# What do you use really big parallels for?



## Aaron_W (Dec 9, 2020)

Actually maybe a better question is what do you use parallels for other than part of work holding in a vise, or as a basic but effective gauge block (they are a known size item).

I got a pair of large parallels approximately 1.5x2x12" in with a batch of tooling. A quick pricing on eBay says these run $100-200 which means they are one of those things I'd probably never buy, but obviously there is some sort of use for them, not something weird that somebody just made up in their shop.

Other than using with a really big mill, or maybe a precision straight edge (would you need 2 for that?) what would somebody use parallels this big for? 
They came out of a shop with a Clausing mill and small horizontal mill, so they were probably not being used as milling parallels.


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## NCjeeper (Dec 9, 2020)

I have some like that. I use them in my shaper vise.


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## benmychree (Dec 9, 2020)

I use parallels that big in my shaper; how's things Aaron?  We came all to close to disaster in the Glass fire.
John


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## 682bear (Dec 9, 2020)

At one time we had a parallel (just one) at work that was probably 2x2x48 inches... we used it as a reference surface on the vertical turret lathes to measure drop dimensions on some of the jet engine cases.

-Bear


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## benmychree (Dec 9, 2020)

When I had my business, I made a pair of parallels to use on my horizontal boring mill that were 3 X 4 X 36", they were cast iron with about 1/2" wall thickness, made from castings that I made patterns and core boxes for and had cast by Ridge Foundry near the Oakland airport, they were machined on a small planer, then ground to finish.


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## mmcmdl (Dec 9, 2020)

Think of them as set-up blocks and they can be used for just about anything on a mill . I have plenty of larger sets that I use on the BP table to level out lengthy stock when using the vise . They also come in handy on a surface grinder at times . Any hardened and ground stock is a useful addition to a shop . You just never know when they'll come in handy . 

We also had some very large hardened and ground parallels that were used on the Blanchard grinders . Made it easy to get large depth mics in position without having to mic down to the mag table .


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## BGHansen (Dec 9, 2020)

You could use them to tram in a vise on the mill.  The jaws can get little dings in them making the DTI jump a bit.  I run twin vises on my Tormach and tram them using something similar (an 18" long gauge block).  

Bruce


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## Dave Smith (Dec 10, 2020)

they can be used when using two vices on a mill table. 
Dave


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## Braeden P (Dec 10, 2020)

I went to a old iron store full of goodies and I picked up a 3 inch tall 1 inch wide and 8 inches long I said to the owner of the store 'this is big' he just said 'thats small you should see the ones ive got in the barn' did not go in the barn because he did not have time really want to go back to see what is in the barn but it is by apointment only.


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## Aaron_W (Dec 10, 2020)

Ok, so I guess there are several uses for larger very flat things. I never would have thought about running 2 vises, but that makes sense.



benmychree said:


> I use parallels that big in my shaper; how's things Aaron?  We came all to close to disaster in the Glass fire.
> John



Doing well, after many months I'm finally starting to get back down into the shop. 
Fires were just insane this year and as you know it wasn't just one, for a while there were fires north, east and south of us. Have to be thankful for the Pacific Ocean or we would have been surrounded.


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## MrWhoopee (Dec 11, 2020)

Large parallels can be useful when clamping large parts to the mill table. I have a pair of Anton brand 5/8 x 1-1/4 x 8 that are great for aligning parts with a t-slot on the mill.


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