I have a project I’m working toward where I will need to create the same part 200 times. In its basic form, the part is a wooden rectangle with the top edge routed to create a rabbet.
Because of that rabbet, clamping the pieces from the top is a no-go. A slim low-profile vise clamp could work, but I also want to be able to process as many of these in a single batch at a time.
So what I thought about doing is creating pockets for the blocks and wedging them into position:
If this clamping jig board isn’t removed from the wasteboard, and I perfectly align the top and right edges of each pocket with the top and right edges of the rabbet cut in Carbide Create, then everything should line up perfectly and be perfectly square. In theory. I’m concerned about the little wedges though, since they seem small and finicky, and worry they might not be strong enough.
Has anyone done anything like this? Tips for producing multiple parts like this? Completely different clamping approach? I’m just trying to make this more efficient and avoid needing to run the job 200 times separately, and also avoid having to zero each time perfectly, because with this jig, the zero is always in exactly the same place.
I use XFasten woodworking tape to hold most of my parts - mostly acrylic, but sometimes MDF. If I were doing this I think i’d try cutting the jig pockets to fit the parts closely - maybe a few thousandths tolerance so it’s not too difficult to get them in & out. I’d burnish the tape into the jig (pockets) so that it stays in the jig when the parts are pulled out. You should be able to reuse the tape several times… if you’re cutting 200 parts, maybe you change the tape out twice & that’s a lot less labor than dealing with wedges.
I would probably use tape and glue workholding, cut N items from the largest stock I can fit, and repeat that 200/N times. Sounds unefficient, but if you factor in the time it will take you to make the jig right, then installing the blocks, wedges,…
And that way, no centering issues, perfect dimensions of each individual piece guaranteed.
It takes about a minute to install stock using tape and glue.
I could stick a larger board down, pocket out the 16x16 center (aside from a cross-bar used as another straight reference edge in this example) and then just screw in some slotted pieces of wood to squeeze towards the outer edges. Hmm.
Simple slotted holders like this would be easy to make but I was also thinking there must be some existing solution that bolts down into a threaded T Nut and also has a some ability expand/squeeze horizontally in one direction.
I wondered about that approach as well: cutting the blocks straight out of a larger piece of stock. I wasn’t sure about holding tabs and such. Tape on the bottom seems like dimensionally there’d be issues, but so many of you are doing it, it must be good enough. (And indeed, in my case, the z-axis precision isn’t important, but the x and y axes are critical.)
I had wondered about cutting the pockets perfectly also, but wasn’t sure what tolerance would allow them to drop in and out easily enough, but not move around too much; particularly to ensure that there’s no wobble in the cut itself, but the tape perhaps takes care of that? I should grab some MDF and tape and just try it.
I’m not certain I’m totally clear on what you are trying to do…
But if you have already just cut out 200 parts (by some other means) and want to rabbet around the edge, I’d just use a router table - it would likely be quicker.
But if you haven’t cut the parts out yet - I’d layout a matrix of the parts - say 5 X 5 (but more if you can fit them in given your part size and Shapeoko bed size. 5X5 will yield 25 parts, so you’ll need to repeat it eight times to get your 200.
Then just mill out your rebate first and follow up by cutting out the part - leaving tabs to hold them in place. Just need a few clamps to hold the big piece of MDF in place.
Trim the tabs off with a Stanley knife, or a laminate trimmer, or a router table.
I wouldn’t consider tape and glue in any circumstance for a production job.
if you have a bit that Has a diameter of twice the rabbet or smaller, just place a matrix of 5x5 or more in a jig and run the bit between them… better than holding single items. I’d probably tape them to help keep he center ones from moving
