In about a months time, I will be upgrading my current double lock vise from Enco (I think it's INTERSTATE brand) and going with a dual set-up of 660U series 6 inch style vise. I will have these mounted the conventional way while my current set-up due to length of the vise is parallel with the X-axis. In any case, i'll most likely have a set of 12 inch soft jaws in one & 10 or 8 inch set of soft jaws in the other coupled with machined relief pockets for toe-clamps spaced equally along the jaws.
The question I am contemplating involves a Table Fixture Plate. My work is going to require me to utilize every square inch of machinable envelope the Torus Pro offers. I'll be working with, designing and machining fixture pallets for my production needs. I don't know if I'll be mounting a dedicated Tool Table directly to my Torus Pro table and making a Pallet that retains both of my new Vises. My other idea is perhaps having both Vises mounted to the Torus Pro table and then have the Fixture Tool Table mounted in the Vises...
Option 1: Fixture Tool Table mounted to Torus Pro Table
- Pros:
No flexing = more rigidity
Once dialed in and parallel, i'm good to go.
Cons:
Will need to plug holes
Vises will need to have a separate Pallet for easy mounting (Easy mounting, but will require a large chunk of plate for the Pallet)
Option 2: Vises mounted to Torus Pro Table w/ Fixture Tool Table mounted on the Vises
- Pros:
Can remove Tooling Plate and already have access to Vises
Can worry less about plugging the holes as it will be considered suspended, therefore I can blow air and coolant through
Less metal required since Vises will no longer be mounted on a separate pallet.
Cons:
Less rigidity with Fixture Tool Table being suspended in the Vises
I worry about repeatably of mounting the Fixture Tool Table into the Vises
Maybe a tooling plate for the Torus Pro table and or for the vises is not necessary. Maybe simply making Pallets to be mounted in the Vises is the easiest and simplest way.
Regards,
-Jason