Bench block for small parts - ice hockey puck

I thought this was well known, but have found no reference on here so I'll give this tip. Ice hockey pucks are cheap, a handy size and made from hard rubber. They make great bench blocks when hand filing or fitting small parts. Enough friction to stop the work piece moving, but won't damage surfaces (or tools if ou do slip. can be easily drilled, V slot cut or similar to locate parts. Also firm enough for backing up when driving small pins or collars etc. The rubber has filler and is quite "dead" so no bounce.
Put one no the cup of your trolley jack to stop slipping and damage.
They can be bought on ebay or Amazon as well as sporting goods stores. I tend to buy a few when I visit North America to save postage.

Robert G8RPI

I wonder whether, with a suitable slot, they would be heavy enough to make a stand for a mobile phone?

Plenty heavy enough to support a phone.

I do understand the urge to hit a "smart" phone with hammer but don't see why you need a holder to do it

How machineable are they? Say if one needed something like a big pipe adaptor or a bung. Big BSP fittings are expensive.

Been using them for years.

Geoff - Hadn't thought of using one for phone support 👍

Hi Robert G8RPI,

soon after reading your post, I bought 6 (4 of them will be used to make levelling feet for my milling machine) .

Cheers,

Massimo

The Toronto Society of Model Engineers web site resources page www.tsme.ca/resources has a Tips section.

The May2019 page has a tips sheet covering three items:

- Materials to validate CNC machining

- The good old hockey puck

- A very short rule

The use of a hockey puck for various activities in the workshop is discussed.

Wow ... I hadn't realised how economically priced they can be: **LINK**

https://www.amazon.co.uk/AYNEFY-Hockey-Classic-Training-Accessory/dp/B07V1QZWJH/ref=asc_df_B07V1QZWJH

MichaelG.

Hockey pucks are great - and they machine beautifully. I'm making some feet for my surface grinder right now.

.

I’ve just re-visited this thread, and that ^^^ link ... which had some very negative reviews !!

Thus demonstrating ... “if it seems too good to be true; it probably is”

MichaelG.

I used hockey pucks to make levelling feet for my lathe several years ago. Here is a photo of I took during the fabrication (not yet finished):

The pucks are easy to machine and has served me well for many years.

Thor

Sacrilege.... Hockey pucks are for HOCKEY. only joking, fine to see they have a few other uses in addition to their main purpose. Another area at which the little buggers really excel at is... demolishing parts of the human body. [ been there ]

Screwed to a chunk of motorcycle tyre, they make good silencers for small bells. The good thing about this method is that the silencer does not have to be removed, just rotated around the ball of the clapper. Particularly handy for cramped bellfries with poor access

I have use them for years as jack packers on my car lift and trolley jack (in a sensible and appropriate manner)

Nick, can you explain this a bit more, please? I've used the traditional leather buffer for half-muffling tower bells (tenor 17 cwt) but can't visualise the setup you are describing and whether it would do the same job.

George B.

George, this is to completely silence the bell for training and/or use with a simulator, it does not replace leather muffles. This LINK shows how the tyres are used; we've just added the pucks for durability as after three years use on light bells the tyres are rather, er, tyred.

Heavy bells are best sillenced in traditional ways, either by tying the clapper, or fitted wooden blocks. Your tenor suggests that this would be your best option

I remembered I had this pic of a finished silencer

you can just see the cross cut into the tread, which fits tightly over the flight of the clapper. Once fitted, it's simply rotated to bring it into/out of use. This is a ring of 6 with a 6cwt tenor and access is poor, so going from open to silenced with just a twist of the silencer is a real boon

Thanks Nick, that's much clearer. For single silent practice we have a wooden stay which clamps round the clapper and holds it central, but that changes the handling of the bell. Your idea could be ideal for one of the lighter bells.

George B.

I should point out, that the only part of it that was my idea was how to attach the pucks. And you're right, stationary clappers on small bells does change the handling. That is how we do ours, but they're much bigger.