What is everyone doing for holding down their work pieces? I’ve been looking at doing t nuts but i’m still on the hunt for some type plastic clamps or something.
I think it comes down to what you are doing with it. For me every project is very very different. T nuts would be cool but I clamp to the table, use tape, screws. Swap out my spoil board a lot thicker and thinner.
I highly suggest using it for a with with clamps and screws, tape and glue. See if Tnuts make sense.
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I splurged and got t-slots and t-screws. I 3D printed the hold downs with wedges and knobs. I do like the flexibility. I have different sizes and lengths to match material thickness and to reach. If I had though ahead of time, I would have used the t-nuts. Lots cheaper. I went with threaded inserts though and they are super good. If you don’t have a large build, it’s not too bad, but I was doing a 32" x 32" area so a little expensive.
Marius Hornberger has a great video on cam clamps in dog holes. They don’t require threaded inserts but use copper tubing and have a low profile with no knobs or screws sticking up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-rqf4uSXRE
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I went with t nuts, but then most of my work was with 4ft wide sheets, so I never really use them, so I just used Spax wood screws, and now I pretty much use raptor composite nails. Just tack them down wherever I need them, and no worries if the bit hits them because they’re plastic.
I might just go with these methods for now just so I can get this thing going. Im guessing these things dont move a ton while the axis are going? Im accustomed to vacuum fixtures, waxing to fixtures, and also stand t slots at work. But those machines are moving pretty fast.
I cant picture in my head using clamps working around the conduit tubes though plus the table its mounted on.