Holding board stock down on CNC

Roger Erismann · Post by **Roger Erismann** » Sun, Feb 18 2007, 1:11PM

Is there a consensus on the best way to hold board stock down on a CNC? for carvngs and or relief profiles like fluting?

Thanks

Zach Froble · Post by **Zach Froble** » Sun, Feb 18 2007, 2:18PM

When running board stock I make dedicated waste boards with manual hold downs or I fasten the parts through the back of the spiol board.

They make a sheet material similar to double sided tape that come is different widths that also may work. I did try this method before, but found that when running multiple parts that cleaning the tape from the previous part off the waste board was a pain, but it really held those parts down. I was cutting stencils for a local sign company 2\" x 30\" with lettering. Some of the letters only had a 1/4 to 1/8\" between them. They were held down so good that I actually broke one after maching pulling it off.

I have been thinking about buying some after market vacuum pods that that can mount to the alluminum tracks below the spoil board and purchase a smaller vacuum just for the pods. I am not sure that this work feasibly, but I am going to look into it.

Zach Froble · Post by **Zach Froble** » Sun, Feb 18 2007, 2:37PM

Roger,

I just remembered at the IWF show in Atlanta they were cutting mouldings for the furniture pieces they were displaying and they had some type of fixture that held the board stock in place.

If anyone has any info on this fixture please let me know I would definately be interested in one. I look all over the site and member store but couldn't seem to locate it.

Roger Erismann · Post by **Roger Erismann** » Sun, Feb 18 2007, 2:39PM

so if you use manual hold downs(toggles) I assume they are located way out of the cutting area...

When you screw the boardstock through the spoil board how do you locate the screws...reference getting the board laid out on the cnc correctly...

thanks

Zach Froble · Post by **Zach Froble** » Sun, Feb 18 2007, 2:53PM

Roger,

Actually my manual hold downs are made of mdf. I will cut a small rabbit out and screw it down through the waste board. If you are running multiple parts of the same you can loosen the screws and twist them out of the way while changing parts. I run a lot of fluted pieces this way. It is kind of crude but it has worked for many years for us.

To locate my pieces I will run the program so that the outline of the parts cuts into the waste board, then I referrence the wasteboard so that it goes back in the same location after screwing the parts from underneath.

I hope someone has some info on that fixture I mentioned, that would be a great benefit for anyone that is running board stock for mouldings and profiles.