Tooling block

[mklotz]

If you thought that buying a set of castings for an engine would simplify your life by now you've learned that castings can be a real bear to hold - especially so when you're trying to machine orthogonal features.

I solved some of these problems by building a tooling block that is, in effect a strap-on set of reference surfaces for small castings.



The block is sized to fit into my milling vise in all three orientations.  It has T-slots sized to fit a range of miniature clamps I made.  Most importantly, two adjacent faces have provision for removable fences.  In place, they really help in getting things lined up and constrained while the clamps are set.  Once the clamps are set they can be removed so milling operations can "go off the end" without chewing up a fence.

A non-obvious advantage of this system is that mounting and aligning the workpiece can be done sitting at the comfort of the workbench after which the whole affair can be dropped into the milling vise.

[90LX_Notch]

Marv-

I like this setup very much.  As my friends and I say-"That's a homerun."  I'll have to get a t-slot cutter and make one.

Thanks.

-Bob

[mklotz]

You can make a T-slot cutter by grinding down an old endmill.  Remove the bulk  of the slot material with a conventional endmill and then use the reground endmill to form the undercuts.

You can also use a Woodruff keyseat cutter to form the undercuts.

When forming the undercuts, it's easy for the cutter to pull out of whatever is holding it.  DAMHIKT.  Grind a Weldon-like slot in the cutter shaft and use a setscrew to secure it (or just use a Weldon style holder if you have one of the right size).

[tel]

Nice one Marv! Another 'must 'ave' for the list. I take it those semi circular clamps just have a slot cut in the top?
 
For the less adventurous, a block with a few rows of closely spaced tapped holes would serve just as well.

[zeeprogrammer]

It's these kind of posts that show how much fun it is to make tools too.

[mklotz]

Nice one Marv! Another 'must 'ave' for the list. I take it those semi circular clamps just have a slot cut in the top?
 
For the less adventurous, a block with a few rows of closely spaced tapped holes would serve just as well.

Yes, I always save my pipe and tube cutoffs.  Chop 'em up and make simple clamps.  Also, the arched design does away with the need for step blocks in most setups.  Aluminum tube won't mark the workpiece.

Rows of holes are fine but, in my case, there never seems to be one where I need it.  T-slots take a bit more time but I think they're more flexible.  I don't mind the extra time to make them on a piece of tooling I'll use for a long time.  Each to his own.

[Don1966]

Thanks Marv another one on my list of tools to make.

Don

[Pete49]

Just as I was catching up and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel Marv throws another job onto the list
Thanks for that Marv a great idea
Pete

[Arbalest]

Neat Marv, particularly like the fence idea.

[vcutajar]

Marv

What a fine idea.  I wish I had that tool earlier on.  What is the material you used - brass or aluminium?

Vince

[mklotz]

This view of the block shows it looking a bit more like the conventional finger plate



If you're thinking about making one of these, consider adding the miniature V-blocks shown.  They have a tongue on the bottom that auto-aligns them when placed in the T-slot.

Also note the two separated fingers on the shown clamp.  Drilling in the space between them ensures that the stock won't accidentally be tilted thus producing a tilted hole.  The pointed finger on the other end of the clamp is handy for getting into corners.

Before someone asks, the micro adjustable step block is made up of brass key tags.  Somehow I collected far too many of them to ever use in the intended way so I sacrificed a few to make this contraption.

Not visible in the photos is a tapped hole near the bottom of the block that allows me to fit a small stop so the block can be removed from the mill vise and replaced exactly.

Vince,

The block is aluminum simply because I had a chunk of about the right size.  Brass in that size would require a mortgage on the house.  Steel or cast iron would be fine.