Thread: Ideas for work holding small round parts

A small V block in a vice works for me, If I don't want to damage the part I use small pieces of brass/aluminium as spacers.

But I think Ewans suggestion of a collet block would be a useful accoutrement, but I would go for ER collect block like these. I have been thinking of making a pair.

-Josh

Originally Posted by Brobdingnagian

A small V block in a vice works for me, If I don't want to damage the part I use small pieces of brass/aluminium as spacers.

But I think Ewans suggestion of a collet block would be a useful accoutrement, but I would go for ER collect block like these. I have been thinking of making a pair.

-Josh

I had not even thought of making a set of those, think of all the grinding needed to do so.....weeeeeeeeeeee!

I actually bought a pair of second hand 5C blocks from the US, they were cheap and fitted in the box with some other stuff (a Suburban sine plate) But of course i have no 5C collets. Another thing to add to the list.....

Collets are designed to grip work tight and accurate. Essentially they are multi jaw chucks. I skipped the 4 jaw.

You are obviously taking more care with the leveling feet for your mill. I used 4 X 25mm nuts welded to the base of the frame to support directly under the mill and 4 X 16mm nuts for the end of the cupboard support. The cupboard is about 1300mm long. Square plates with sockets welded on and threaded rod to suit the nuts with 12mm nuts welded on top for adjustment. I have heaps of 12mm nuts. If your 12mm legs will support 450kg I guess that mine will be okay. My mill is about the same weight. Just a matter of using what I have.

Dean

Originally Posted by Ueee

I had not even thought of making a set of those, think of all the grinding needed to do so.....weeeeeeeeeeee!

I actually bought a pair of second hand 5C blocks from the US, they were cheap and fitted in the box with some other stuff (a Suburban sine plate) But of course i have no 5C collets. Another thing to add to the list.....

Weeeeee... indeed. You would be able to grind a nice hex with the suburban sine plate.

Do you have a heat source like a small blow torch?

Soft solder it onto a bigger bit of steel or brass; something that you jam into your dividing head jaws with impunity or clamp down onto a drill table. Once the work is done sweat it off and polish off any residual solder.

As an apprentice this was a method beaten into me for a multitude of uses.

Originally Posted by Ueee

I figured no lathe= no 4 jaw......
Do your ER chucks have flats for a spanner, the MT ones i have do. I'd try to clamp the flats somehow. Or get one to go in your RT's center taper, and bolt it in place from the back.
Ew

Yeah, I do not have a 4 jaw. I considered purchasing one, but thought it would be overkill. I like the idea of clamping the flats. This is another good idea. The only issue here will be if the ER chuck flats are higher than the vise jaws. I will have to check that one. My Vertex anglock has a clear area under the jaws, but it then has a cast piece. I will have to have a look/see.

Originally Posted by Brobdingnagian

A small V block in a vice works for me, If I don't want to damage the part I use small pieces of brass/aluminium as spacers.

But I think Ewans suggestion of a collet block would be a useful accoutrement, but I would go for ER collect block like these. I have been thinking of making a pair.
-Josh

Josh, these look brilliant. I am going to order a set for ER25 and ER32. I hope to have the part finished before these arrive, but they will no doubt come in handy on my next project.

Originally Posted by Oldneweng

Collets are designed to grip work tight and accurate. Essentially they are multi jaw chucks. I skipped the 4 jaw.

You are obviously taking more care with the leveling feet for your mill. I used 4 X 25mm nuts welded to the base of the frame to support directly under the mill and 4 X 16mm nuts for the end of the cupboard support. The cupboard is about 1300mm long. Square plates with sockets welded on and threaded rod to suit the nuts with 12mm nuts welded on top for adjustment. I have heaps of 12mm nuts. If your 12mm legs will support 450kg I guess that mine will be okay. My mill is about the same weight. Just a matter of using what I have.

Dean

Dean, I am not sure you would call it "care" on my part. M12 is what the machine stand takes and is also the same stud as the Hafco feet. I am making an adapter plate to fit some Carrymaster leveling castors. I purchased the M12 variety from them, but what arrived was a flat base set with no stud. They do not stock the M12 and warned it would be expensive to get them..

Originally Posted by variant22

Yeah, I do not have a 4 jaw. I considered purchasing one, but thought it would be overkill. I like the idea of clamping the flats. This is another good idea. The only issue here will be if the ER chuck flats are higher than the vise jaws. I will have to check that one. My Vertex anglock has a clear area under the jaws, but it then has a cast piece. I will have to have a look/see.


Josh, these look brilliant. I am going to order a set for ER25 and ER32. I hope to have the part finished before these arrive, but they will no doubt come in handy on my next project.


Dean, I am not sure you would call it "care" on my part. M12 is what the machine stand takes and is also the same stud as the Hafco feet. I am making an adapter plate to fit some Carrymaster leveling castors. I purchased the M12 variety from them, but what arrived was a flat base set with no stud. They do not stock the M12 and warned it would be expensive to get them..

I was too tight to buy the stand, but my cupboard is eventually going to hold a heap of tooling etc. At the moment it is mostly holding dust but it will come. I am slowly working my way around the shed getting it in order. When the floor is clear of stuff I will start a thread.

Dean

I have seen 'V' blocks break when clamped around stock like that so be careful in how much pressure yu apply.
You could get two pieces of suitable stock and clamp them together with a thin piece of shim between them then drill a hole down the through the shimmmed join to suit the piece you want to hold.
Remove the shim and clamp these and the piece to be tapped in the vice on the mill.
Bad drawing supplied.

Phil
IMG_3970.jpg

if your using 1.75 mm pitch,you could safely take the tapping drill hole out to 10.50mm or 27/64" with no problem.

Originally Posted by variant22

Josh, these look brilliant. I am going to order a set for ER25 and ER32. I hope to have the part finished before these arrive, but they will no doubt come in handy on my next project.

Cool, take pics when they land, I may end up changing my mind about making them at that price. -Josh

variant22,
Another method for you to think about that I have used successfully. Get a large hexagon nut that you can bore out to snug fit over the large diameter of your part, cut it through lengthwise in one side only with a hacksaw,remove all the burrs on the inside and then put the assembly back in your three jaw chuck, you will have increased you grip on the shaft by several fold. Also as has been suggested increase your drill tapping size hole and use a good quality tapping fluid.
Bob

And we have a winner...

er25_work_holding.jpg carrymaster_mounts.jpg carrymaster_retrofit.jpg

Although, it did not all go to plan. Tapping in with the tapping head went fine. As soon as it needed to reverse the part spun. I had it spin a couple of times in the ER25 with a 14mm collet. I will admit I did not tighten it to the extreme.. The holes are near perfect though. I was surprised it never wrecked a single thread when it spun and had to be manually removed. My Emuge tap also still looks perfect!

Whilst I do not think the way I got it done was the best method, it did the job. I ordered some of those John Stephenson collet blocks, which would have been much better. Wedging bits of wood into my vise and hanging the ER25 chuck arbor through the base was not one of my finest moments. I think some emery paper would have gone a long way, and also the idea of a hole in some stock, with a clamping slot would have also done the trick. The parts still need a clean up to remove the edges, and also cut the sharp corners off the plates.

I think we might need a permanant thread titled "Show your fixtures". It's a fascinating art.