# Finger Plate



## mariolucchini (Mar 4, 2011)

One of the most gratifying tasks we modelers can undertake, is the construction of our own tools....at least this is my personal way of seeing things....

A long caressed project from way back then, was the design & building of a finger plate....I just made the decision of making one for my use....since I used one of a friend of mine, I now wonder how I did without it....

I made a thorough search in the web, not finding much, but what little I learned I added to my personal needs....so here we go....


I started with the base, which I produced from a discarded PC aluminium heat sink, from which I hacksawed the fins and made a long and boring flycutting sesion.... :

Here it is, finally sanded and polished....the four sides are at exact 90º from each other so it can be used in my milling table and in the miniature table saw....



















Notice that the upper face of the base has 3 milled "V" ways for holding different size round material...also there are 8 threaded holes which are mighty useful for holding the most used screws or bolts I mostly use in my models....these are from the smaller up....1.2 mm, 1.4 mm, 1.7 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm and 6 mm.


The bottom face of the base....


















If you should want to use the finger plate on the vise, a screwed bar was devised which is applied via countersunk brass screws from below...




















The pillar, made from BMS and threaded M6, the lower threaded portion is made in such a way that you can fix it to the base with just finger pressure....I intend to make a wooden box in a time to come to keep the whole safe & sound.... so the pillar must be removable...:big:...besides I love making special wooden boxes!!!!... :big: :big: :big:













The pillar in place on the base...................





















The clamp, made from 4 mm thick brass.......the lower ends are slightly angled so they can rest parallel to the base when in use....



























The clamping knob & the special washer.............

















The special washer that goes under the clamping knob, is rounded on the undernath so that it gives good grabbing power at any angle......












The adjuster screw...........Made from an M 4 bolt, with a heavily knurled brass knob, has the added finesse of using an acrylic point so as not to marr the plate's surface when tightening it.......... :bow:



















Here's an image of the threaded holes being occupied with an example of each bolt of different dimensions....



















In a next post, I'll show the finger plate assembled and in use............

Thanks for looking.........


                                Mario


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## tel (Mar 4, 2011)

Very nice Mario, I've made a couple of these in the past, but pretty crude ones compared to this!


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## ref1ection (Mar 4, 2011)

That is a very handy looking item indeed. I'm looking forward to seeing more about it's uses.

Ray


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## Andy (Mar 4, 2011)

Nice, Mario. A lot better than mine. Useful things, finger plates.


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## coopertje (Mar 5, 2011)

Hi Mario,

Looks nice and I am curious to see what it will be used for, I have never heard of this device before..... :-[

Regards Jeroen


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## mariolucchini (Mar 30, 2011)

Hi boys!

The finger plate is finished and a special box was made to keep it safe & sound...... :


The parts of the ensemble, including a special screwdriver to screw in the special base for using it in the vise....











The finger plate assembled showing some of its infinite uses.....

A brass bar in one of the "V" ways, ready to be crossdrilled....











The same brass bar in one of the corner "V" ways, ready to be filed or rectified via a grinder....












A small hinge to be filed......the clamping action of the finger plate is really powerful, when it bites.....well................. ;D



















The finished box with all its inlettings.....











The box with its contents....




















The closed box.............by the way, the box was made entirely in 3 mm thick plywood....



















Another homemade tool for the collection............

Cheers!

                                      Mario


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## ref1ection (Mar 30, 2011)

Hi Mario,

Very nice work on the whole project. I know of at least one person who will be making one of these in the near future. I'm betting there will be others. 

Ray


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## dsquire (Mar 30, 2011)

Mario

A super job both on the Finger Plate and accessories as well as the lovely case that will house it and keep all of its components together so that they are available when you want to use it. Thanks for showing it to us. I am sure that it will end up on many to-do lists. :bow: :bow:

Cheers 

Don


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## coopertje (Mar 30, 2011)

This is great Mario! Suburb build (as usual) and love the box you made. Thats really putting the last point on the i!!

Looking forward to see more from your work and for sure I will build one of these too!

Thanks for showing and sharing.

Regards Jeroen


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## corradini (Mar 24, 2012)

OK - I'm just going to quit, now, and wade into the river.... I'll never be worthy.

Mario - that's a _stellar_ piece of work. Not just the, well, 'making' of it, but the overall design, conception, thought, detail, finish -- hell, the BOX! OH - and the consideration and quality of your effort photographing, describing, and posting it for all of us!

(Uhhh, where're the detailed measured drawings and parts list and free kit offer...? >;-)

I bow to you, sir. You've made my day, just knowing there're craftsmen out there making objects that Aristotle would've said: "now _that's_ (some Greek philosophy word meaning some kind of unattainable thing like 'quality')..."

Cheers, Andrew


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## cfellows (Mar 25, 2012)

Very nice! Makes me want to build a new version of mine (I already have 2, but they are pretty basic).

Not sure I understand the need for the different sized bolt holes. Can you give me an example of how they might be used?

Thx...
Chuck


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## steamer (Mar 25, 2012)

Nice work Mario!

Dave


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## doubletop (Mar 26, 2012)

Amongst all the great posts on this forum there is the occasional gem like this. Something you never knew you needed until you see one. Then it's not just made, its finished down to the last detail.

Mario; OK its not an engine but if you haven't done already you must put it into this months 'finished projects' lottery.

Love it. 

Pete


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## ShopShoe (Mar 26, 2012)

Just gotta add my kudos and echo what the others have said. And the box, too!!!

--ShopShoe


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## Swede (Mar 30, 2012)

A tool worthy of the fine box and accessories.

Suggestion: Stamp (or engrave) your name and date onto the tool. If it doesn't stay in your family, one day, maybe 100 years ago, there'll be a forum like this (probably via telepathy) and someone will talk about the beautiful hand-made tool from a bygone era.


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## xo18thfa (Mar 31, 2012)

Great job Mario. It is an heirloom piece.


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