Model Engine Maker
Help! => Hints, Tips & Tricks => Topic started by: mklotz on April 28, 2023, 10:14:14 PM
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The metalworking fora are rife with folks complaining about tools broken while trying to drill or tap 1-2-3 blocks so they can be connected with fasteners. This idea provides a simple, yet elegant, work around that solves the problem without the need to modify the blocks.
I'm mad at myself for not having thought of this approach. It's a perfect example of form-follows-function design.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQezV-E1kMk
These are available from Amazon...
https://www.amazon.com/123-Blocks-Attachment-Hardware-Kit/dp/B09V44FB6M/
or directly from the maker...
https://taytools.com/collections/123-block/products/123-block-attachment-hardware-kit
I bought a set from Amazon. They needed a little loving lathe attention to fit with my blocks but they work as advertised and are really a neat solution to the problem.
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Brilliant! Been there, gave up, never thought of this.
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That is a very cool idea! Thanks for posting that, Marv!
Kim
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Or you can buy blocks that have the correct clearance hole for the size of the threaded holes. Tend to be metric so may not interest those over the pond. they also come in a good range of sizes. Better than form following initial bad design
(https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/sites/7/images/member_albums/44290/923921.jpg)
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Jason wins he has more than anyone else :o
Jo
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Clever stuff, and I have a pair of blocks, but most of the time I use these welders' magnets! :old:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/310178402099?hash=item483812cf33:g:L38AAOSw7ZBkPoUv&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAAwCAaxs7CfW51m9liLVMLZeKatDm6HUlFiE%2BqYfoOR4ApICsT%2FWh%2FBquHGF7lZsZxj7fTSJLqajkfwQVzUPy%2BE0cDeW80AQaoPDGXJC9IZoF003Ylmao%2B7ZLzcOUCtrpN%2FdCRuErM6AZcBNSfk1eSHejvClc9FCCOu3TSGiv9AuIPCrw8Xh%2FECaaJs1UWY5VmCXNIuMvh0zG9HECS46ZJ0%2BXmNkHOCn6%2BvAzhnIgB5E3uWqDxoV8cUzOGEy6MMiZpMg%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_inzcj5YQ
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Jason wins he has more than anyone else :o
Jo
I've more than that but did not want to show off :-[
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As everyone else said:
"Why Didn't I think of that?" :facepalm:
FYI: I ordered some of the metric blocks from Arc Euro a few years ago and they are made soft enough to drill. Don't know if that's still true.
ShopShoe
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Yes they are hardened but not cutting too hard.
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This has nothing to do with lashing two blocks together. Nevertheless, I thought I'd throw it in here since it's an unusual use of the blocks.
Many hobby machinists have 1-2-3 blocks. They're often used as spacers and supports but it's less often that they are used as measuring tools. Here I discuss such a use.
Everyone knows that to measure a taper, one needs to measure the diameter at two points separated by a precisely known distance. The exact separation is not important but it must be known precisely to produce precise results. Many taper standards exist and often the differences are tiny so precise measurement is important in order to distinguish between similar tapers.
Support the taper vertically (in the photos I propped the drill against one of my height gauges) and lay a 1-2-3 block on each side with the 1" dimension vertical. Lay your calipers on the blocks and close them against the taper. Record the caliper measurement as D1. In the photo below, my caliper is reading D1 = 0.614" against a taper known to me to be a Morse #2.
Now repeat the procedure but this time lay the blocks so the 2" dimension is vertical. Here my caliper is reading D2 = 0.664".
We now have two diameter measurements separated by precisely one inch. The taper is then calculated as:
Taper (in/in) = (D2 - D1) / 1 = (0.664 - 0.614) / 1 = 0.05 in/in
If you look up the spec for a MT2 in your references, you'll find that it's..., wait for it... 0.050 in/in.
There are other ways to do this, of course. You could build an attachment to mount your calipers on a height gauge and use the latter to establish the measurement separation or mount the calipers to a lathe carriage fitted with a DRO and hold the taper to be measured in the lathe chuck.
But I prefer my approach. It's simple and requires a minimum of equipment. Plus, it provides a satisfying opportunity to use one of the most under-used tools in the shop, 1-2-3 blocks.
Of course, this technique requires blocks that are on size. Check yours before using. Even if they're not precisely on-size, the technique can be used but you'll need to calculate the actual separation between the two measurements.
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Great technique Marv! :ThumbsUp:
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Yes, Thank You Marv,
ShopShoe
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Potentially Off-Topic: Skip if you want.
I also have a set of 1-2-3 blocks with only one hole in the center of the 2 x 3 side that I use mostly for layout and setup. Occasionally they show up on sale from my vendors here in the USA.
I have sometimes wished for 1-2-6 blocks or maybe 1/2-2-3 or 1/4-2-3 blocks when making jigs. Does anyone think such things could be made from easily-available metal without hardening or without heat-treating abilities?
ShopShoe
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...
I have sometimes wished for 1-2-6 blocks or maybe 1/2-2-3 or 1/4-2-3 blocks when making jigs. Does anyone think such things could be made from easily-available metal without hardening or without heat-treating abilities?
I made a set of half-sized blocks - 123/2 blocks. Not high accuracy but close enough for the work I do.
They've been useful several times already. I just realized that, now that I have the block attachment kit, all I have to do is tap some 8-32 holes into the 123/2 blocks and I'll be able to attach them directly to the full size 1-2-3 blocks.
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A few pieces of ground flat stock cut into suitable lengths will soon give you blocks of smaller sizes. For a long time I just used pieces of bright flat mild steel bar 3/8 x 3/4 and 1/2 x 1" all around 3" long which served me well a parallel, packers etc
The metric ones come as below which is quite a useful spread
10-20-40
15-30-60
20-40-80