123 Blocks

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123 Blocks

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  • #364202
    Nige
    Participant
      @nige81730

      I have often seen mention of 123 blocks but when I search for info about how they are used, what they are for, all I seem to discover is a mass of videos and info about how to make them. Can you guys help please?

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      #13257
      Nige
      Participant
        @nige81730

        What are 123 blocks used for ?

        #364204
        Mike Poole
        Participant
          @mikepoole82104

          They are just an accurately made pair of blocks that have threaded holes to enable them to be bolted to things like angle plates etc. They often don't bolt to each other very usefully. They are useful for setting up work on a mill as they are parallel and accurately sized. They can be useful on a surface table for setting up a job for marking out. The only limit to their use is your imagination. If you have a pair they will be useful. They also provide apprentices with a task involving the production of an accurately sized and square block with many accurately drilled and tapped holes. Arceurotrade have sets that John Stevenson designed that do bolt together in useful configurations and some small ones that may be useful on some of our smaller jobs. Although 123 is a common size, larger and smaller versions are available.

          Mike

          Edited By Mike Poole on 27/07/2018 20:21:48

          #364206
          JasonB
          Moderator
            @jasonb

            Can't think of any videos Nige but I'm sure the membership could come up with one hundred and twenty three uses for them.

            Here are a few for starters.

            Packing up work so you can make holes right through and not into the mill table

            Something to increase the base of a wixy

            Poor mans gauge block to set spacing of webs to 10mm

            With ones from ACR that will screw together you can form a right angle so multiple parts can be set against the "stop" that they form to save resetting for each part

            If like me you use an electronic edge finder then a 10-20-40 block gives a metal edge to touch when working with plastics etc

            Edited By JasonB on 27/07/2018 20:29:46

            #364207
            Nige
            Participant
              @nige81730

              Mike: Thank you for that, I get the picture; a bit like more versatile parallels 😊

              #364208
              not done it yet
              Participant
                @notdoneityet

                The 123 really are just the ratios of the dimensions of the blocks. So 246 blocksare simply twice as big in each dimension as the 123s but still that same ratio. Two or more sets in the same units are really needed, to build up complex jigs, I suppose.

                #364211
                Les Jones 1
                Participant
                  @lesjones1

                  Another example.

                  img_1026 (medium).jpg

                  img_1029 (custom).jpg

                  Les.

                  #364212
                  Michael Gilligan
                  Participant
                    @michaelgilligan61133

                    Here is one of several previous discussions: **LINK**

                    https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=130029

                    MichaelG.

                    .

                    Edit: and another https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=136428

                    … be sure to follow the 'circuitous' link that I posted, Nige.

                    Edited By Michael Gilligan on 27/07/2018 20:46:58

                    #364222
                    Nige
                    Participant
                      @nige81730

                      Jason: Thank you for your usual comprehensive reply and examples 😊

                      Les: Thank you forthe further example, interesting.

                      Michael: Thank you, the circuitous route made interesting reading 😊

                      #364232
                      David T
                      Participant
                        @davidt96864

                        My vernier height gauge only goes down to 1.5". I use 1-2-3 blocks to the raise the work up off the surface plate then add 1" to the height gauge setting.

                        #364259
                        Nicholas Farr
                        Participant
                          @nicholasfarr14254

                          Hi Nige, as Mike says, your limit is your imagination. Below is a photo where I've used the proverbial 123 blocks in combination with some Stevenson's blocks, to get a datum point machined on a pair of castings, which will ultimately have to fit together.

                          123 and stevensons blocks.jpg

                          Notice the round bar in the middle holes in the 123 blocks, which have tapped holes for the bolts holding the larger Stevenson's blocks onto them. The castings are clamped together between the smaller Stevenson's blocks, which were then squared up by the piece steel just nipped by the heads of two socket head screws into the small block.

                          Regards Nick.

                          Edited By Nicholas Farr on 28/07/2018 08:03:44

                          #364261
                          JasonB
                          Moderator
                            @jasonb

                            I think we may need a separate thread "who has got the most blocks"smile p

                            Anyone got the 15-30-60 size that Uncle Ketan has quietly slipped into his range without even putting them on the new products page?

                            #364262
                            Nicholas Farr
                            Participant
                              @nicholasfarr14254
                              Posted by JasonB on 28/07/2018 08:23:22:

                              I think we may need a separate thread "who has got the most blocks"smile p

                              Anyone got the 15-30-60 size that Uncle Ketan has quietly slipped into his range without even putting them on the new products page?

