30-30remchester
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Saw these at the local Re-Sore. Made of wood. Haven't a clue what these are used for. Guesses?
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OP
30-30remchester
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The Bean
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Shim sets.
Edit: I've watched Kurtis at CEE use the metal ones so many times. I just forgot they were called step blocks. Have never seen them in wood.
Edit: I've watched Kurtis at CEE use the metal ones so many times. I just forgot they were called step blocks. Have never seen them in wood.
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mngundog
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"Vintage Northwestern Tools 20 pc Set Wooden Step Block Machinist"
Ebay link:
Ebay link:
drokihazan
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They're clamp blocks. Here's a picture from McMaster to show you how they work. I've never seen wooden ones before, but maybe they'd be useful if you didn't want to damage a surface.
www.mcmaster.com
McMaster-Carr
McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.
OP
30-30remchester
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Dang that was fast "mngundog". They are asking $20 for the set. I sure don't have any use for them.
RoninB4
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-As posted earlier by @drokihazan they're half a set of clamps. They're probably the most common type used in machine shops for milling machines, drill presses, jig borers, etc. Those are a bit unusual, they're most often made of metal for the larger clamping pressures that metalworking requires. I suppose these are for use in woodworking, they wouldn't stand up to the pressures needed for metalworking, bit wooden clamps wouldn't leave marks in the wood project like metal ones will. This set is also rather useless without the matching blocks. Without the matching serrations on the end of the clamp itself, these are just risers, you'd be resting on just one tooth and that would probably break off under pressure. They're interesting, thanks for the photo.
Why in the world would a person need wooden step blocks? Those look used too. Wondering if being non magnetic or non conductive? Maybe for EDM? I’m curious (and puzzled).
I was originally thinking that was a tape try out part (test part). But those look like rosewood, like they were intended to be used.
I was originally thinking that was a tape try out part (test part). But those look like rosewood, like they were intended to be used.
RoninB4
Well-known member
-Just a WAG but if you needed to clamp a nice piece of wood to the machine table would you want to use metal ones to contact it? I'd prefer the clamp was made from wood so there's less chance of marks/dents. Sure a standard metal type would do if you used a protective shim but some production cabinet shops (old traditional ones) might have preferred these. I've never seen a set either so that's just my speculation. They're unique, useless to me, but still interesting.
RTM
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Wouldn't these be used more like a set of adjustable parallels, seems like the two outside pairs (in the eBay ad) are 3W. So each would be resting on multiple teeth as you set a height, up to a certain height. ETA: There are 4 pairs of 2W, can’t see the rest in the ebay ad. In the OP pic, looks like the 4 small ones are all the same also.
I have not taken the time to look up the name in vintage literature to see how they might be been used, but as WW tools, maybe not for machines.
Looks like 1947 -1958 was when they showed up in google books.
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RoninB4
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-Yes they can be used that way and the metal versions often are in machine shops. What I was trying to explain, without going into too much splainin, is that they're far more fragile than even a cheap Chinese metal version. The wooden ones in the OP photo are nice but they're only the step blocks for $20, still needing the clamp, center stud, and nut. There's plenty of new full sets made from metal going for under $50 with free shipping. A used set would even be considerably less. The wooden step blocks may even have cracks in them, if they're 60 years old, that could compromise structural integrity. I think they're pretty cool but I wouldn't want to use them before checking integrity and how rare they might be. They may not be worth much (very likely) but it would bother me to ruin one of the few surviving examples.
-Yep that would allow them to be used as you described. Would like to congratulate you on seeing the possibility of the design.
-Since I've not seen another set I can't say for certain but I can't imagine them being used on anything other than a flat surface for clamping whether it's on a bench or machine. If you do find another application I'd be interested in seeing it. I'm fully confident that I don't know everything I probably should.
CGarage
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What an informative thread title!
It would be great if one were to edit and revise it to help other members in search of similar information in the future.
It would be great if one were to edit and revise it to help other members in search of similar information in the future.
Suggest: "Wooden Machinist's Step Blocks?"
four.cycle
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^ I've sent the OP a note and requested they update the thread title in order that users in the future will be able to find it with a Google search. Otherwise this sort of information is lost to obscurity.
The information contained within a *.jpg or *.png image isn't picked up by Google's crawlers, so someone searching for this would not see:
"Northwest Tool and Engineering, 118 Hollister St., Dayton, OH wood machinist step block set"
But... you cannot fault the OP for that, because he had no idea what he had when he came in with it.
This happens all the time here. Nothin' new.
CGarage
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Excellent, thank you. There is too much good information that is lost to obscurity and I very much appreciate you both recognizing this and helping to prevent it.
Shiftless
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When has that excuse prevented most of us from buying something as cool as that old set?
four.cycle
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The Bean
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Should be covered in "old tool" threads, also.
OP
30-30remchester
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If you have ever seen an oil rig drilling two miles deep, I can and have operated such machinery. However, can't for the life of me figure out how to post link, type with more than one finger, or get an email on my phone. Just learned how to post pictures. By next century I should know how to access my voicemails.
Shiftless
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I hear you loud and clear.
There is a relatively easy process to edit posts including editing the title. Maybe get a teenager to help you. That’s what I do.
RTM
Well-known member
Just following up on this, all the Northwestern Tool & Eng wooden block sets seem to end in W, 1W, 2W, and 3W.
The steel ones are 1S, etc.
These folk, Northwestern Tools seems to be the successor, making similar tools nearby the old location
About 6.5 miles away.
And they still sell the steel and aluminum blocks solo, but also in sets with Strap Clamps. Pg 41 & 42, but no wooden ones.
The steel ones are 1S, etc.
These folk, Northwestern Tools seems to be the successor, making similar tools nearby the old location
About 6.5 miles away.
And they still sell the steel and aluminum blocks solo, but also in sets with Strap Clamps. Pg 41 & 42, but no wooden ones.