My binder clip hold-downs

My little CNC router is a K2 prototype. The maximum travel is approx. 10.75" (X and Y).

Seeing as sheet goods come in multiples of square feet, I figured I'd come up with a method for clamping one-foot square pieces to the table, and this is what I came up with.

It is a 3/4" thick piece of BB plywood. I reduced the thickness to 1/8" around the perimeter (about 3/4" into the board).

Now I can place a thin waste board along with my workpiece on top, and use approx. twelve binder clips to hold everything in place.

It is remarkably secure, plenty snug for routing. Using the largest binder clips I can accommodate materials up to 3/4" thick, which is about as thick as I go.

This won't work when I'm routing larger pieces, I have other hold-down clamps I've made for that purpose. But I expect I'll be using binder clips for most of the work I do.

BTW, the photos show a previously machined piece, to show how it works.

Thanks for looking!

Nice idea with the binder clips!!

cool easy idea! Thanks

Seeing as this thread was revived, I'll note that this method has worked very well and I've even found 12" square pieces of cardboard at Amazon which I can use as a spoil or backer. It isn't for everything, but for some projects it is great.