Leggos for Machinists

[RJSakowski]

Indeed, RJ, your solution is an excellent one. I will have to make some of those connectors and get the versatility that you have discovered. But still, why don't we see manufacturers out there looking to corner the market (at least temporarily) with improved designs? Seems like a no-brainer to me.

My guess is that the part is more expensive to make the way that Renzetti did and that the manufacturers don't see the market for upscale 1-2-3 blocks tro justify the effort. My observation is that the Chinese are excellent at copying things but not the best at innovation. If someone were to send them one of the improved blocks, they would have copies out the next day.

 

[RJSakowski]

BTW, the Chinese are actively trying to change that paradigm. Once they learn how to innovate, we will be in deep doo doo.

 

[middle.road]

Actually, the Renzetti blocks are a superior design and far more functional than the traditional blocks but unfortunately, they are not commercially available. Making our own blocks would require one to have access to a mill, heat treating facilities, and a surface grinder which is not feasible for most of of us.

The Asian block are what they are. My blocks were only a few dollars each and, IMO, a great bargain. My solution allows all holes to be used and for a couple of pennies per block and some lathe time, a great way to increase the utility of a 1-2-3 block.

You left out the part about skill and talent.
I'd probably end up with trapezoidal shaped blocks,off by several thousandths in every direction.

 

[Cadillac]

Manufacturers make them I think people run when they see the prices. Suburban tools has then 200 for 123, 400 for 234,and 600 for 246.
The tapped hole ones that most people have are used for bolting to a face plate angled plate or fixture not for building blocks. That’s what the countersunk through hole ones are for.

 

[petertha]

I tried playing around with a Renzetti-esque non-external-protrusion idea I had bouncing around my head using classic offshore 123 'botched blocks' LOL. I didn't take a picture of the 123 stack-up but I can if anyone is interested. The sketches better show the intent. Basically a through hole dowel pin and a threaded dowel pin. They can be one hole width apart regardless of stack-up orientation.

Well, that was CAD world where everything looks good. In reality its a bit fiddly to position them in the block holes & aligning the fastener holes. A skewer stick worked well. But the bigger thing is the clamping doesn't feel very positive. I suspect this related to pin tangents on hole tangents makes for little contact area and a bit of position sliding until they are cinched secure.

 

[petertha]

My apologies to whoever developed this idea. I snagged the picture but not the link. From what I can tell, inserts are threaded into the existing 123 block holes utilizing the chamfer to seat, presumably with head under the surface. But I also see what looks like similar cross dowels to my attempt?

What I'd like to try next is a threaded stud like shown, but it has internal (say 8-32) thread like mine. Then the opposing faster would have 8-32 male thread but the same flat head, sub-flush geometry. But then you would need 3 lengths for each (1-2-3) configuration depending on stack-up. I tried different off the shelf flat head fasteners & they don't fit too well and/or the thread shank becomes too large. Nuts. I guess I'm going to ask Santa for an oven, surface grinder and a 2 by 4 of tool steel. LOL