I don't mean this disrespectfully when i say "your age" I think it's really good that somebody your age, experience and standing in life still questions the what's and why's of things. I had just about recovered from thinking about the 1-2-3 blocks and now i need to start again ! What you say makes sense. Keep up with the great videos and thank you for sharing your wealth of experience with us.
Mike Young No offense taken Mike. I see you have picked up on the theme of most of our video's. Never stop learning. Always ask why and try to improve all things in your life. That's what it's all about.Thanks for watching.
I made my angle plate when working as a moldmaker. I put tapped holes in mine and also a vee in one edge with slots through the vee. The slots were used as clearance for the heads of core pins and ejector pins. The tapped holes were used to assemble the clamping apparatus to the block. The slots were also handy, as they served as a convenient stop in this setup.
Don you are thinking one dimensionaly, only a small part of this world works like you do making the tools you make. I dont grind anything but I run a cnc milling machine every day. I do lots of small parts and no production work so permanent fixtures are not cost effective. I have 6 different angle plates and the ones without holes I put holes in them. You need them all the time when milling as the cutting forces are often too much for a single c clamp. Using bolts or bars or whatever is needed to make it work. I sometimes machine small fixtures that I can bolt to the face of the angle block. For those time when I dont need holes or for inspection work I use a box rather than an angle plate. But you are not wrong about having to clean out the holes, but when you need a hole it is better to be looking at it than looking for it.
Milling work is probably the only place I use the one with holes/threads, but most of the time the plates that have been bought have been drilled for a few dowel pin holes and sometimes for bolt clerance holes so that we can clamp some extra special mold doodad part so that it can be machined. Most of the time the mold parts have a dowel pin hole on the back side for getting the zero point on CNC machines and of course threaded holes to attach it to the mold. Or there is threads just for manufacturing purposes. But for grinding it has to be a pretty good reason to whip out an angle plate with holes in it. Same goes especially for EDM.
Given that I use the angle plate for milling, etc. far more often than grinding and having mounting holes is a great help for quick fixturing and attaching the plate to my table, I'll stick with the holes. Good points though. Another great video, guys.
I use the tapped holes to set up odd shaped parts. I think I have over a dozen angle plates and find both types useful at times. For large angle plates the holes make them lighter. I am working on a set now that are 80 pounds and would like to get them under 50 pounds by adding holes.
sometimes i need to mount a die detail that is unable to be c-clamped to the angle plate although maybe i can run a bolt through the plate into the jack screw hole and attach that way
the holes are there simply because they give the tool other uses than squaring stuff up. so its more popular because more people would rather buy one angle plate and use it for every thing rather than buy an extra one that used mainly for squaring and blocking parts in. But I totally see your point and its very common for angle plates and blocks to wear and lose the precision they had when they were first made so maybe having a back up plate and using it specifically for squaring up your other angle plate would actually be a very smart idea. im going to make both kinds now lol
Strictly from a business prospective, why are you advocating for the cheaper product. Every corporation is trying to sell more bells and whistels on there product, regardless of its necessity. I can't say how often your costumers use the holes, but I know that it is at least enough for them to be convinced that they are necessary. As far as cleanliness, I use flood coolant on my surface grinder so most of the dust gets washed away. And also having the holes makes it easier to pull tooling off the magnet, you don't get as much of the suction cup effect.
I don't mean this disrespectfully when i say "your age" I think it's really good that somebody your age, experience and standing in life still questions the what's and why's of things. I had just about recovered from thinking about the 1-2-3 blocks and now i need to start again ! What you say makes sense.
Keep up with the great videos and thank you for sharing your wealth of experience with us.
Mike Young No offense taken Mike. I see you have picked up on the theme of most of our video's. Never stop learning. Always ask why and try to improve all things in your life. That's what it's all about.Thanks for watching.
I made my angle plate when working as a moldmaker. I put tapped holes in mine and also a vee in one edge with slots through the vee. The slots were used as clearance for the heads of core pins and ejector pins. The tapped holes were used to assemble the clamping apparatus to the block. The slots were also handy, as they served as a convenient stop in this setup.
Holes in a steel angle plate (or any machinist tool) are for weight reduction
Also some have said it is so tolerance are not effected by temperatures
Don you are thinking one dimensionaly, only a small part of this world works like you do making the tools you make. I dont grind anything but I run a cnc milling machine every day. I do lots of small parts and no production work so permanent fixtures are not cost effective. I have 6 different angle plates and the ones without holes I put holes in them. You need them all the time when milling as the cutting forces are often too much for a single c clamp. Using bolts or bars or whatever is needed to make it work. I sometimes machine small fixtures that I can bolt to the face of the angle block.
For those time when I dont need holes or for inspection work I use a box rather than an angle plate.
But you are not wrong about having to clean out the holes, but when you need a hole it is better to be looking at it than looking for it.
Milling work is probably the only place I use the one with holes/threads, but most of the time the plates that have been bought have been drilled for a few dowel pin holes and sometimes for bolt clerance holes so that we can clamp some extra special mold doodad part so that it can be machined. Most of the time the mold parts have a dowel pin hole on the back side for getting the zero point on CNC machines and of course threaded holes to attach it to the mold. Or there is threads just for manufacturing purposes.
But for grinding it has to be a pretty good reason to whip out an angle plate with holes in it. Same goes especially for EDM.
Given that I use the angle plate for milling, etc. far more often than grinding and having mounting holes is a great help for quick fixturing and attaching the plate to my table, I'll stick with the holes.
Good points though. Another great video, guys.
I've clamped parts to the plate using bolts and washers. The part had holes that happened to line up with the bolt holes in the plate..
I use the tapped holes to set up odd shaped parts. I think I have over a dozen angle plates and find both types useful at times. For large angle plates the holes make them lighter. I am working on a set now that are 80 pounds and would like to get them under 50 pounds by adding holes.
Oh yeah, and by the way......I love the videos. I have a son in engineering school and have turned him on to your videos also.
You are correct, Don. The holes cause more problems than they solve. They may be placed there only for purposes of salesmanship.
sometimes i need to mount a die detail that is unable to be c-clamped to the angle plate although maybe i can run a bolt through the plate into the jack screw hole and attach that way
You make a good argument!
the holes are there simply because they give the tool other uses than squaring stuff up. so its more popular because more people would rather buy one angle plate and use it for every thing rather than buy an extra one that used mainly for squaring and blocking parts in. But I totally see your point and its very common for angle plates and blocks to wear and lose the precision they had when they were first made so maybe having a back up plate and using it specifically for squaring up your other angle plate would actually be a very smart idea. im going to make both kinds now lol
Strictly from a business prospective, why are you advocating for the cheaper product. Every corporation is trying to sell more bells and whistels on there product, regardless of its necessity. I can't say how often your costumers use the holes, but I know that it is at least enough for them to be convinced that they are necessary.
As far as cleanliness, I use flood coolant on my surface grinder so most of the dust gets washed away. And also having the holes makes it easier to pull tooling off the magnet, you don't get as much of the suction cup effect.