Workholding can be as simple as loading a part in a vise and tightening the vise. But sometimes it can be extremely challenging. This month, I will start off with some simple tooling plate tricks. If you need instructions on how to build a tooling plate - email me at eztram@aol.com

Tooling plates are used primarily for flat work. If the part you are working on has any thru holes, it is highly desireable to use these holes for clamping purposes. Simply drill and tap the tooling plate in the location of the thru hole and bolt the part thru the hole to the plate. If you cannot use these holes to clamp thru, the next best option is to drill and ream the thru hole under the finished size along with the tooling plate and pin the part to the plate. Then clamp on the outside of the part. Last operation should be opening the thru holes to size. Bolting thru and pinning together works excellent.

Ok, the part doesn't have any thru holes in it - now what? Call the customer and ask if they will allow you to put in tooling holes. I have found that many times they will.

If all else fails and you are having a hard time clamping your part, here is a real simple low profile, close quarter clamp that you can custom build for your part. You can make this out of aluminum or steel. Due to the fact that they are so close to your part, they hold extra tight. If you need a lot of these, you can make them in bars and sawcut them. It looks like this. (Carl "Bubba" Dickerson)

MUCH more to come on workholding next month.

                                    

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