Took me 3 years to realize I was loading parts wrong on the mill

I used to always clamp parts as tight as humanly possible on the vise. Thought more force meant better hold, simple as that. Then last month I was working on some 6061 aluminum brackets for a job out of Chicago and kept getting .005 runout. Took me three scrap parts before I asked the old timer next to me what I was doing wrong. He showed me that I was actually putting too much pressure on the jaws, which was tilting the part just barely off square. Lightened up my clamp force, added a soft jaw set, and the runout disappeared. Now I see guys on the other shift still cranking down like they're trying to crush the part. Anyone else figure out a basic setup habit that made zero sense at first?

2 comments

2 Comments

reese5506d ago

Ngl my first job I did the same thing on a Bridgeport till a guy showed me the torque wrench trick.

butler.shane6d ago

Five thousandths is basically perfect, are you sure you just need to quit being so picky?