# Finding an alturnitive to my alturnitive work holding... well kinda



## Gary Wiant (Jun 7, 2017)

Full disclosure I posted this over on CNCZone but I wasnt sure how many people frequent both forums.

So I have a CNC Router Parts Pro 4896 with a custom vacuum table with t-slots running around the outside plus through the center of both axis. 

I do a lot of routing on rough cut slabs that are typically around 20" wide so I can normally reach the slab with the t-slot clamps but this time my chainsaw guy brought me some smaller pieces (between 7.5" &12") but my problem was how am I going to hi- old them down? I refuse to screw into my spoil board because of the vacuum table. 

So what I ended up coming up with was screwing 1/2" MDF to the bottom of the slabs. 
It took a little bit to get it squared up being they are live edge but it works great with the extra 1/2" I was able to set my cut depth to an extra 1/8" so I was sure I was going to route the whole way through the wood. 

I route these then my chainsaw buddy roughs them up with the chainsaw & burns them to seal them. These are the first 4 I made more to come. The only thing I'll change is I will probably do pocket cuts especially for the 2" thick pieces because when the pieces get cut away they make a very loud noise bouncing around in the hole. I also cut these with a 3/8" bit the next time I'll use my1/2" bit so I can take deeper passes.

Thanks for looking
Gary


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

What a great idea Gary ,those are really nice.

Gary , do need the 8’ foot Y axis very much , as I was debating to go with a 4x4 if I ever get one


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## Gary Wiant (Jun 7, 2017)

I own a sign shop and we use the 8' y axis a lot. The gone fishing sign was 87". I've actually already needed a 10' table already ( I'm new & not sure how to cut a job bigger than my table. )

Thanks
Gary


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## Pro4824 (Oct 17, 2015)

Gary Wiant said:


> ( I'm new & not sure how to cut a job bigger than my table. )
> 
> Thanks
> Gary


If you had a Pro4824, you would have learned tiling by now. 😉 
Great signs Gary!!


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Gary Wiant said:


> I own a sign shop and we use the 8' y axis a lot. The gone fishing sign was 87". I've actually already needed a 10' table already ( I'm new & not sure how to cut a job bigger than my table. )
> 
> Thanks
> Gary


segment the sign...
assemble the segments into a panel w/ splines...
@Scottart has done this very same thing..


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## Scottart (Jan 8, 2015)

great pieces Gary

Yep, watch the Vectric tutorials on Tiling and there are no longer any size constraints...


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

Gary Wiant said:


> The only thing I'll change is I will probably do pocket cuts especially for the 2" thick pieces because when the pieces get cut away they *make a very loud noise bouncing around in the hole*.
> Thanks for looking
> Gary


Nice work, Gary. I would be far more concerned about a piece you've cut getting wedged in the opening and bending or breaking a bit than I would about the noise. Can you leave tabs to hold the piece in place and cut it out later after you've removed the entire piece from the CNC? Seems like that would be far safer.

David


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## Gary Wiant (Jun 7, 2017)

I'll watch the vectric tiling videos, the you tube videos I've watched have wanted hole drilled into the spoil board & I dont want to do that to my vacuum table spoil board.

David - good idea, I use tabs all the time when I am keeping the loose pieces I'm routing out. The tabs never even crossed my mind. 

The pieces that were big enough to reach I would hold them down by hand. I know not the smartest thing to do but I'm a big guy so my body weight held them pretty good most didnt even move at all. 

Thanks all


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## MoHawk (Dec 8, 2013)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> What a great idea Gary ,those are really nice.
> 
> Gary , do need the 8’ foot Y axis very much , as I was debating to go with a 4x4 if I ever get one


That's my only regret in the 2+ years owing my Pro4824, wish I bought 4848. If I can ever find time to move mine from the basement to my large shop I will extend it to 48, maybe even 96. 

Retirement is sure time consuming!:laugh2:


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## Pro4824 (Oct 17, 2015)

MoHawk said:


> That's my only regret in the 2+ years owing my Pro4824, wish I bought 4848. If I can ever find time to move mine from the basement to my large shop I will extend it to 48, maybe even 96.
> 
> Retirement is sure time consuming!<a href="http://www.routerforums.com/images/RouterForums_2015/smilies/tango_face_smile_big.png" border="0" alt="" title="Laugh" ></a>


Same here although 99% of my projects are smaller than 24"x48"
It's just knowing that you CAN expand that's tempting. 🙂 
Until then, I was thinking of adding an "outfeed table" to make tiling projects easier.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

MoHawk said:


> That's my only regret in the 2+ years owing my Pro4824, wish I bought 4848. If I can ever find time to move mine from the basement to my large shop I will extend it to 48, maybe even 96.
> 
> Retirement is sure time consuming!:laugh2:


Well I think I may have found a way to finagle a 48x96 into my garage ,and I do get this feeling that a person should go with the largest bed he can accommodate if possible . Plus the cost to go from a 4x4 to a 4x8 Pro version is relatively minor .

In before someone mentions insulating first


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## Gary Wiant (Jun 7, 2017)

My router building is 12x28 and with just my router dust collection & desk with the computer to run the router I feel scrunched. The plan this summer is to build a 20x30 addition onto the sign shop for the router.


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