How tight

[Dunc1]

Heated my workshop (garage) to help out a neighbor. Wanted to machine a piece of mild steel in my mill and he asked how tight I had to tighten the clamps.
Yea, I know... until experience told me it was right.

That said, is there any way to quantify this? Clamping it in a vise is pretty simple, but what about the T-nuts to hold it to the table? Short of a torque wrench?

 

[pdentrem]

Basically it comes down to experience and learning what will hold without distorting the part.
Pierre

 

[Tom Griffin]

Too many variables to put a hard number on it so even a torque wrench won't help you. Experience is the best answer.

Tom

 

[Jimbo]

All I know is that if you don't have it secure enough you have major problems, parts wrecked, parts flying, broken bits.......The joys of this hobby.