POTD- PROJECT OF THE DAY: What Did You Make In Your Shop Today?

[Just for fun]

Hold it in a vice and pop a level on the top. If you haven't levelled your machine, pop the level on the bed and note the position of the bubble and use the position as a reference. I use a Starrett 135A pocket level, it is accurate to 17 / 21 minutes, you will be surprised how accurate it is. I wouldn't be without one.

I'll look into getting one of those levels.

I put theV blocks on their side against the fixed jaw, put the material in, then the material in against, and the moveable jaw holding it into the v.
I would leave a little hanging out the side to be able to run an edge finder against it.

I had the part between the two V blocks once, but no room to drill. Obviously, I didn't think about putting them on one side.

Thanks for the replies everyone, I appreciate all the ideas.

 

[extropic]

I have a question though, how would you hold the handle to drill and tap it?

Nice looking project, and you'll use it many times.

There are many ways to hold it. If I wanted to use the V blocks, I would replace the extra long clamp screws with some setscrews or socket head cap screws of a more friendly length. I would use a piece of material under the clamp screws to protect the workpiece. I think I would elevate the V blocks, on parallels so the clamps were above the vise jaws, and clamp directly on the the V blocks.

Actually, I think I would have squeezed it between two 1/8" pieced of aluminum, elevated on a wide parallel near the top of the vise jaws. Slide out the parallel before drilling through. The V blocks just add complexity.

 

[Just for fun]

Nice looking project, and you'll use it many times.

There are many ways to hold it. If I wanted to use the V blocks, I would replace the extra long clamp screws with some setscrews or socket head cap screws of a more friendly length. I would use a piece of material under the clamp screws to protect the workpiece. I think I would elevate the V blocks, on parallels so the clamps were above the vise jaws, and clamp directly on the the V blocks.

Actually, I think I would have squeezed it between two 1/8" pieced of aluminum, elevated on a wide parallel near the top of the vise jaws. Slide out the parallel before drilling through. The V blocks just add complexity.

Thanks for the pro tip, the one thing you mention is protecting the piece with aluminum. I need to do that more as I have noticed several nicks, scratches and marks not only on the handle but a few of the other thing I have made.

Now I need to shop for some wide parallels. More tools. LOL

 

[Parlo]

I'll look into getting one of those levels.


I had the part between the two V blocks once, but no room to drill. Obviously, I didn't think about putting them on one side.

Thanks for the replies everyone, I appreciate all the ideas.

Find the edge of the fixed jaw then pop the vee blocks against the moveable jaw and the part on the fixed jaw, then move the radius of the part.
Or, hold the part on its ends if you don't have a vee block.

 

[extropic]

Now I need to shop for some wide parallels. More tools. LOL

Sorry buddy, LOL. I didn't mean to push you into buying more tooling. Not that it takes more than a slight touch, LOL.

I mentioned 'wide' parallel because it can be a bit fiddly to support your part, tangent to a thin parallel, along it's full length. 1/2" wide parallel, no problem.

Collecting an assortment of HSS lathe tool bits (square and rectangular) is an easy way to have durable (hard) blocks on hand for shimming set-ups. Ground HSS tool bits are usually fairly parallel. I'll never have a lathe that can carry 1" square tools but I've bought a few (tool bits) when they've shown up at attractive prices.

 

[ChazzC]

Thanks for the pro tip, the one thing you mention is protecting the piece with aluminum. I need to do that more as I have noticed several nicks, scratches and marks not only on the handle but a few of the other thing I have made.

Now I need to shop for some wide parallels. More

Sorry buddy, LOL. I didn't mean to push you into buying more tooling. Not that it takes more than a slight touch, LOL.

I mentioned 'wide' parallel because it can be a bit fiddly to support your part, tangent to a thin parallel, along it's full length. 1/2" wide parallel, no problem.

Collecting an assortment of HSS lathe tool bits (square and rectangular) is an easy way to have durable (hard) blocks on hand for shimming set-ups. Ground HSS tool bits are usually fairly parallel. I'll never have a lathe that can carry 1" square tools but I've bought a few (tool bits) when they've shown up at attractive prices.

I've used 1/8" to 1/2" HSS lathe blanks for years for a range of work supporting. I recently added a "set" of 8mm wide x 100mm +/- long 12/14/16/18/20mm tall parallels made from 8mm x 200mm x (size) blanks, using a 4-1/2" angle grinder to cut them to length and my 2" x 42" belt sander to square up the ends. I also made a pair of 18mm x 18mm x 100mm parallels just because I came across a 200mm long blank at a good price. The wide parallels are very handy, particularly when supporting a workpiece held on the mill table.

 

[wachuko]

Finally... I can call this one DONE!

 

[Steve-F]

That turned out Really Nice Jaime!!

 

[wachuko]

That turned out Really Nice Jaime!!

Thank you. Learned a lot from that project.

 

[Eyerelief]

Finally... I can call this one DONE!

That looks great. I built one a while back. I find I use my drill press more often now because the vise is much more convenient than a typical drill press vise.