Convenience shim for holddown bolt for CNC 3018

thingiverse

If you're like me, when you saw the hold-down bolts and wing-nuts supplied with your CNC 3018, you probably thought to yourself "really?" When tightened down, the wing-nuts make the washers slide off the piece, causing a serious problem during cuts. So, you likely scoured your workshop for a suitable piece of wood that's just the right height yet small enough not to interfere with the frame as it moves. There are some better alternatives available online that feature an arm, but they limit the width of the workpiece, effectively turning your 3018 into a 2518. Using this clever shim, you can position a hold-down bolt very close to the edge. Combine the shim with the bolt, washer, and wing-nut to prevent the washer from sliding off. (Place it on the opposite side of the workpiece from the bolt, using a step about the same height as in the picture.) To create a left or right version, simply mirror the design.