Made something useful at last

Made myself a wee vee block and I'm planning a couple more out of the same piece of material . I also learned how important setting up a work piece up before machining . Also used a carbide end mill for the first time today (very impressive ) . I cut the square channel on the side using a 4 flute ,is this good practice or should I have used a 2/3 flute . Overall I'm happy with the end result . The Centec2 keeps on impressing ,I was taking what I thought were big cuts for this small mill ,the only thing stopping taking bigger cuts was the operator .

Getting a tad impatient now to get the vertical up and running .

Don't know why my photos are always like this on here ....

Sean

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 07/11/2017 15:23:54

Sean , Nice work . May I suggest you now put a nominal 3mm x 3mm slot along the full length of the bottom of the Vee in order to allow dirt and dwarf somewhere to go and also to allow any angular work to sit fully on the sides of the Vee , and so maintain an accurate register . Trevor

See this thread.

Russell

Good stuff! When you make 2 more try machining as a pair so that they match - useful then for holding longer bars needing support at both ends.

Thanks Trevor ,

That was my next move along with a slitting saw cut along the bottom of the vee .

Sean

Hi John ,

I've enough material to make another two which as you suggested will be a pair .

Sean

Hi Sean

I would also put a couple of taped holes in the base of the V block as it gives you the option to screw them to a plate or an angle plate and a taped hole in the end face so you can screw a plate to the end as an end stop for a pin or round part.

David

Speaking of pairs feel free to make two vertical heads and send me one

Rainbows no probs ....

Sean

I believe the slot at the bottom of the V is to allow grinding withe the need for sidewheeling. Unless he intends to grind the blocks there is no advantage to the undercut.

there is no advantage to the undercut.

Unless wanting to mount a square item to machine on one corner...

.

I was so tempted to get all pedantic ... but I shall refrain.

Yes; in practical terms that is a very fair point.

MichaelG.

Seconded!

Pedantry from a master is so much fun!

Martin

Apologies for the delayed response, Sean [and Martin], I made that post just before heading to the Hospital for my pacemaker check. ... All is well, so here goes:

'ndiy' has not defined any terms, nor given any tolerances; so we are obliged to make some assumptions: Mine [which I hope are considered reasonable] would be ...

1. A vee block has two internal faces which are flat, and arranged at 90° to each other, and are axially parallel. [More sophisticated definitions are surely possible, but I think that will suffice]
2. In the context of the present discussion; 'a square item' might be assumed to be a length of material of constant section with four equal sides arranged at 90° increments.
3. ... Alternatively the 'square item' might only have two of its adjacent faces arranged at 90° to each other; the emphasis being on 'squareness' as a description of perpendicularity.
4. My case is valid for both version (2.) and (3.)
5. In the absence of any tolerances being stated, we must in the ideal case assume 'perfection'.

Unfortunately, in this hypothetical 'defining case' ndiy's brief assertion falls down ... because the 'square corners' would match perfectly and the groove would therefore NOT be of any advantage.

^^^ This is, of course, merely gratuious pedantry !!

In the real world; ndiy's point is a good one ... because the 'male' square corner may have bruises [or imperfections in its linearity] sufficient to cause it not to seat properly in the 'perfect' female vee.

N.B. Many other imperfections are available ...

MichaelG.

You didn't disappoint

Hello Sean,

In one of his books, Geo. H. Thomas goes to some length to explain why he believes 4 flute cutters (Known as End Mills in the UK) are inclined to break as they emerge from cutting a channel.

Very nice, do you think you'll polish them with emery cloth when you're finished or will you leave them to a machine finish?

Michael W