Is this safe?

[slow-poke]

I'm squaring up a couple of pieces of 3/4" aluminum plate from my scrap bin. In the image below the plate is about 3" above the Kurt 4" vise jaws. I don't mind going slow and shallow with the feed.

 

[Dusty]

Looks like an accident waiting to happen to me. There are far safer ways to mount it on the table.

 

[Aliva]

As long as you go slow it could work. I think a better option would to lay it down and use a end mill on the side.
Conventional mill would work, for a better finish, climb mill. Second option would be to add 2 thick tall plates to sandwich the piece in the vise basically extending the vise jaws. Still would require going slow. Third option would be to clamp it to a large angle plate fastened to the bed with little of the piece protruding above the angle.

 

[fixerup]

I have done similar set up and found that a couple of C clamp on those plates would help reduce vibration between the plates and add some extra rigidity.

 

[Mcgyver]

Light cuts or you may get some chatter. Also, when cutting, come at it from the other direction......I always like to have the cutting force directed toward the fixed jaw.

Better would a large angle plate bolted to the table and clamp the work to the plate. Light cuts until you get two square sides, the tuck a parallel under the work.

The other thing you can do, if you have one that is square, is place a large block between the work and fixed jaw. A 4x4 hardened ground block or similar would work well, or a 2x4x6 block. Then clamp the work to block. This gives the work a little more support.

 

[Engmaxx]

Try it and let us know!

 

[slow-poke]

Thanks for the tips, C-clamps no doubt helped.

No drama!

 

[Former Member]

Its done all the time in business without issue.

Would I use such a large cutter, likely not. The biggest issue is going to be cutter flex for HS followed by column flex and play in the machine which could cause grab, at which point no matter how you hold it something is going to give.