What affordable material for parallels?

[C-Bag]

I have gotten some really nice old parallels of eBay too that were in really nice shape. And even if they are not I guess you can regrind them. All mine needed was some stoning and they were good to go.

 

[twraska]

I have used key stock before.

 

[Chewy]

Haven't tried key stock. Good idea if they mic close. Have a big collection of HSS square tool blanks that work great.

 

[ErichKeane]

I spent some time thinking about it, and realized that with 2.5" tall jaws, that the 'perfect' sizes of parallels would be 1 set of 1/2"x3/4" and 1 set of 1/2"x1.5". With that and some stacking, I can make stacks of:

1/2" tall (either on its side)
3/4" tall (the smaller one)
1" tall (both on the side)
1-1/4" tall (Smaller straight up, larger on its side)
1-1/2" tall (larger one)
2" (larger one+ small on side)
2-1/4" (both straight up).

So I get almost the entire set covered except for 1-3/4" by 1/4", which seems like about a perfect set. Mixed with my 1/8" parallels for my 6" mill, I can dial it in to get just about any exposure that I need.

I did some random ebaying and found:

A2 Tool Steel DeCarb Free Flat, 5/8" x 4" x 12" | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for A2 Tool Steel DeCarb Free Flat, 5/8" x 4" x 12" at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

AND

D2 Tool Steel Hot Rolled Rectangle Bar, 3/4" x 4-1/2" x 12" | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for D2 Tool Steel Hot Rolled Rectangle Bar, 3/4" x 4-1/2" x 12" at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

Both bars are more than good enough to make 2 of the 4 bars, so I'd only need 2 of either and $80 or so to make the set I want. That seems pretty affordable.

I have a MAP torch (one of the benzomatic ones), and wonder if I could get enough heat in these to heat treat them, otherwise I might need to look for a cheap heat treater

Is there some gotcha to A2 or D2 that I'm missing?

 

[mksj]

Is there a reason not to get 2 sets of 6" and just use them end to end on the flats of the vice. Shar's has several sets in 1/2" $50 or $75 for a set. Also an eBay seller that sells 12" sets, they could be milled down and surface finished to tolerance. Do not follow the need for heat treating tool steel for light duty use.

1/2" Steel Parallels

www.shars.com

1 X 2 X 12" INSPECTION PARALLEL (3900-3049) | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1 X 2 X 12" INSPECTION PARALLEL (3900-3049) at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

1 X 1-1/4 X 12" INSPECTION PARALLEL (3900-3040) | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1 X 1-1/4 X 12" INSPECTION PARALLEL (3900-3040) at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[ErichKeane]

Is there a reason not to get 2 sets of 6" and just use them end to end on the flats of the vice. Shar's has several sets in 1/2" $50 or $75 for a set. Also an eBay seller that sells 12" sets, they could be milled down and surface finished to tolerance. Do not follow the need for heat treating tool steel for light duty use.

1/2" Steel Parallels

www.shars.com

1 X 2 X 12" INSPECTION PARALLEL (3900-3049) | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1 X 2 X 12" INSPECTION PARALLEL (3900-3049) at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

1 X 1-1/4 X 12" INSPECTION PARALLEL (3900-3040) | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1 X 1-1/4 X 12" INSPECTION PARALLEL (3900-3040) at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

I have a 6" set, and find that when I try to use them they 'tip' into the middle and end up not being flat.

Those two ebay listings end up being ~$220 shipped, so pretty expensive.

Parallels are typically hardened so that they don't misshapen over time, right? Otherwise 1018 would be easy enough.

 

[Shootymacshootface]

I made my first set from aluminum, just to get going on my mill.
Is there something wrong with cast iron? It's cheap, stiff, and easy to machine. Just don't drop it.
Some of the best straight edges are made out of cast iron, right?

 

[ErichKeane]

I made my first set from aluminum, just to get going on my mill.
Is there something wrong with cast iron? It's cheap, stiff, and easy to machine. Just don't drop it.
Some of the best straight edges are made out of cast iron, right?

Straight edges are fine for it, but you don't intentionally hit them with a hammer the way you do with parallels; that is, hammer your material into the parallel to make sure it is fully seated.

 

[twraska]

Haven't tried key stock. Good idea if they mic close. Have a big collection of HSS square tool blanks that work great.

The stuff I got all came from one supplier at same time/lot. It is close enough for my work. Maybe if you got different pieces at different times may be more variability in dimensions.

 

[Chewy]

You might look into buying one 12" set and using it as a bridge to lay the shorter ones on.