green.bubbly
Well-known member
What are these things used for? Not that I will ever need to use it, just curious. I first saw them in a Grizzly tool catalog in the metal lathe section I believe.
1-2-3 blocks
- Thread starter green.bubbly
- Start date
gj67stang
Well-known member
1-2-3 blocks derive their name from their size: 1"x2"x3"
Usually, they are quite precise (within tenths (0.0001")) across the surface. They are mostly used for clamping/holding a setup on a milling machine.
Jim Johnstone
Well-known member
1.000"x2.000"x3.000"
Well the good ones are at least
I can't think of many uses for them on a lathe, but they are hella useful on a milling machine or a surface grinder, or even a drill press.
They are used in matched sets, to offset or support workpieces on a table (such as a milling machine) at an exact and identical height, that will as a result, be perfectly parallel to the work table surface.
Imagine needing to drill holes through a plate in precise locations, and the holes had to be perfectly square to the plate. You would use some 1-2-3 blocks under the plate to elevate it evenly above the work surface, to provide the clearance for the drill bit to pass clean through. By having them all exactly 1.000" thick, you know the plate is still parallel to the milling table.
OP
green.bubbly
Well-known member
Well the good ones are at least
I can't think of many uses for them on a lathe, but they are hella useful on a milling machine or a surface grinder, or even a drill press.
They are used in matched sets, to offset or support workpieces on a table (such as a milling machine) at an exact and identical height, that will as a result, be perfectly parallel to the work table surface.
Imagine needing to drill holes through a plate in precise locations, and the holes had to be perfectly square to the plate. You would use some 1-2-3 blocks under the plate to elevate it evenly above the work surface, to provide the clearance for the drill bit to pass clean through. By having them all exactly 1.000" thick, you know the plate is still parallel to the milling table.
Makes sense. What are all the holes for?
Gtamazing
Banned
I commonly use 1-2-3,2-4-6,and sometimes 4-8-12 when setting up large jobs, to elevate far enough off the table to allow machining in as few setups as possible.
Jim Johnstone
Well-known member
If you look closely, some are threaded, some are through holes. The through holes are to put bolts through to clamp the workpiece right down through the block, onto the table, or the block itself to the table. The threaded ones are to bolt the workpiece to the block.
I made mine a little differently, with counter bored holes and various size ones at that.
I made mine a little differently, with counter bored holes and various size ones at that.
OP
green.bubbly
Well-known member
Now I want a milling machine.