# Attaching hardwood for milling



## wwbob

Hope this forum has as many good answers as all the other forums.

How is a hardwood part attached for milling? Many cnc routers have a vacuum base for sheet goods. I've seen machine shop like hold downs used when milling just the interior of hardwood.

At about 1:22 into the video shows a rough cut piece of hardwood's exterior shape being milled. My guess is double sided tape, but I've never tried using tape.
http://www.legacycncwoodworking.com/demonstration-video-list/2014/4/2/blanket-chest.html

Any answers?

Robert


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## TechTeacher04

I agree with your guess. There is no sign on any clamps or vacuum. Double faced tape or carpet tape seems like the most likely hold down.


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## shawnmasterson

right at 2:50 you can clearly see the tape.


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## KarenW

We use a variety of things for hold-downs, depending on what we're cutting.
Big pine rounds-we screws on a backer board of MDF, leaving corners exposed for clamping.
Small pieces of Corian or stock that's under .25" thick or any sort of scrap that's maybe too small for clamping-double sided tape onto an MDF board that is clamped down. 
Anything else-I figure in an extra half in or so to my overall width or length or check my design for open corners or edge space for clamps.
Occasionally I've pin-nailed thin stock in the corners onto MDF and clamped conventionally.


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## DS

The video was interesting… I almost forgot your question. It sure looks like they used double sided tape.

I've seen guys make double sided vacuum pods that work pretty good for this too. It's a hockey puck sized peice that you set between yor part and the table and it draws a vacuum on the top and bottom of the pucks.
They hold the workpiece up off the spoil board for the side operations too.

The pods can be made of polyester stock and cut right on your machine and common weatherstripping can be used to seal the faces.


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## protdesigner

depending on Your needs You can use clamps, double side tape or few types of vices.


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