First method, use Bendalloy. It's a low temperature melt metal that slightly expands as it cools. Make a box mold by putting parallels or scrap metal around your part. Hold the parallels in place with modeling clay. The work table can be the bottom of the box. Set your part in the box and pour the Bendalloy around it. When it cools, it will grab your part tightly. Now you can handle the Bendalloy and part as if it were one unit with square sides. When finished, put the part into melted Bendalloy. The Bendalloy around your part will melt and you can lift your part free. The stuff doesn't stick to the part.
Second method, cut blocks of hardwood to loosely fit around your part. Put a single layer of masking tape on the clean part and on the machine table where you will be clamping. Mix automotive body filler. Butter the edges of the wood where it will touch the part and the table. Gently slide the wood into place, squeezing the body filler slightly. If mixed properly, the filler should be hard in 15 minutes. Now the part is stuck to the table. Try to put at least one clamp on the part and block the part in place by clamping scrap metal around it. You'd be surprised how heavy a cut you can take on it. When finished, remove all the clamps and use a hammer to shock the part loose from the table. Knock loose as much as possible from the part and get the rest off by peeling the tape.
Method two can be used to hold a piece so large that you can't get clamps on it. Put small wooden blocks all around the sides of the table, to hold the bottom of the part. Think of trying to cut a feature in the middle of a 2' x 4' plate on a Bridgeport.
Gene Bowen
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