Milling machine clamps

[Bo’sunParticipant @bosun58570]

I want to buy some M10 (12mm tee slot) clamps for my WM16B milling machine. Looking in all the usual places, they all seem to come in sets. There are either sets of pairs, or sets containing 52/58 pieces. Is there anything out there somewhere in between? I've got plenty of tee nuts, M10 nuts, washers and studding, so I only realy need the step blocks and associated strap clamps.

I'm not trying to save money, but it seems wasteful to buy stuff I don't need.

[Bo’sunParticipant @bosun58570]

Can I buy a small set?

[Jon LawesParticipant @jonlawes51698]

The ArcEuroTrade set is good value, maybe you could resell what you don't use to reclaim some pennies?

[Bo’sunParticipant @bosun58570]

Hi Jon,

I had thought of that, but I'm not sure I'd get may takers for flange nuts, studs and Tee nuts.

[oilcanParticipant @oilcan]

perhaps not the answer you want, but if you can wait until the shows restart, you should be able to buy individual pieces from one of the traders. I've bought some small step blocks and strap clamps (6mm) individually that way. Unfortunately no idea which of the traders it was. I just look at the goodys on display and hand over the cash!

[Oily RagParticipant @oilyrag]

Have a look at the MSC (ex J&L Industrial, in Wednesbury) they sell some individual American made small clamp parts that I use on my Aciera (10mm table slots) – even though I have therefore to use 3/8" parts.

Martin

[Nick WheelerParticipant @nickwheeler]

I bought an M10 set for my mini-mill when I got it. They fit the T-slots perfectly, but are far too big and always get in the way. M10 is massive overkill for clamping too.

I keep telling myself that I should make some that use M6 fasteners(studding really) and strap clamps from 20×6 steel bar. The same parts would also be useful for the lathe faceplate which I don't have any tooling for.

[ZanParticipant @zan]

I use 10 mm on my Bridgeport. Solid as a rock. Too big for yours, also use the 1/4 BSF set I made for my Dore westbury still used. (Would be 6 mm now) Esp for clamping onto angle plates some of my 10 mm t nots are tapped 8 mm as well for studding where a solid clamping is needed and then cut to an exact height for clearance I also have a s app number of 2BA fixings for small rotary table and faceplate work.
you need a range, and they grow over the years! It’s the stepped packing blocks which are really needed the rest is easy to manufacture

[egaParticipant @ega]

I prefer the Picador pattern step block but don't know if they are still available new.

[roy entwistleParticipant @royentwistle24699]

I'm sorry but I can't understand why anybody with a milling machine or a lathe would buy clamps, tee nuts, straps etc.

Roy

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Posted by oilcan on 19/11/2021 10:26:05:

perhaps not the answer you want, but if you can wait until the shows restart, you should be able to buy individual pieces from one of the traders. I've bought some small step blocks and strap clamps (6mm) individually that way. Unfortunately no idea which of the traders it was. I just look at the goodys on display and hand over the cash!

RDG tools sell various sizes of of step blocks and the clamps individually at the midlands show.

Tee nuts are cheaper at Warco, last ones I bought for the Centec were 8mm @ 50P each

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Posted by roy entwistle on 19/11/2021 11:19:05:

I'm sorry but I can't understand why anybody with a milling machine or a lathe would buy clamps, tee nuts, straps etc.

Roy

I can – but only as a starter kit. After that one can simply make one (or several at the same time) pieces, as they become necessary.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I bought my clamps as I'd rather be making models than tooling.

As said MSC do individual parts but probably not a lot cheaper than the common or garden 52pc sets

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

I bought my mill used and it had two 1/2" UNC clamping sets with it. It did allow me to shorten some of the studs to between the as supplied lengths without ending up with not enough for a complex setup. Having lots of step blocks allows them to be used for more roles when clamping such as setting up a nice solid stop or two for multiple parts with the same setup. I have never used the stud couplers though.

