B.A.D.Kustoms
Plastic
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2020
- Location
- Ft. Collins
I'm a prototype machinist that went to a machining school and then moved into a bio-medical shop and started working as their only machinist. I've never had a apprenticeship or worked for a giant shop (any other machine shop for that matter) and have only had the mentorship of an excellent Mechanical Engineer. He taught me a great deal but from an engineers perspective whose played in the shop. I hope for this thread to be something that spills some knowledge from others onto my limited experience. I've been working as a prototype machinist for 5 years now and have a very nice shop to work in. We have a 4 axis CNC mill, manual mill, manual lathe, waterjet, CNC pressbrake, and a TIG welder. So that means not only machined parts as well as sheet metal parts. But I'd like to focus on the machining aspect of the creation theory.
I've got some curiosities as to how some of you set out to machine. Your "creation theory" if you will. Like what's your go to setup for onsie, twosie, parts. Please share your practices.
I'd be happy to share mine:
8" Talon Jaws from Mitee Bite ( The approach being I machine all but one side of the part leaving a sacrificial "brim" of material to hold onto on the bottom that is removed last. I call this the "top hat method" or decking the part. This is my number one go to means of fixturing prototypes. )
Aluminum Sub-Plates (6061 or MIC-6) ( The approach being the part bolts down to the sacrificial aluminum sub-plate and is machined away. I start with toe clamps to put in tooling holes and face then sometimes bandsaw off the boarders and flip to face again the opposite side to desired width then bolt down and finish machining. This method is used when I'm doing larger plate work and I've used "stripper bolts" I believe they are called for locating positionally when flipping over the part. )
These are the main two ways of my creation theory. Please shares your thoughts, ideas, practices for your creation theory.
Cheers,
Brad
I've got some curiosities as to how some of you set out to machine. Your "creation theory" if you will. Like what's your go to setup for onsie, twosie, parts. Please share your practices.
I'd be happy to share mine:
8" Talon Jaws from Mitee Bite ( The approach being I machine all but one side of the part leaving a sacrificial "brim" of material to hold onto on the bottom that is removed last. I call this the "top hat method" or decking the part. This is my number one go to means of fixturing prototypes. )
Aluminum Sub-Plates (6061 or MIC-6) ( The approach being the part bolts down to the sacrificial aluminum sub-plate and is machined away. I start with toe clamps to put in tooling holes and face then sometimes bandsaw off the boarders and flip to face again the opposite side to desired width then bolt down and finish machining. This method is used when I'm doing larger plate work and I've used "stripper bolts" I believe they are called for locating positionally when flipping over the part. )
These are the main two ways of my creation theory. Please shares your thoughts, ideas, practices for your creation theory.
Cheers,
Brad
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