Awl --
Specific Q:
Would a plate full of 1/2-13 holes AND t-slots be redundant?
I would like to go all-holes, but I do see some instances where a t-slot comes in handy, like when mounting a tailstock for the 4th axis, where you just want s*it "a little tighter". Also, you gotta hope that all the mounting holes for vises et al can accommodate 1" increments.
Opinions?
I haven't followed this thread, but have you milled T-slots before? If not, ask.
what type of steel are you planning for this subplate ? at one place (t&d shop) we used to re use ground set up plates- then my supervisor started to come down on me because the cmm was showing deviations- but I wasn't doing anything wrong and everything was tight- after a little while it was determined the set up plate (4140 or mild steel typically) was the cause- it was warping and twisting under the torrsional pressure while machining ( tool steel, d2 a2 )
Holes fill with chips and are a pain in the ass to clean out etc, so suggest dont put any more holes in than is absolutely needed--instead, decide on a basic pattern for the sub plate and then modify /fab your FIXTURES to match .
And for the 4th unit ( as well as for vises ) you really don't tee slots--instead, mill a shallow slot for to recieve the keys and then drill /tap a pair of holes to use for hold downs.
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