Martin C

[Ramon WilsonParticipant @ramonwilson3]

Hi Bo'sun,

Making your own Tee nuts and clamps is not an onerous task and you only need to make what you need 'now' I have used 6mm cap head bolts in varying lengths on both my mills from early on when I faced the same issue as yourself.

I have a box of bolts – 4 of each length and tee nuts to suit both mills. Clamps are an accumulation but account for very little time and are quite small in comparison to the commercial sets. Packing blocks are varying lengths of 1" diameter bar drilled through 6.5 and counterbored for the caphead – they are used on the faceplate at times and the sunken caphead is very beneficial.

They've done me well for many years but it's just a suggestion. Yes it may take time from modelling but it's time well spent and once done are done and you will have a custom product to suit your own personal needs

Regards – Tug

[Bo’sunParticipant @bosun58570]

Yes Zan, I agree. The nuts & studs etc are the easy bit. The stepped packing blocks and associated straps not quite so.

It just struck me, that while it's nice to have a range of options, a 52/58 piece set seems a little overkill at present (for me at least). In the future maybe, but I'll tackle that if need be at the time.

[Robert ButlerParticipant @robertbutler92161]

ARC also list studs T nuts available separately.

Robert Butler

[Nick WheelerParticipant @nickwheeler]

Posted by roy entwistle on 19/11/2021 11:19:05:

I'm sorry but I can't understand why anybody with a milling machine or a lathe would buy clamps, tee nuts, straps etc.

Making them is barely any cheaper and a huge drain on time. Which is true of a lot of tooling that is better bought so the actual work can be done.

[Rod RenshawParticipant @rodrenshaw28584]

Rotagrip used to do individual bits for clamp sets at ME shows but they were "industrial standard" items made of tough steel and quite expensive.

Harold Hall's, and also Tug's, clamp systems are easier to make than copies of the commercial step type clamp.

Rod

[martin haysomParticipant @martinhaysom48469]

Posted by Nicholas Wheeler 1 on 19/11/2021 13:51:07:

Posted by roy entwistle on 19/11/2021 11:19:05:

I'm sorry but I can't understand why anybody with a milling machine or a lathe would buy clamps, tee nuts, straps etc.

Making them is barely any cheaper and a huge drain on time. Which is true of a lot of tooling that is better bought so the actual work can be done.

don't take long to nock up a few clamps and a lot can be learnt from making your own tooling

[Nick WheelerParticipant @nickwheeler]

Posted by martin haysom on 19/11/2021 14:46:13:

Posted by Nicholas Wheeler 1 on 19/11/2021 13:51:07:

Posted by roy entwistle on 19/11/2021 11:19:05:

I'm sorry but I can't understand why anybody with a milling machine or a lathe would buy clamps, tee nuts, straps etc.

Making them is barely any cheaper and a huge drain on time. Which is true of a lot of tooling that is better bought so the actual work can be done.

don't take long to nock up a few clamps and a lot can be learnt from making your own tooling

I have made extra T-nuts for the lathe cross slide, and what I learnt was that I'm not going to make what I can buy.

[John HinkleyParticipant @johnhinkley26699]

Well, I like making tooling! So there. I read through this thread and had a little ponder…..

A few minutes at the mouse and keyboard and I came up with this alternative to the usual "toothed" clamping system, which I think would be difficult to reproduce accurately in the home workshop. The idea is to drill a series of equally spaced holes (2mm dia. in my case) along a line at 45° to the major axis and then mill away half of the resulting holes. Make up the pillar and strap as shown and use silver steel rod or similar to lock the piece together. Varying the length to taste and you have a set of clamps that nobody else has got – OK, and probably don't want!

The number of pins used is optional. I have 'used' three for simplicity.

Just a thought.

John

 

 

Edited By John Hinkley on 19/11/2021 15:32:31

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

I think I’ll give it a miss.

Tony

[EmgeeParticipant @emgee]

I've used these Picador cast alloy step blocks for 40 years when packing needed.

See they are still being sold on ebay, 1 used set on there ATM £15 +pp or new at £25 +pp

Emgee

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

‘New’ I don’t think they have been made for years😀

Tony

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