Level The Table?

[JimDawson]

I ordered a fly cutter. What rpm should I turn?

I would try about 300 RPM to start, maybe 0.010 depth of cut to start

I have a friend with a dial indicator that I can borrow to test the table.

You can pick up a dial indicator at Harbor Freight, just down the road from you on 321, behind the Sonic Drive In. On sale now for $17, not the greatest, but they work.

What is a toe clamp?

Toe Clamp

Does this forum have a for sale section when I can buy second hand from members?

H-M Classifieds:
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/classifieds/
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[John Hasler]

What John said! Clamp that pad directly to the table. In fact you have some nice mounting holes there, I would screw the pad down to a tapped aluminum plate that is bolted to the T-nuts with flat head screws.

And use the same flycutter that you are going to use on the pads to surface the plate.

 

[gubni]

I found this video which really helped in understanding how to use clamps.

Then I clamped it like this and got a much more level cut. The vice was the main problem.

 

[John Hasler]

Better, but the pad is going to bow up a bit in the middle. Leave out the spacers and clamp *directly* to the table. Does the pad face need to be parallel to the backplate? Those pieces you are using as spacers are not precision ground.

 

[gubni]

Yes it needs to be parallel front and back. I thought about it bowing also. I can't go directly because there are bumps on the back of the pad. I do not have a set of real parallels yet so I thought that might work for now.

Where should I buy a set of parallels? Which ones should I get?

Also notice how my clamps are in the t-slot? It seems like there would be a better way to set them up, but I couldn't think of one.

 

[brino]

If you had flat plate to bolt the pads down to, you could cut pockets or drill holes for the "bumps" on the back.

I'll often use flat steel scraps (say 1/4" thick) under the step blocks, so that they are not sitting on the edge of the t-slots.

-brino

 

[gubni]

I feel bad for asking so many silly questions. When you guys answer the answers are obvious. Thanks for all the help.

 

[brino]

One of the biggest rules here is that there are no silly questions.
Keep asking anything you like.
I always learn something from all the varied responses.

-brino

 

[John Hasler]

Yes it needs to be parallel front and back. I thought about it bowing also. I can't go directly because there are bumps on the back of the pad. I do not have a set of real parallels yet so I thought that might work for now.

Where should I buy a set of parallels? Which ones should I get?

Also notice how my clamps are in the t-slot? It seems like there would be a better way to set them up, but I couldn't think of one.

Move your parallels out so that they are directly under the ends of the straps to eliminate bowing. If you do many of these it will be worth your while to make a pallet (the plate Jim mentioned).