Table surface

[dbeck103]

We just recently purchased a shopbot and are ready to lay the surface down. I read through their instructions and other than a vacuum system they have no concrete method of attaching material to the table. Can anyone provide some ideas on what you have done. We are a school and funds are somewhat limited now. We have an idea but want to see what others have done. Thanks

[jamesgilliam]

Dave, I am not sure of what you are wanting to hold down, the spoil board or material to be cut into parts, so I will answer on both. Right now my spoil board is held in place with screws from below, next one will be glued down. The screws get in the way of surfacing after a couple of times. Don't ask how I know. Material hold down is anything that works. I have used drywall screws, clamps, two sided tape, and spray adhesive, sometimes singular applications and sometimes in combination with each other. On projects that will be cut all the way through I will sometimes usa a sheet of insulation foam from Lowe's or H D under the material to save the spoilboard from being cut. Hope this helps. James

[Gary Campbell]

Dave..
Even if your budget doesnt allow the PVC, you may get some ideas here: http://www.shopbottools.com/garysmusings.htm#Table
Gary

[harryball]

A good sheet of 3/4" oak ply sealed with shellac for a base sheet with a good 1" sheet of MDF or Weatherproof MDF full sealed with shellac for the plenum has worked well for me.

/RB

[brian_sutcliffe]

I am a soon to be shopbot owner. So I cannot give "experience" per se, but I was a patternmaker (for foundries) for years and in that arena di a lot of really strange stuff that works.
So all that I have to give is a few suggestions that may help you out. The vacuum system is of course one of the most common and well known. And right behind that is the double sided carpet tape. use the fiberglass type and not the clear plastic kind (you will have a ugly mess to clean up ever time you use this stuff, whereas the fiber stuff pulls off. Any residue can be scraped off with t single edged rasor blade.
Another method which I have used is to build a open top/bottom box. Place the item to be held in the box face side down then cover with thin plastic film (like the plastic grocery bags) and squirt in some great stuff window foam. Clamp a bottom onto the box and let set for two days. You now have a handy form fitting pocket that holds your part very well. This can be enhanced with vacuum or double sided tape as above. Dont let the foam glue your part in (make sure that the thin plastic film covers 100%).
the box can be made to fit over three or four indexing splined dowels for repeatable placement(s)