduced his setup time for each job. I've been working as an engineer in the manufacturing industry for over 25 years now. To this day, this is still the slickest setup I've ever seen. There are prettier, more elegant solutions out there now, but for a bare bones universal set up, his solution still takes the cake. That man could enter G code on a key pad faster than I can type an e-mail...
The Clamp was originally designed using Flat head socket screws they worked great! The cone washers where added for the Double clamp so lt can float if a part is larger on one side...We us those clamps in an Auto motive Machine Shop to hold Engine Heads for Surfacing.......I build one or two fixture a Mounth for our plant in Mexico.
To use these clamps to their full potential, make sure the hex component is lifted up against the bottom head of the eccentric driving screw, and that there's at least a small gap between it and the fixture plate before you tighten against the part. This ensures both lateral and axial (downwards) force on the part.
I have built over 250 Fixtures ...using Tiny Vises.....The only thing we have replaced on them is the Srews now and then! We have 16 CNC machines running them.....the cost saving came to a couple Mil a year.
Always interested to watch videos on fixtures and clamping. I like your idea here and my use it myself in my own shop. I generally use aluminum myself for my simple jigs and fixtures. So if they wear out you just reun the gcode to make another! gerald Canada
Good to you are back on RUclips! Always enjoy your videos. Do you have a short video of your mill making these parts, using this jig? Would like to see it, if possible. RL Atlanta, GA USA
Thanks for the video! I've never heard of these clamps before. I am definitely going to get some of these. I like your fixture by the way, simple and effective. I see that this video is a few years old so I'm curious if you've made an upgrade yet? I was thinking you could just cut out 2 rectangular sections on the bottom of the fixture leaving a T-shaped profile so you could secure it in the vice with the top of the T being held firmly against the side of the vice jaws.
I bought these, got them in the mail. none of my allen wrenches fit them, and enco's website doesn't say what size allen wrench is used. Went to ace and couldn't find one that fits. So frustrated right now.
The Tiny Vises Work Even Better with out the Washers! The Washers are a Patent Glitch.......... So run them with out the washers......they work better----and you can use a Air wrench to load and unload.
It works fine with out the cone washers....If the parts are with in .005" the clamp will never know it! The cone washer was just to get the Patent application.
Hi ....If you would of used Tiny Vises No.-1 you could use a air wrench to load and unload Parts ----- And the Tiny Vises has more than twice the Throw!.......And the Double Tiny Vises you could Double up on your parts! and the parts could be .020 to .030 out and still Clamp. The tiny vises has more than twice the Camping Power ...and they are easier to install. Check them out.
Click on Sonnykenpo...RUclips...........there is just a few there.....I have been using Tinyvises on Welding proto type fixtures also...I will post some of those fixtures Soon
And here I am watching this video 12 years after, Though I have been following NYC CNC for many years but It was a nice surprise to get this in the search result for a toe clamp, Thank you NYC CNC for all those good years :)
A little late to the ball game here, but wanted to share something an old machinist showed me a few decades ago. At the time I was in working towards my BSME while working in machine shops to pay the rent (and learn how things work in the real world). The machinist was running a vertical CNC at the time. He had taken a 2" thick aluminum plate and bolted it to the work surface using counter boarded holes and SHCS. The length and width of the plate were very close to the working length of his mill. He profiled the outer edge of the plate just to make it square and pretty, then faced the top so that it was flat. Then, on a 2" x 2" pattern, he machined a .75" deep hole to accept a 1" dowl pin that he could use to locate/position the flat edge of a work piece or vice. In the center of each hole, he drilled and tapped a 1/2-13 through hole that he could use for toe clamps. The entire hole pattern was located at an even position on his coordinate system. He turned UHMW plugs for each hole, and cut an o-ring groove on each one to keep flood coolant from getting into the pockets. Each plug had a set screw in the top that he would remove and then use a machine screw to remove the plug if he needed access to the hole. The set screw simply kept the debris out of the threads. This configuration allowed him to quickly clamp work pieces and vices on his mill at known locations which significantly reduced his setup time for each job. I've been working as an engineer in the manufacturing industry for over 25 years now. To this day, this is still the slickest setup I've ever seen. There are prettier, more elegant solutions out there now, but for a bare bones universal set up, his solution still takes the cake. That man could enter G code on a key pad faster than I can type an e-mail...
watching this now on 6/18/18 -You have grown so much since then. Awesome job man
The Clamp was originally designed using Flat head socket screws they worked great!
The cone washers where added for the Double clamp so lt can float if a part is larger on one side...We us those clamps in an Auto motive Machine Shop to hold Engine Heads for Surfacing.......I build one or two fixture a Mounth for our plant in Mexico.
To use these clamps to their full potential, make sure the hex component is lifted up against the bottom head of the eccentric driving screw, and that there's at least a small gap between it and the fixture plate before you tighten against the part. This ensures both lateral and axial (downwards) force on the part.
Good to have you back
I have built over 250 Fixtures ...using Tiny Vises.....The only thing we have replaced on them is the Srews now and then! We have 16 CNC machines running them.....the cost saving came to a couple Mil a year.
Welcome back, thought you got kicked out of your apartment ;-). Looking forward to more of your great videos.
Always interested to watch videos on fixtures and clamping. I like your idea here and my use it myself in my own shop. I generally use aluminum myself for my simple jigs and fixtures. So if they wear out you just reun the gcode to make another!
gerald
Canada
Good to you are back on RUclips! Always enjoy your videos. Do you have a short video of your mill making these parts, using this jig? Would like to see it, if possible. RL Atlanta, GA USA
glad to see you back!
Thanks for the video! I've never heard of these clamps before. I am definitely going to get some of these. I like your fixture by the way, simple and effective. I see that this video is a few years old so I'm curious if you've made an upgrade yet? I was thinking you could just cut out 2 rectangular sections on the bottom of the fixture leaving a T-shaped profile so you could secure it in the vice with the top of the T being held firmly against the side of the vice jaws.
I bought these, got them in the mail. none of my allen wrenches fit them, and enco's website doesn't say what size allen wrench is used. Went to ace and couldn't find one that fits. So frustrated right now.
The Tiny Vises Work Even Better with out the Washers!
The Washers are a Patent Glitch..........
So run them with out the washers......they work better----and you can use a Air wrench to load and unload.
I see a HAAS VMC in your future John... ;-)
It works fine with out the cone washers....If the parts are with in .005" the clamp will never know it! The cone washer was just to get the Patent application.
Hi ....If you would of used Tiny Vises No.-1 you could use a air wrench to load and unload Parts ----- And the Tiny Vises has more than twice the Throw!.......And the Double Tiny Vises you could Double up on your parts! and the parts could be .020 to .030 out and still Clamp.
The tiny vises has more than twice the Camping Power ...and they are easier to install.
Check them out.
Grreat video as usual - very detailed and informative thanks :)
Thet Don't Hold ...and they are to slow loading and unloading.
Click on Sonnykenpo...RUclips...........there is just a few there.....I have been using Tinyvises on Welding proto type fixtures also...I will post some of those fixtures Soon