                              Hi Jason, not yet, only just noticed them today. Hmmm, better get some ordered before every ones knows and he runs out of stock.

                              Regards Nick.

                              #364264
                              Michael Gilligan
                              Participant
                                @michaelgilligan61133
                                Posted by not done it yet on 27/07/2018 20:31:09:

                                The 123 really are just the ratios of the dimensions of the blocks.

                                .

                                … and it's perhaps worth mentioning that the ARC/Stevenson versions are 124 not 123

                                MichaelG.

                                #364269
                                Bazyle
                                Participant
                                  @bazyle

                                  Note that the non-ARC ones are likely to use UNC threads being made for the USA market primarily.

                                  #364273
                                  Vic
                                  Participant
                                    @vic

                                    Interestingly my 1-2-3 blocks are marked Moore & Wright but seem to have imperial threads. Luckily they came with five cap head socket screws to suit.

                                    #364287
                                    Jez
                                    Participant
                                      @jez

                                      If you're thinking of making your own, Robin Renzetti (YouTube ROBRENZ) came up with a few twists which appear to increase their versatility with regards to bolting them together to make more complex setups – they're described by Tom Lipton (OXTOOLCO on Youtube) here:

                                      **LINK**

                                      Cheers,

                                      Jez.

                                      #364293
                                      Anonymous

                                        Oh dear, I've got a set of 1-2-3 blocks somewhere, but don't think I've ever used them. embarrassed

                                        On t'other hand I've got a lot of parallels, angle plates, box cubes, V-blocks and gauge plate which works well for me when devising set ups.

                                        I've just dug out my blocks. I think I bought them from Chronos many years ago, but can't be sure. Got China engraved on them. They're a bit tarnished, but I think that is from the wooden box, as they've always been stored indoors.

                                        Nige: PM sent

                                        Andrew

                                        #364304
                                        Michael Gilligan
                                        Participant
                                          @michaelgilligan61133
                                          Posted by Vic on 28/07/2018 10:06:14:

                                          Interestingly my 1-2-3 blocks are marked Moore & Wright but seem to have imperial threads. Luckily they came with five cap head socket screws to suit.

                                          .

                                          Lucky you, Vic yes

                                          … You should find that they assemble nicely [i.e. with the capheads down the counterbores].

                                          MichaelG.

                                          #364319
                                          jimmy b
                                          Participant
                                            @jimmyb
                                            Posted by JasonB on 28/07/2018 08:23:22:

                                            I think we may need a separate thread "who has got the most blocks"smile p

                                            Anyone got the 15-30-60 size that Uncle Ketan has quietly slipped into his range without even putting them on the new products page?

                                            Yes!

                                            I've got 4 of each size, (10-20-40,13-30-60, 20-40-80) and a few 123 blocks.

                                            I always seem to need one more……

                                            Jim

                                            #364378
                                            Neil Wyatt
                                            Moderator
                                              @neilwyatt

                                              Confession, I tend to use the stepped triangles in my clamping set as rough and ready blocks for many of these uses, together with some home-made parallels from precision ground square rod.

                                              They aren't essential, they just make things more convenient, but I must get some proper ones.

                                              Neil

                                              #364379
                                              Meunier
                                              Participant
                                                @meunier

                                                Nige, now that you have received some informative replies, the answer is that they are for making things simple in the workshop – "ABC it's as easy as 1-2-3". although this should probably be in the workshop songs thread…
                                                DaveD

                                                #364384
                                                jimmy b
                                                Participant
                                                  @jimmyb
                                                  Posted by Neil Wyatt on 28/07/2018 20:01:10:

                                                  Confession, I tend to use the stepped triangles in my clamping set as rough and ready blocks

                                                  disgust !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                  Jim

                                                  #364661
                                                  Neil Wyatt
                                                  Moderator
                                                    @neilwyatt
                                                    Posted by jimmy b on 28/07/2018 20:20:16:

                                                    Posted by Neil Wyatt on 28/07/2018 20:01:10:

                                                    Confession, I tend to use the stepped triangles in my clamping set as rough and ready blocks

                                                    disgust !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                    Jim

                                                    What's so bad? Plenty of applications like stops or raising things off the mill table for boring don't need extreme accuracy, just an easily clamped lump of metal.

                                                    #364682
                                                    Anonymous

                                                      My set of 1-2-3 blocks have now gone to a more deserving home, where I expect they'll be used rather than sitting on the shelf. thumbs up

                                                      Andrew

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