Precision tool from scrap

[Blogwitch]

Grab yourself a bit of old steel tube.

Mount it up in the lathe and clean up the outside for whatever length you want, I made mine about 3" long.

Very gently, lock up your saddle, and carefully face the end.

Deburr the inside and very gently remove the outer sharp edge with a bit of emery cloth or W&D.

Part off the bit.

Turn the new part around and lightly grip it in your chuck, gently face the end and give it a good clean up. I put a large outside chamfer on it, to save this end being confused with the other, which is the working end.

You have just made yourself a perfect tube square that can be used almost anywhere a normal cheapo Chinese square can be used. They are very good for setting things upright in your vice jaws because they can be wider than a normal engineers square, and don't want to fall down into the gap.

Make up various lengths and diameters, you will find a use for them all, eventually.


BTW, this will only work if you definitely know your machine turns parallel.



John

 

[gus]

Hi John,

Good idea . Will make 1/2 dozen of various sizes.
Mitutoyo Cylindrical Squares cost an arm and leg.

 

[Blogwitch]

Gus,
I wouldn't say that they are as good as bought ones, but for me, they do the job plenty good enough, Piston gudgeon pins do a very good job as well, if you can get hold of them.

John

 

[gus]

Hi John,

Was managing a repair team for Ingersoll-Rand Type 30 Compressors. We threw away so many gudgeon pins. But I did recycle the 130 mm aluminum pistons to cast auto condensate traps.
I have a piston on my desk.The gudgeon pin got to be somewhere. If not call my repairmen for same pins.

 

[crueby]

Clever idea for a square - thanks!

 

[deverett]

The simple things are usually the best.

This could also be made from solid bar for those who don't have any tube available. Just recess the bottom by (say)10 thou leaving a narrow rim.

Dave
The Emerald Isle