Vacuum part holding for milling

| What's the rule of thumb for amount of vacuum/pressure required to | hold a flat part for milling operations? | | I need to machine up aluminum and plastic plates. | | Aluminum plate 4"x4" square | flat plastic puck 2.5" round | | Can anybody point me to some links for low cost DIY alternatives to | buying a plate/pump set?

Mike...

There's a link in my sig to a DIY how-to for building 4"x4" vacuum pucks.

These are intended for CNC wood routing applications; but you may be able to use/adapt them for milling flat aluminum and plastic parts.

-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA

Cool idea for the fridge pump, never thought of that. I was thinking of butchering an old portable air compressor.

This has been discussed extensively before. Google this group for _vacuum, fixture, pump_ etc.

fred

I've no experience with vacuum chucking, probably never will.

Just a thought, though - is there some reason that you would not use solid stops, particularly in the direction of the cutting force? Seems that would help a lot.

John Martin

Solid stops are used. Or should be. At least for locating. But sometimes the cutting forces lift the part from the chuck. Then the part can fly out. ERS