Vee Blocks - why am I seeing a mismatch?

[prasad]

Guys,

I acquired a pair of used Vee Blocks. They looked good to me initially. I stacked them together and they looked fine. I turned one of them around and stacked them again. I noticed a possible issue. The outer edges matched well but the slot inside did not. I am posting three photos. The last picture shows the mismatched groove/slot with a circle drawn around the mismatched edges.

I also looked at the clamp that holds the part down for drilling. The clamping bolt is not centered precisely. It looks like it was designed this way intentionally. I have seen some videos and tried to understand vee blocks but obviously I have missed something.

Please help me understand this.

Thanks
Prasad
Wynnewood PA

 

[JimDawson]

It looks like they are just poorly made, but it looks like the working surfaces line up OK. The slots are just clearance and not important.

 

[Bill C.]

Guys,

I acquired a pair of used Vee Blocks. They looked good to me initially. I stacked them together and they looked fine. I turned one of them around and stacked them again. I noticed a possible issue. The outer edges matched well but the slot inside did not. I am posting three photos. The last picture shows the mismatched groove/slot with a circle drawn around the mismatched edges.

I also looked at the clamp that holds the part down for drilling. The clamping bolt is not centered precisely. It looks like it was designed this way intentionally. I have seen some videos and tried to understand vee blocks but obviously I have missed something.

Please help me understand this.

Thanks
Prasad
Wynnewood PA

They look shop made. Probably a apprentice project. Meant to be used one at a time.

 

[EmilioG]

I use Brown & Sharpe V blocks that are matched and numbered.
They seem to be made at one time when they are cut and ground
so they match perfectly. These don't look matched, could be two blocks
from two different sets. This is why I buy matched pairs only.
New B&S V blocks have numbers on them now.

 

[prasad]

It looks like they are just poorly made, but it looks like the working surfaces line up OK. The slots are just clearance and not important.

Jim,

OK, thank you. That could be true. I bought them used. I had forgotten to add that they are magnetic, not very strong like a magnetic block for DTI. They stick to one another in one direction and the slots get aligned. The other way they do not stick and slot gets misaligned as in the third photo I shared. They do not show any magnetic repulsion though.

Regards
Prasad

 

[Bill Gruby]

One thing everyone overlooked. If you bought them used they may just be two different blocks, not a matched set at all.

"Billy G"

 

[cathead]

You could square them up in the mill and cut them so the outside dimensions
are the same. Then mill them both off in a vice set to 45 degrees in one
set up and they would be a lot better. The clamps are not as critical since
their only function is to hold the work.

One thing everyone overlooked. If you bought them used they may just be two different blocks, noty a matched set at all.

"Billy G"

 

[Andre]

You could square them up in the mill and cut them so the outside dimensions
are the same. Then mill them both off in a vice set to 45 degrees in one
set up and they would be a lot better. The clamps are not as critical since
their only function is to hold the work.

His V blocks are 99% most likely hardened, and you need quite a stout mill to hard mill (60RC?) tool steel. They however could be surface ground, but if it's only the slot relief that doesn't match they will still work perfectly fine for work over 1/4" or so. Too small of work and it falls into the corners of the uneven clearance slot. (You can use Trigonometry to find out what the smallest work you can use in those blocks, but I can't help you there :biggrin

If you have a dial indicator and surface plate, place a 3/8" hardened pin or endmill shank in the block, zero your indicator to the top of the pin, then do the same for your other block. That's called a comparative measurement, not reading the height but comparing the two. If they are within your shop tolerance your golden

 

[Andre]

Also, if you look at the wear lines in the block you'll notice a few match up, so at one time they might have been used in pairs.

 

[stupoty]

They look shop made. Probably a apprentice project. Meant to be used one at a time.

Ive seen vee blocks for sale indevidualy, mighht not be a matched pair.

as somone else said the working surfaces look close, can you lay a round bar on the pair and get it to seat well?

Stuart