Thru-bed material clamping and machining

[Ross Leidy]

I’m considering removing a section of the aluminum bed on my Desktop so that I can cut mortises or tenons in the end of long(ish) stock. Has anyone done this before that could share advice on how to go about it? Methods for vertical clamping?

[coryatjohn]

It would be great if SB offered a rotating joint for the spindle so that it could be rotated up to 90 degrees (manually) to hit ends of long stock. Aspire would have to offer a way to program it too. Seems like it could be worthy.

[Brian Harnett]

I do it all the time on mine off the end of the table.

Currently building a machine dedicated to those tasks

A video of tenons and mortises being cut.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8j3e6WJxbWs&t=9s

https://i.ibb.co/5XQZ4WJ/DSCN2680.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/5cv0XMy/DSCN2669.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/gbdCOU/DSCN0858.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/h3nRfn/DSCN1895.jpg

[Ross Leidy]

Nice setup. But I just figured out this isn't possible with the Desktop. The sides of the gantry are connected with a plate that runs underneath the machine, and it would hit any material mounted vertically through the deck. I'm glad I took a closer look underneath before removing my spoilboard.

[scottp55]

Bob Dodd WAS working vertical clamping for aluminum by taking the first extrusion off with his older Desktop(with single Y screw running down the middle like mine) see #32 ;
http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/showthread.php?19881-Dovetails

I know the new Desktops and Max's have dual ball screw on the sides for vertical clamping. And Bill Young is actually working with a factory made jig.
scott