How do you all clamp down your material? clamps, screws?

Troubleshooting
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what methods do you all use to hold your sheets?

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I pretty much always just use screws in the corners of the sheet. Usually just two in opposite corners, but I’ll do more if the sheet is warped and needs to be flattened

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thank you @bar

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I got this composite nail gun that shoots plastic nails which won’t harm the router bit and it’s VERY cool. Pretty expensive but I found one for like 1/2 off and brand new. If anyone else is interested I can ask the guy if he has more for sale.

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The frame orientation makes a major difference in clamping. I have mine on a horizontal frame, so I often just bradnail scrap wood around the material into the spoilboard to keep it in place.

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that’s awesome

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mines horizontal i might try that sometime

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My machine is a vertical orientation (15 degrees) because it has to be, but even when I get my M4, it will also be vertical to save space in my tiny shop.

I use two 24x96 inch mdf boards as my wasteboard. I do this to make it easier to handle them and replace them by myself. I use screws and counter-sink them to hold things. I do what @Andith said and screw in skirting around a piece, and often use the same sizes of materials for several jobs, thus not needing to drill new screw holes all the time.

I have also used a double-sided tape that I buy at the dollar store for $3.50 a roll. I can use an inch or less at each corner, and it is solid. My friend who is also a woodworker who only works with exotic woods has brought me a couple of projects to carve for him, and he told me that the tape wouldn’t work. I did it anyway, and then left the project on the board when it was done, and asked him to take it off himself. He couldn’t do it without a pry tool.

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Thank you, I might try some of that tape when I try some wood cutting on it

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This is the double-sided tape that I use.

DuramaxTape
DuramaxTape1920Ă—2560 464 KB

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I have suspenders that go under the mattress and clip to the corner of the sheet… j/k

I have 5/16" x 6" wide plywood strips mounted to my frame that are about 1/2 inch beyond a full sheet of plywood so they form a box completely around the plywood and keep the sled level. I then put a couple screws in the corners or I can just stick wedges in the gaps to keep it tight.

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Then how do you remove the tape from the remaining wood? I tend to use even my scrape for things.

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I use a multi-tool scraper, a knife, or just peel it off with my fingers.