How good is double back tape for work holding?

[MetalFlake]

I have a 200" long by 4" wide by .250" thick alum strap that I need to play with. I need to deck off about .100 from the middle and then face .050" thick tabs along the long edges...so it makes a squatty T shape. Whats worse is I only have a 120" bed. If I could double back this sucker and get rid of all or most of the clamps it would save lots of hassles. Can anyone testify as to the strength of double back tape? I'm talking about the yellow stuff with the green checker-board backing that is .004" thick and made by 3M (I think).

 

I need to get this thing going quick so the more info I can get the better.

 

Many thanks!!

 

MF

[Philcott]

MF,

 

We have used double sided tape with a fair amount of success but we have found coolant eventually weakens the holding power of the tape. We have not used "the yellow stuff with the green checker-board backing" so I don't know if it's glue is effected by coolant. Sometimes peeling the part off of the tape can take some doing as well.

 

Good luck with it.

 

Phil

[Eric S.]

Hello

 

Taping the part down always scares me, but it has worked for me in the past( with much smaller parts than yours). If I tried to use coolant the part would come lose and you can't get too aggressive with the cuts. I would think with that much area taped it should hold pretty well. Oh ya one other thing that I can across was that if I used alcohol to clean the table and part there was a residue left behind and it would not hold. My best results were with lacquer thinner (sometimes the problem was how to get the part off without bending it )

 

Hope this helps a bit.

Eric

[Bunny McRabbit]

I think in any case longer support for a plate is essential

 

Bolt some long bars to the table ,mill them and put tape over them

 

HTH

[Keith Graydon]

quote:

---

I'm talking about the yellow stuff with the green checker-board backing that is .004" thick and made by 3M (I think).

---

This is the same tape that we've use succesfully for many years. Don't confuse it with the "White" plastic base tape of the same design. also from 3M. The yellow paper backing seems to have som compressability that allows it to bond better that the plastic stuff.

Our procedure for using tape is as follows.

[*]Clean back of part by using denatured alcohol and "Scotch-Bright" pad

[*]Clean a subplate using the same technique, Typically, Cast Jig Plate.

[*]Press material and subplate together to bond. We use an old Screw Press. 3" Screw, 3' hand Wheel, 12" throat.

[*]De-Bond by using a hot plate set to medium-low

We have also used a Fork Truck to bond oversized plates. We roll over it with the Truck.

 

Clean up is with Orange Oil Spray De-Greaser. It is a great solvent for the glue on the tape.

 

hth

-KLG

 

IT has to be CLEAN!

[t smith]

MetalFlake

We used to use the same tape as you have only in .010 thick

it worked very good. We used to clean the table with acetone

and that is how we got it off also.

[MetalFlake]

Update...

 

Looks like I'm going to profile the thickness dims and not face like I thought. May not even use DB tape now. We'll see.

 

Thanks to you all for the quick responses!!

 

MF

[savagkd]

Metalflake,

 

If the tape is the 3M paper tape it won't hold verry well. Try the Permacel brand, it's a thicker fabric tape "mutch stronger hold". We use it all the time. Light cuts, and clean surfaces are a must and use a lot of pressure to stick it down. A spray mister with 10% alcohol works for coolant and MEK will melt the glue and make it possible to remove the part without bending it.

 

Good luck

 

Keith

[Joel Schreiner]

I use the stuff all the time, with vary good luck.

The thickess is vary consistent, the stuff I have is .0045. You should becareful about cutting into the tape stay .005 off the tape. I use acetone to clean the parts It dosen't leave residue. Coolant and heat will affect the tape so use air to clear the chips. Mitee-bite makes some that is heat active.

might be better for clearing the chips and coolant doesn't affect it. I have not tried it yet so don't know how well it works.

hope this helps.

[Dan Schnars]

I've used the stuff too... with Good Luck... Never got too carried away trying to see what I could get away with though... Don't be skeered...

[Craig Madsen from CM3D]

I've had a customer do this successfuly for quite a while, then one part decided not to stick and it then went through the side of the machine guard. (Fadal 4020).

 

It is like driving 80mph. Just cause you can get away with it 'most' of the time, it doesn't mean you will always get away with it.

 

As a minimum, I would put clamps near the areas where you will be cutting. It is also hard to place the part accurately with tape.

[Threept82]

MITEE-GRIP made by MITEE-BITE works great. Its

a pain to get used to but it will hold just

about any flat part you have.(as long as you use

coolant)

[JayMan]

my boss has invented and holds the patten on a shell mill that has a plunger in the center that presses the part to the table as your running and can hold termendous tolerances.

[GreggT]

JayMan,

 

Give us a link or supplier on this widget. I'd like to take a look.

[jctjct]

JayMan,

 

Me too.

[Chris Rizzo]

I hav'nt had much luck with the mitee -bite wax stuff...it holds ok, but if your contour your part out (vs. sending it out to laser), the part likes to un-stick itself and get sucked into the cutter

 

. I've had great luck with 3M spray adhesive, either super 99, or super 77. I've had the stuff hold so well that I had to wreck a part to get it off the subplate!

[jimp]

We use Mitte Bite Wax Paper all the time for clamping Quartz plates, rods and shells. Mesh Mitee Grip 10252 10" x 25' we have found is best.

we use a hot plate for clamping and also loosing the parts from either graphite or Steel sub plate.

 

All the best from bonnie Scotland JimP

[Storkman]

We used double back alot for grinding, I have never tried for milling apps.

[Chris Rizzo]

Ahhh, I was'nt using the mesh backed stuff, just the regular smooth product. I bet that's it.

 

thx jimp

[JayMan]

If your interested in the cutters that I was talking about he can be reached at

 

[email protected]

[kkominiarek]

jayman interesting tool

 

another option to consider for holding (thin) work-pieces is a vacuum. vacuums can be extemely powerful and provide other options as to hold a part....no side clamps....you can machine 5 sides in one holding. hth

[medaq]

Couple o tricks, Use and clean everything with acetone, to get a real good stick, you have to get rid of the oils. Try not to use high helix em, imo they try to pull the part off the tape to much. If at possible use a air gun to cool your tool, coolant is your enemy when using tape. if you have to use coolant, try to do drilling or anything that breaks through to the tape last to have less coolant seepage into the tape..

 

Jim

 

Jim