123 blocks and machinist blocks

[cteno4]

Machinists use 123 blocks to set things with or use to prop things up at 1” set distance increments. They can be bolted down or to each other at right angles for jigs and such. Very handy in a machine shop, wood shop and the hobby table.

 

for hobby stuff I use them a lot as plain old weights as they totally flat and are about a pound and sized right to do small laminations. Or stack them up when you need more weight for something. About as dense a weight you can get w.o going to lead or tungsten.
 

Also super handy as a perpendicular surface to glue things up. Also can put two blocks at perpendicular to make a nice corner joint.

 

https://smile.amazon.com/TEXALAN-Blocks-Precision-Hardened-Without/dp/B08KZF733S/ref=sr_1_17?crid=3CAVTE5FIOM78&keywords=123+blocks+set&qid=1644462536&sprefix=123+bloc%2Caps%2C64&sr=8-17
 

https://smile.amazon.com/LLDSIMEX-Precision-Steel-1-2-3-Blocks/dp/B07QWSL7TJ/ref=sr_1_12?crid=3CAVTE5FIOM78&keywords=123+blocks+set&qid=1644462536&sprefix=123+bloc%2Caps%2C64&sr=8-12

 

https://smile.amazon.com/Accusize-Industrial-Tools-30-60-90-3610-9010/dp/B01ELUJ32K/ref=sr_1_18?crid=11AVXJOMUGRUJ&keywords=Angle+machinist+blocks&qid=1644462876&sprefix=angle+machinist+blocks%2Caps%2C61&sr=8-18

 

holes vs no holes

the holes are handy if you need to bolt them together for bigger uses. The holes also give you nice purchase for your fingertips to grab them and move them with more finesse. No hole ones are useful as weights as it gives even pressure everywhere and full support for small parts when using them as a perpendicular support.

 

Other machinist blocks

There are also angle blocks as well at 45-90-45 or 30-60-90.

 

Handy video illustrating this stuff.

 

cheers,

 

jeff

[Martijn Meerts]

I've seen these used before, and they seem really handy.. I've never actually seen them around here though, and ordering some chunks of metal from the US seems a bit much 😄

 

[cteno4]

I’m sure there are more local (and metric) sources.

 

jeff

[maihama eki]

I use the no-hole versions frequently for building cardstock kits like Sankei. They are great as weights for laminating pieces together and keeping them flat while the glue dries. They are also nice and square, so they work good for squaring up adjacent sides of things.

 

I ordered a few from Amazon. They came wrapped or coated in an oily paper to prevent rust. Cleaning this off completely is mandatory (and a bit of a chore) for use on paper and card stock. You don't want any oil around these items. No chance of them rusting at my house at 7000 ft elevation in Colorado.

[cteno4]

Yep that my main use, I probably have the same ones from Amazon. 

 

One thing with using them for weights on laminating, especially smaller parts, is to wait a short bit before putting the glued parts under the weights as if the glue hasn’t had a short bit to suck into both sides and get a little tacky the parts can slide a little, especially if you move the weight latterly at all when placing the weight. I usually press together for a few seconds and let sit doe a short bit before doing weights. If they are little parts I try to do 3 or 4 at once under a block so it’s even pressure on all and block doesn’t get canted. Using many small dots of glue rather than slathering it on really helps as well so all the areas w.o glue will resist sliding.

 

jeff