Making V-Blocks

[Ginger Nut]

I am on making V-blocks the block is 55x65x140L I will cut into two.
I have already marked out everything drilled at the bottom of both V's and milled out the clamp slots on the sides. The ML7 vertical mill is a great attachment as are my hold down clamps.

I am cutting two V's one large one small. Large will be approx 1" deep, small approx 1/2 deep.

My dill-ema is in doing the V's.

In all my web searches on making V-blocks each one I find has either another set of V-blocks to set the angles with for milling or an inclination/angled vice.

To do this without using the above I have so far come up with.

1 Hand cut rough the V then mill on the ML7 to finish

2 Use the 4x6 BS in vertical mod again rough cut and mill

I still need a way to mount and clamp the block on the lathe to mill it.

Any suggestions




 

[chipenter]

Either turn the virtical slide to 45 degrees or clamp the block in a vice at 45 , and use an end mill .

[chipenter]

Have look at Harold Halls web site ,

[SwarfnStuff]

  Harold Hall's method will work, his books are a great source of helpful info.
At a pinch, if you can mill your hold down slots by holding in the vise first, these can then be used to clamp the block to the table. Then, If you can mill a slot (Say 3 or 4mm) to the depth you want your vee it is possible to use a woodworking carbide edged 45 deg Vee cutter to cut the groove. This must be in very gradual increases of depth with lubricant. Of course you may prefer to get a milling vee cutter. But if you already have the woodworking cutter It will work. At least in my opinion.    -- I have used woodworking bits in the past but admittedly only in aluminium. So something for you to think about.
John B

[PekkaNF]

It would be nice to have a some sort of template.

How accurate you need?

Just for fun/looks_
http://www.craftsmanspace.com/sites/default/files/free-knowledge-articles/steel_square_layout_45.jpg
Or 3-4-5 formula and then establish 45 degree within this triangle once you have a square.


You need a method of checking accuracy, if you want any decree of certainty. Therefore I bought mine V-bloks, because they are used fairly often.

There are some disc/button or template/pin methods that will allow you to verify by measurement that you are reaching the accuracy for setup like using a sine bar without sinebar. I tried to google it, but didn't figure out correct catchphrase.

Pekka

[Ginger Nut]

Either turn the virtical slide to 45 degrees or clamp the block in a vice at 45 , and use an end mill .

Thanks Jeff it was one I had thought of but had forgotten if you know what I mean. I think because vertical travel of the Myford  milling attachment just misses out on full length buy 10mm. I'll double check it again.

Have look at Harold Halls web site ,

Jeff Harold Hall has been an inspiration for many years (wish I had taken on machining when i first read his articles way back in ME mags as a kid) This set up wouldn't work as the block is 140 long plenty of cross slide travel but holding it at 45deg is the main problem using what I have. Yes I might just have to beg borrow or buy something to do the job.

  Harold Hall's method will work, his books are a great source of helpful info. John see above answer re-Harold

At a pinch, if you can mill your hold down slots by holding in the vise first, these can then be used to clamp the block to the table. My slots aready done 3/8x3/8
 Then, If you can mill a slot (Say 3 or 4mm) to the depth you want your vee it is possible to use a woodworking carbide edged 45 deg Vee cutter to cut the groove. These I have I was concerned as to the safety with this but I suppose if light  cuts it could be my answer

This must be in very gradual increases of depth with lubricant. Of course you may prefer to get a milling vee cutter. John my sons has been checking in his new job sales rep for such tooling  so far nothing to suit even our best machining supplier house no longer has them
But if you already have the woodworking cutter It will work. At least in my opinion.    -- I have used woodworking bits in the past but admittedly only in aluminium. So something for you to think about.
John B

Thanks John will consider this approach for sure. I have end mills its the set up to hold thats the main worry.

It would be nice to have a some sort of template.

How accurate you need?

Just for fun/looks_
http://www.craftsmanspace.com/sites/default/files/free-knowledge-articles/steel_square_layout_45.jpg
Or 3-4-5 formula and then establish 45 degree within this triangle once you have a square.


You need a method of checking accuracy, if you want any decree of certainty. Therefore I bought mine V-bloks, because they are used fairly often.

There are some disc/button or template/pin methods that will allow you to verify by measurement that you are reaching the accuracy for setup like using a sine bar without sinebar. I tried to google it, but didn't figure out correct catchphrase.

Pekka

Thanks Pekka as close as I can get with accuracy as not to be annoying to me every time I look a or use them. I will only ever use them for model engineering or making tooling for my woodworking and Ornamental Turning. .005th would be nice if I can achieve it LOL I can dream.

[Lew_Merrick_PE]

One of my slick tricks to make angle blocks is to dress a piece of 5/16 inch (8 mm) plate flat and to (say) .290 inch (7.4 mm) thick and drill & ream PF dowel pin holes such that I bound my desired angle.  Then, using the dowel pins to register against a parallel's edge, I mill all three sides of my angle block to an appropriate & equal offset from the center of the dowel pins.

I often drill & ream SF (ø.125) dowel pin holes down the centerline of the hypotenuse of the angle block such that I can insert a dowel pin as a position stop for my work.

As I have a good set of TravaDials on my mill, I can locate my hole positions within .0005 in (call it 0.01 mm) diametral to my desired dimensions.  This gives me very accurate angles to use in my set-ups.  As I have been doing this for several decades (don't ask me how many), I have quite a few such angle blocks in my collection.  I steel stamp the angle on them and store them (wrapped in paper towels in baggies) in a box near my mill.

[Arbalist]

Do you mean like this?



For speed and convenience I drew up a chart.

[Ginger Nut]

 

Some great tips here gents all taken in and will ad to others I have had using what I have got at hand.......doig it the hard way seems to be my thing.

Pics of the block/s and it mounted for milling of the Clamp slots, Everything was triple checked before turning on the lathe tightness and clearance all round.

Its a shame the length of the block as it is will not go vertical as the milling attachment will swivel to 45degs but sadly not enough lift or drop to mill the whole lot without re positioning it.

 

[Ginger Nut]

No I haven't given up or ditched the project just other things taken precedent.


Anyhow mate was here this morning and brought with him a little gift, if it was to suitable and would work it was mine. 

This has sat in the cupboard at his work for 10 years never been used. Ken cleaned it up as it looked manky?.....oiled etc.

  20mm to high and thats with the swivel base removed Ken suggested a few things, I looked at everything, every which way 

Still the offer was to borrow it if need be or if I finally given in I can take it in  and Ken will use it on their Bridgeport.