3D Printed Centre Finder & V Block

[Onoff]

Dug out my old EITB drawings from when I was an apprentice. I made a centre finder and V blocks back then amongst many other things.

 

Gave the drawings to No.1 son and he re-did them on Fusion. Now printing the centre finder for my mate John.

 

 

[Roys]

I remember making them along with a drill sharpening angle gauge, a drill vice in the milling machine, a jack on the lathe and a chisel at the forge, I very much enjoyed the 1st year of apprenticeship when you got to learn loads of new skills and to within quite fine tolerances, can’t believe it was 40 years ago.

[MikeSharp01]

Making that center finder on the bench would be a massive pain owing to the chamfer CNC only or 3D printing. Still new generative design techniques come up with parts you can only make with additive manufacturing (3D printing) perhaps as the path to casting, injection molding or some such.

 

 

Photo Credits: Autodesk

[Onoff]

2 minutes ago, MikeSharp01 said:

Making that center finder on the bench would be a massive pain owing to the chamfer CNC only or 3D printing. Still new generative design techniques come up with parts you can only make with additive manufacturing (3D printing) perhaps as the path to casting, injection molding or some such.

 

 

Photo Credits: Autodesk

 

I made my metal centre finder by hand, even the chamfer was filed. When I find I'll post a pic. The lugs were silver steel from memory.

 

It was beaten into us to be able to cut to within 20 thou with a hacksaw ?

 

The piece in your picture would be relatively easy to do with a dual head printer. Print the supports in PVA then when done dissolve (the supports) in a bucket of water.

 

I like the idea of how some (Ford I think already) are 3D printing performance exhaust manifolds. All the gas flow is worked out and you end up with nice smooth walls, no welds etc.

[ProDave]

Totally different design to my apprentice hand made centre finder.  I will see if I can find it and post a picture.  It's stored in a safe place with my other creations like my sleeve needles.

[Onoff]

The centre finder works a treat. Hold tight against the perimeter and scribe a line. Move around the perimeter and scribe another. Do a third.

 

 

Where the lines intersect is your centre:

 

[markc]

When apprenticeships taught skills.

we had a 20+ lad apply to work with us, 3 year apprenticeship, loads of qualifications in mechanical and electrical …. Never seen a lathe, had no idea how to grind a drill and couldn’t wire a plug ….all his electrical ‘training’ used wago’s ?

[Onoff]

1 hour ago, markc said:

When apprenticeships taught skills.

 

I just gave the toolbox I made at 16 a quick dunk in a citric acid bath and then etch primed it. Has more than a few pin holes but it had been neglected.

 

 

 

The knurling tool and drill clamp I made are likely recoverable, not do sure about the surface gauge. A bit gutted I let them get in this state but in the intervening 40 years, "life" happened. Amazing to think I made all the nuts and bolts!

 

 

 

[Roys]

Thanks onoff! ?

Going to have to try and find some of my test pieces now, some of them were stolen as they were in my toolbox that I made as an apprentice as well.

[markc]

The obligatory scribing gauge, done on a shaper no doubt. I have a 8inch Oxford shaper that I hardly use but wouldn’t part with.

Edited November 5, 2021 by markc

[Roys]

@Onoff what’s the item next to the toolmaker clamp that looks like a rectangular branding iron?

[Roys]

Found some of mine, including a centre finder?

 

[Onoff]

40 minutes ago, Roys said:

@Onoff what’s the item next to the toolmaker clamp that looks like a rectangular branding iron?

 

A leather punch I believe. Found a number of those and shoemaker's lasts buried at the back of my old stable. It was rusty so I chucked it in the citric bath too. That Sarah bird would have kittens what with me ruining the patina!

[Russell griffiths]

You need to watch out @Onoff the boys from American pickers will be round your place, I cannot believe you have stuff from 40 years ago. 

If I haven’t used something in 3-4 years it gets chucked out, cannot stand the clutter. 

[joe90]

I still use a garden trowel I made as a lad at school metalwork class decades ago ?

[Onoff]

32 minutes ago, joe90 said:

I still use a garden trowel I made as a lad at school metalwork class decades ago ?

 

All drawn on slate first? ?

[Onoff]

48 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said:

You need to watch out @Onoff the boys from American pickers will be round your place, I cannot believe you have stuff from 40 years ago. 

If I haven’t used something in 3-4 years it gets chucked out, cannot stand the clutter. 

 

I've a new mate has a similar but rigid 2 year rule. Consequently I now have more tat!

[dpmiller]

 we had an "industrial" segment in my Industrial Physics and Microcomputing course at Napier. One day a week at the Jewel& Esk vocational college. I've a tap wrench, a toolbox, and some random PCBs to show for it...

[Onoff]

9 hours ago, Russell griffiths said:

You need to watch out @Onoff the boys from American pickers will be round your place, I cannot believe you have stuff from 40 years ago. 

If I haven’t used something in 3-4 years it gets chucked out, cannot stand the clutter. 

 

The scrap god's must have heard you! There was no need today to ask me twice if I want to go down a skip!

 

 

 

 

[ProDave]

12 hours ago, Onoff said:

I just gave the toolbox I made at 16 a quick dunk in a citric acid bath and then etch primed it. Has more than a few pin holes but it had been neglected.

 

 

Must be the standard design, exactly what I made, even the hinges were made from scratch.

[Onoff]

1 minute ago, ProDave said:

Must be the standard design, exactly what I made, even the hinges were made from scratch.

 

Have you still got yours?

[TonyT]

5 hours ago, dpmiller said:

 we had an "industrial" segment in my Industrial Physics and Microcomputing course at Napier. One day a week at the Jewel& Esk vocational college. I've a tap wrench, a toolbox, and some random PCBs to show for it...

Where was that college?

I remember  jewel & esk on a building but cannot remember what area in Edinburgh

 

[ProDave]

The centre finder I made is the same as @Roys one.

 

I haven't seen my knurling tool for a long time, that might be lost.

 

Watchmakers screwdriver set, including a case for them machined from Tuffnel.

 

Printed circuit board holder, I can't remember if that was engineering at school or apprenticeship.

[Temp]

I still have a cast aluminium G clamp I made when I was 16. I'm 62 today. Still gets used as you can never have enough clamps.

[ProDave]

6 minutes ago, Onoff said:

 

Have you still got yours?

Yes, still in use, still in it's sprayed light metalic blue.  I have a near identical one that was one of my dad's tool boxes, I wonder if he made it or if it was bought, I will never know.