For flattening chips, nothing beats a nice 12” wooden clamp. But it takes so dang long to get the chips lined up perfectly. This is my solution. It uses removable doll rods to make inserting the chips easy, fast and perfectly aligned. You open the clamp and insert the rods. Then you put your chips in between the rods, tighten the clamp, and remove the rods.
General Flattening tips:
Chips in room temperature with a fan blowing on them will cool much faster than chips in the freezer with still air.
I line the bottom rack of my oven with cookie sheets in order to block as much IR radiation heating as I can. I want the air in the oven to heat the chips equally from all sides, I don't want to introduce new stresses by heating the bottom faster than the top.
Step 1. Buy a couple cheap 12” Pittsburgh clamps from Harbor Freight.
Step 2. Remove the handles from the threaded rods. I used a pin punch and a hammer to get the holding pins out. They are tough SOBs, it takes a lot of good whacks. Once the handles are off, unscrew the threaded rods.
These are removed to make it easier to drill. With the rods in, I had to drill the clamps while stacked atop a pile of wood with an extension in the drill chuck, in order for the bit to clear the handles. Controlling runout was near impossible, and it was dangerous. Worth the effort to remove.
Step 3. Layout where the chips will sit between the clamps, and where the doll rods will go through. I used pencils as I had forgotten to run to the store for doll rods.
After using them, I prefer the version with 4 rods.
Step 4. Clamp the two halves together and prepare to drill. Only go about a half inch into the second of the two clamps.
Step 5. Put the clamps back together by re threading the rods. This can be challenging, but take your time. Remember to screw the handle ends in about an inch before engaging the other end, so you have enough extra rod to attach the handles.
Step 6. Re-attach the handles. I used a cotter pin to secure the handle to the rod. I may go back and use a pin, as the cotter gets in the way sometimes when trying to tighten the clamp down.
Step 7. You’re finished, stop reading.
General Flattening tips:
Chips in room temperature with a fan blowing on them will cool much faster than chips in the freezer with still air.
I line the bottom rack of my oven with cookie sheets in order to block as much IR radiation heating as I can. I want the air in the oven to heat the chips equally from all sides, I don't want to introduce new stresses by heating the bottom faster than the top.
Step 1. Buy a couple cheap 12” Pittsburgh clamps from Harbor Freight.
Step 2. Remove the handles from the threaded rods. I used a pin punch and a hammer to get the holding pins out. They are tough SOBs, it takes a lot of good whacks. Once the handles are off, unscrew the threaded rods.
These are removed to make it easier to drill. With the rods in, I had to drill the clamps while stacked atop a pile of wood with an extension in the drill chuck, in order for the bit to clear the handles. Controlling runout was near impossible, and it was dangerous. Worth the effort to remove.
Step 3. Layout where the chips will sit between the clamps, and where the doll rods will go through. I used pencils as I had forgotten to run to the store for doll rods.
After using them, I prefer the version with 4 rods.
Step 4. Clamp the two halves together and prepare to drill. Only go about a half inch into the second of the two clamps.
Step 5. Put the clamps back together by re threading the rods. This can be challenging, but take your time. Remember to screw the handle ends in about an inch before engaging the other end, so you have enough extra rod to attach the handles.
Step 6. Re-attach the handles. I used a cotter pin to secure the handle to the rod. I may go back and use a pin, as the cotter gets in the way sometimes when trying to tighten the clamp down.
Step 7. You’re finished, stop reading.
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