XL and XXL Threaded Insert table Grid and Clamps

Amazon has the best deal that I could find if you’re a prime member. 2’x4’x1" shipped for 120.

1 Like

Thanks for sourcing that HDPE/Starboard.
I have an XXL, so maybe 2 sheets? ($240, plus less than double the shipping and handling?).

Edit: The local plastics shop can order 1/2" thick starboard cut to size for a good price that includes shipping, taxes are of course extra.

I’m just an 8 hour drive north of Carbide 3D HQ, depending on traffic.
I’ve checked my local hardware stores, several within a 10 mile radius.
The price and availability are an issue for the threaded inserts, so Amazon Prime is a better bet.

A quick question: what is the thinking behind having a huge number of holes for work holding?

Flexibility, convenience? Isn’t that where T-Slots would be better?
I’m still on the steep part of the learning curve.

Because, “just in case” seems a bit over kill.

1 Like

Yeah, the availability of T-nuts / threaded inserts is a pain — the pricing in small lots excrutiatingly so.

If one is doing lots, then arguably one might as well do a table material which will allow for threads — easy enough to drill out and install additional threads.

I did a central, radial arrangement using Phi when I did my threaded insert spoilboard: http://www.shapeoko.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=6045 and it worked well.

Currently using the central T-track arrangement: http://www.shapeoko.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=8332&p=65068#p65068 (yeah, I’m a big fan of symmetry).

For all that, I think an arrangement:

  • starting from the corner origin
  • spaced on phi
  • with the first set spaced slightly larger than the smallest block of material one wishes to use and the spacing always being at least half clamp length of additional space
1 Like

I only did the front half of my waste board.
It probably is over kill, but you never know where you’ll need them.
The main thing I like about them, is that you know they are square and true to your machine (if you cnc it in place), and I can put studs in to line up and square sheets repeatedly.
The MDF doesn’t hold the threads well at all, tho. Much more than hand tight and you’ll strip it.
I’ve already drilled many new holes from them stripping, and of course I always need one where there’s not one.
I also learned to use a smaller drill bit than recommended for the inserts, so they’re tighter.

2 Likes

There are many ways to skin a cat. Your solution is interesting.

how can i download them and use them? Help Please

Click on the links in: XL and XXL Threaded Insert table Grid and Clamps

Shapeoko CLAMPS quarter inch.c2d (1.2 MB)
XXL wasteboard FRONT.c2d (179.5 KB)
XXL Bed Grid Rear.c2d (179.3 KB)

1 Like

how do i import them into Carbide Create? i don’t know how to use a .c2d file?

.c2d is Carbide Create’s native format.

Open Carbide Create, then choose the Open menu, then select the file in question.

Hey guys, If I did my washboard with the M6 threaded inserts, what type of screw or bolt would I need to use with my clamps? I am making some clamps. But don’t have a clue what kind of screw, or T-nut, or bolt to use. Or the size I would need

M6 threaded inserts take M6 bolts/screws.

You’ll need an assortment in varying lengths — I like using nylon since you can snip them to length at need (but haven’t found an affordable source for nylon fasteners in the states, so use 1/4"-20).

1 Like

So I know this is a bit of necromancy here, but I recently bought a Shapeoko 3 XXL and quickly found they only have the wasteboard modification for the standard Shapeoko 3. I was excited to find this thread to modify my wasteboard.

I really want to fix up my wasteboard in the fashion of this thread. I am brand new so I have many questions. Would I be able to home the machine, then run the “XXL Wasteboard” and “Bed Grid Rear” back to back. Would that work?

Also, it seems like Carbide Motion natively supports a file format called .nc? I opened the c2d files and tried to export then as NC using Carbide Create and I was unable to do so. How do I take these files and put them in my CNC?

Hi @bobtaasco,

I will leave the “wasteboard” part of your question for others to contribute for now, but about this:

Carbide Create project files are the c2d files, they contain the shapes you create in Carbide Create as well as the toolpaths you will define.

.nc is the extension for the G-code files that you generate from a Carbide Create project, it’s the file format that Carbide Motion (and the machine) expect.

To create .nc files to run on the machine, you must first create (or open) a Carbide Create project (c2d), adjust project settings (e.g. stock dimensions, thickness, …), create toolpaths, and then use the “Save G-code” buttons.

Check out those tutorials which cover the basics:

https://docs.carbide3d.com/assembly/carbidecreate/video-tutorials/

@edwardrford did files at:

1 Like

This is all great info. and full disclosure, I am a complete newbie here.

I want to make this the first job I do on my Shapeoko for obvious reasons.

Before I get started, I just wanted to get some info from you guys on what I needed to do before I loaded the job and ran it. I have already ran the helloworld (with the sharpie) and everything seems to be working great.

So from my understanding this is what I need to do:

  1. Obviously home the CNC
  2. Use touchprobe to zero out the Z axis with the 1/4 bit I am using for this job.
  3. Load the file and create the tools paths.
  4. Run the Job.

Does that sound about right?

Yes, that sounds about right.

I wrote a bit about bootstrapping this process at:

Thanks for the help Will!

I have one more question. It looks like there is a red crosshair on this file. Is that the starting point? Does the machine automatically start the job there, or do I need to zero it there?

Correct, the red crosshair indicates job origin relative to the drawing , and the zero should be set to match that relative to the stock.