V blocks

[MG David]

I am considering asking for some V blocks for my birthday. Looking at Machine Mart, Ebay etc. there seem to be a number of options. I am interested in other peoples experience with V blocks.

1) Firstly some have clamps that bare down on the item in the block. Do you make much use of the clamps?

2) Some are magnetic. I had not thought about magnetic bases untill I saw them for sale. Do you make much use of the magnetic ability or have V block without this function and wish yours were magnetic?

I don't have a measuring slab but the cheap ones I have seen in the past were granite rather than iron or steel.

 

[gavuk]

Never used magnetic vee blocks used clamping style, mostly for holding and drilling round stock and pipe ,whats your intended use?may have a bearing on the advice given

 

[HasBean]

A lot depends on what size material you want to use and what you want to do with it ie marking out/drill/mill etc.

I have small blocks () with clamps, up to larger ones that'll take 4" diameter (without clamps).
Don't find the magnetic ones are of much use to be honest, little clamping force and attract all the swarf.

Paul

 

[Weldingartisan]

Magnetic blocks are really useful on the surface plate for marking out and inspection. May be OK for light drilling, but would not trust them on the mill - expensive too. W/A

 

[Hitch]

Depends what your using for, i very rarely use them. I suggested a while ago to another member about making some basic ones.
Here is the thread.

 

[Welderpaul]

I use them on the drill press to hold round tube - ideal for repetative work, I have two welded to a plate with a stop on the end so a tube can be shoved in, no clamps needed and drill away.
I think i have some welded to a jig for making Sheffield Hoops. (Bike stands) and i have used them before to hold box section on a 45 degree angle.

The magnetic ones don't have much power in them

 

[madkayaker]

often wondered what they were for

 

[snowcat]

JL have a set on there offer sheet this month 2 parallel V sets to 0.0005" for £44, magnetic ones are only really of any use for setting prior to clamping....

actually this month now there part of MCS they have some pretty good offers on....

ahhh bugger just noticed screwed shank end mills are on offer typical just had a shop up on them

 

[Hitch]

J & L always have some cracking deals on

 

[Pete.]

Site is down right now

Where do the offers appear is it in a postal flyer or online only?

 

[snowcat]

J & L always have some cracking deals on

2 calipers for £29, throw away for that money...... mind I'm after some decent indexable threading tooling for under a £100 a piece, been looking for months int,ext chasers never comes up on the sheet

 

[snowcat]

Site is down right now

Where do the offers appear is it in a postal flyer or online only?

register as a customer, by phone or online, and the flyer's come through monthly.. ordering code for the v block set is aaspu-91305b type that in the site once its up......

 

[graffian]

The flyers used to be on the site. You get sent the flyers if you ask for a catalog.

 

[MG David]

I was going to use the V blocks with my dial gauge to check for run out on shafts etc.

I had not thought of them for work holding. The clamps would be a good idea for that.

 

[MrFluffy]

I use mag v blocks on the mill for setup along with regular ones but I woudlnt trust the magnet to hold anything under load. I arrange the usual blocks and stair clamps to push round shafting down into the vee's.
Occasionally Ill use the smaller ones in machine vices to help grip a awkward shape, when doing something silly.
If you have really thin food bags and put the mag stuff inside them, it makes getting the swarf off after the cut a lot easier
The mag ones are great for setting up on a plate etc too...
Both sorts are useful, and if your not using the magnet, they default to just being normal vee blocks anyway

I have some of the block clamps somewhere that came with a set of rdg blocks, but Ive never really used them to comment on their holding power. They just looked so... fragile.