LowEnergyParticle
Cast Iron
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2004
- Location
- Beaumont, near Houston
I recently bought a used Hurco VMC. It came with an unexpected gift: a Stevens Engineering subplate for their modular fixturing system. Basically, it's a piece of ground steel 1.4" thick that is permanently attached to the top of the bed. It's slightly longer, and a bit wider than the bed itself. It has a grid of threaded 1/2-13 holes on 1.250" centers, and a grid of 1/2" hole bushings on 5.000" centers for locating pins. I like it, but it came through with zilch for tooling .
In addition to all kinds of tombstones and locating fixtures, Stevens sells a 6.24" split vise, which they call a modular vise. The moveable jaw and the fixed jaw are seperate components, so you can move them as far apart as your bed allows to hold large stock. Also, they've got bushings on them, so once you insert them in the subplate they're registered: no need to indicate the jaws. OK, well, the first 50 times I use it I'll indicate thoroughly, anyway!
The snag (there's always a snag) is this vise costs a rather hefty $980. I'm not saying it's not worth it, I'm saying I don't have the money.
I'm looking for workaround ideas. I can machine 1/2" pin registrations as well as the next person (almost), and I suppose I could take an older 6" vise and cut/mill/grind it into something that worked, but I'll bet one of you has a much better idea!
Thanks very much for looking at my problem!
Dave
In addition to all kinds of tombstones and locating fixtures, Stevens sells a 6.24" split vise, which they call a modular vise. The moveable jaw and the fixed jaw are seperate components, so you can move them as far apart as your bed allows to hold large stock. Also, they've got bushings on them, so once you insert them in the subplate they're registered: no need to indicate the jaws. OK, well, the first 50 times I use it I'll indicate thoroughly, anyway!
The snag (there's always a snag) is this vise costs a rather hefty $980. I'm not saying it's not worth it, I'm saying I don't have the money.
I'm looking for workaround ideas. I can machine 1/2" pin registrations as well as the next person (almost), and I suppose I could take an older 6" vise and cut/mill/grind it into something that worked, but I'll bet one of you has a much better idea!
Thanks very much for looking at my problem!
Dave