Whether you are enclosing electronics, or mounting motors, sensors or switches, you often need to make plastic mounting components of equal size.
The following discussion covers a method to make components of the same dimensions.
Items required:
- Desktop sander
- C clamps
- Construction material (1/4” acrylic plastic sheeting)
- Double stick tape (DST) to attach the stop block to the fence
On the left side of the desktop sander image, we see a round vertical sanding disc with a perpendicular platform with miter; we will use this section of the sander to adjust the length, angle and width of manufactured pieces.
The miter keeps your work perpendicular to the sanding disk surface.
We are making a jig that will be attached to the miter; this jig will be the workhorse for plastic part production and duplication.
The jig is made from 1/4” acrylic plastic sheeting, available from Amazon.
Pieces of the jig are welded together with DCM, methylene chloride.
Use C clamps to firmly attach the jig to the sanding platform; 90 degrees to the sanding disc.
The following images show different views of the jig that we are making.
- Place the workpiece that we are copying on the jig’s bed and under the ‘stop block’.
- Use DST to attach the ‘stop block’ to the jig’s fence.
- Place an oversized length ‘push stick’ (new push stick) under the ‘stop block’ with the original work piece to the left.
- Turn on the sander and move the ‘push block’ to the right, advancing the workpiece into the ‘new’ push stick; slowly advance the ‘push block’ so the new ‘push stick’ is sized against the rotating sanding disk.
- When the ‘push block’ contacts the ‘stop block’, turn off the sander.
- We now have a properly sized ‘new push stick’.
- Place the original work piece aside for safe keeping, put a rough sized ‘new work piece’ under the ‘stop block’ to the right of the ‘new push stick’ we just made.
- Power on the sander, move the ‘push block’ with ‘push stick’ to the right advancing the new workpiece into the sandpaper; again, when the ‘push block’ contacts the ‘stop block’, turn off power.
- Repeat as many times as needed.
- Also make a 45-degree fixture for the jig to accommodate manufacturing pieces with 45 degree surfaces.
A push stick of correct length needs to be made for each ‘unique’ part.
Sizing our 'Push Stick'
The push stick is now moved next to the push block. Here we size new 'work pieces’.
Make a 45' attachment for 45' part manufacturing.
