What sort of parallels are these?

[NigeParticipant @nige81730]

I have this pair of parallels; if i wanted to get a longer set what sort of parallels am I searching for please?

[NigeParticipant @nige81730]

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Big ones!

Useful when setting up large parts for machining on a mill able or cross slide, really too big for stuff in a vice. Might also do as your straight bit of bar to clock your spindle

Edited By JasonB on 01/08/2017 20:48:28

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Most probably home made by an apprentice

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

They look like a custom made pair, in my Tool making days everyone made their own.

Tony

[NigeParticipant @nige81730]

They are a fraction over 3 1/2 inches long and both stamped G.K.B. on both ends. I think you may be right in saying they are an individuals custom made pair. I was hoping they were a standard item so O could get a longer one.

JasonB: it was clocking the spindle I was thinking about. If I use a piece of studding through the spindle to hold it against the mandrel face I can have 3 inches out to one side which is more 'flat length to run a clock down than I would have got with a back plate. rotating it will also indicate any run out ???

[SteveIParticipant @stevei]

It will only indicate "run out" (spindle misalignment) if it is perfectly flat and after you have used shims. If not it will indicate the sum of the misalignment plus the errors from it not being flat. My post wasn't perhaps the clearest.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Not wishing to be rude, but have you got a lot more mystery bits?

It might keep the forum a bit tidier if you post them all in the same thread…

Neil

[Rik ShawParticipant @rikshaw]

I have a collection of parallels but they do no always meet the particular need / sizes I require. Only recently I bit the bullet and purchased a set from ARC:

**LINK**

These are the business and are very handy indeed. Just a shame they are out of stock at the moment for anyone interested.

Rik

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Nige,

You obviously inherited a load of useful stuff, (and these parallels are in that category).

DON'T dump it; keep it and find a use for it.

"It will come in handy, one day"

Howard

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Nige, most I have seen like that are more like 6" long, anything less will not be suitable for use as per the other thread

[LambtonParticipant @lambton]

Nige,

They are perfectly standard design parallels and were indeed sometimes made by apprentices but commercial ones are common. I have several sets of this design.

If you want "modern" parallels have a look at those offered by ARC Eurotrade. When deciding what type to buy consider your machine vice jaw height as one common use for parallels is to provide precision packing under work pieces held in a machine vice. I have no connection with Arc other than being a long standing and very satisfied customer.

Eric

[NigeParticipant @nige81730]

Sorry Guys, Neil was right to mention my prolific posting . When ever I change the motorbike or get a new bit of kit I join an appropriate forum to learn and share 'stuff' and I got to this forum via a subscription, print and online, to MEW, I'm a friendly sort of chap and like to meet people and chat, I love to learn and share stuff which makes me run on a bit sometimes I hope I have not upset anybody and apologise wholeheartedly if I have, I sometimes need somebody to say "Whoaa there Nige" and I don't get upset when that happens I am learning a great deal here, I feel comfortable and this is the most friendly and generous group of people I have ever come across in a forum, long may it continue. Thanks for your forbearance guys

[Brian HParticipant @brianh50089]

I'm certainly not going to say Whoaa Nige, I think that the diversity is what makes this forum so interesting.

Brian

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

What is it'' s are fun as it gives us a chance to realise just how much we know, or don't.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

I wasn't trying to cut Nige off in his prime, I just think it might work better if all these discoveries went in fewer threads – there are several about lathe tools that might make more sense if they were all in the same thread.

[NigeParticipant @nige81730]

Neil, I agree entirely and didn't feel cut off and I hope others will take all this in the helpful spirit it was all meant

[RainbowsParticipant @rainbows]

Having a mystery bits identification forum section sounds like a nice idea.

[Anonymous]

Posted by JasonB on 02/08/2017 07:32:17:

Nige, most I have seen like that are more like 6" long, anything less will not be suitable for use……….

Oh fudge:

Andrew

[SaxalbyParticipant @saxalby]

Agree with john S, made exactly the same as apprentice

Edited By Saxalby on 02/08/2017 21:05:57

[Anonymous]

I have a range of 3" blocks, and a set of four 6" parallels, made by the same toolmaker as the ones shown above. I use them all the time in my machine vice. Then again my vice is possibly bigger than average.

Andrew

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Posted by JasonB on 02/08/2017 07:32:17:

Nige, most I have seen like that are more like 6" long, anything less will not be suitable for use as per the other thread

Andrew, even your little 2 incher would not be upto that particular use but agree any parallels are worth keeping as they will always come in handy.

[I.M. OUTAHEREParticipant @i-m-outahere]

Nige , don't worry about how many post you make ( or cranky moderators ) there is no limit and it sure beats reading another " what lathe to buy " post i can tell you !

We used to have a prolific poster – Wolfie and it was like a dialy dose of your favourite tv show , you would tune in just to see what he was up to !

Unfortunately he has not been heard from for a while .

I can see.what Neil is saying but you are probably going through boxes of stuff and going wow what is this and everything is a new discovery .

keep asking questions !

The holes an recess are possibly there so you can bolt them to an angle plate,or down on a mill table as a fence

Ian

[John McNamaraParticipant @johnmcnamara74883]

Hi Nige

You cant have too many packers, The I beam type are particularly handy for packing work clamped directly on the table, The typical wooden boxed Asian sets are too thin and not very stable. I Also keep a selection of cylinders squares and other shapes.

Regards
John

[Author]

Posts