Question / Thought

[Keith Foor]

I was trying to think up a way to have a mounting plate that I would be changing fixtures on often and I was trying to figure out how those fixtures could be positioned accurately as they were removed and replaced without needing to align them each time only to bolt them down. Thought was that If I made up bolts that the top of the bolt was tapered and screwed down into a tapered hole on the fixture the taper would square the fixture up without needing to install alignment pins that may effect the placement of other fixtures. Any thoughts on the tapered bolt idea. It seems like a viable solution. I was also figuring that if a set of guide tapers were created to guide drills into the mount plate, it would allow the fixture to be placed once and the holes drilled and tapped. Thoughts?

 

[T Bredehoft]

Rather than tapered screws, how about tapered pins fast in the movable fixture? The pins would lift out when you removed the fixtures. Two pins and one screw would hold each fixture in place. Put the new, unfitted fixture in place, then machine location stops into it. Stamp it on top with an ID, ditto the space under it. You could use tapered dowels, ream them upon installation first time.

 

[rgray]

Like a sub plate for a mill table? The tool and die guy (phil kerner) shows plans to build one like he uses. It has holes every inch. Every other one is threaded and the others are dowel pin holes. The dowel pins are inserted or removed as needed so they are not in the way.

 

[chevydyl]

dowel pins on the bottom of the fixture, make the holes on the fixture undersize, then drill holes on the mounting plate to accept said dowel pins, ream them so that the pins slide out, tons of ways to skin this cat

 

[TommyD]

dowel pins on the bottom of the fixture, make the holes on the fixture undersize, then drill holes on the mounting plate to accept said dowel pins, ream them so that the pins slide out, tons of ways to skin this cat

Beat me to it.