Newbie looking at 6040 (China CNC) for polypropylene 15mm sheet

[JOGARA]

Here is my idea.

Block with the case silhouette cut out of it. When the vice clamps down there should be a slight bend in the block resulting in it clamping the part.

[Zeeflyboy]

Still relying on your vice...

Make that piece (except minus those channels you added to allow it to flex inwards) out of something nice and sturdy - either alu or something like SRBP. Add a couple of threaded holes either side to allow clamps to hold it externally, and maybe two threaded holes internally underneath those cut outs. I would also add a zero reference hole (the probe works better determining zero from a hole probe than from an open edge probe), though I would ream it rather than just drill/mill it.

That then allows you to clamp internally with just a screw and spacer, run your external ops, then switch over to clamping externally with screws and a clamp piece to run your internal ops. Only takes a minute to undo two screws and screw in the other set for switching from internal to external.

depending on what you are doing operations wise, you can also consider the external clamping from both the ends and the sides to allow you to run different operations with external clamping but it doesn't sound like you'll need to.

[JOGARA]

I am tempted just to buy a decent machine vice and do it properly..

I think it is obvious that I need a better one anyway when I am doing my first op.
I got to make this easier as I have 30-50 cases to make of each type.

The X6-2200L has 140mm height between the floor and the gantry.
Minus ~5mm for a spoilplate/wonky correction.
Leaves me with 135mm.


Been looking at this, http://www.ymttooling.co.uk/tuscan-s...hine-vice.html
117.5mm to the top of the jaws.
Even if I was to hold parts at the top of the jaws, that is 17.5mm clearance.
The reason I like this vice is that I could probably make the soft jaws really easily.
The lower height ones I have seen all have the triangle jaws which I can't manufacture.
They do sell soft jaws for this but they are £86...

[m_c]

This style of vice is lower - https://www.cutwel.co.uk/work-holdin...-machine-vices
However I've still to find more reasonably priced version.