Quote from: Frank-Jan on December 14, 2022, 09:39 PM

Quote from: Packard on December 14, 2022, 09:22 AM

....
I’m thinking I can achieve the same result with my palm-sized plunge router.  I will have to experiment.

I remember that years ago there was this tool that was sold for this task, and that basically was the motor part of an mfk 500, with a horseshoe shaped base. (It wasn't sold by festool, but they used the festool edgerouter body)

Such a base wouldn't be too hard to make for your palm router (no plunging needed)

What you are describing sounds like the Metabo paint grinder.

I have a version of the paint stripper above which for all intents and purposes is identical to the Metabo, but don't believe it would be suitable for plug planing as it can be a PITA to get the DOC dialled in just right. Although I think a router with a suitable base would be best for trimming the ends, I think a lipping planer like this would be better than the Metabo paint stripping machine:

I have the DeWalt 611PK combo package (fixed and plunge bases) and an extra sub-base.

I thought of the plunge base because it would mimic the drill-attached planer in use.

I have a flat bit (dado bit) and I think that would work.  I will experiment.

You don’t need a plunge base although it would be good if the hole in the regular base is too small for the plug to fit inside the hole next to the bit. The plunge base would allow you to bring the bit down onto the plug but some bits do not cut when plunged down. The Amana plug planer has a special cutter.

Ideally (IMO) the hole in the regular base is large enough for both bit and plug and the height is finely adjusted via screw, as in the Dewalt and Milwaukee compact cordless routers. The Makita and most others uses a crude rack and pinion depth adjustment.

Quote from: Michael Kellough on December 14, 2022, 11:31 PM

Quote from: Frank-Jan on December 14, 2022, 09:39 PM

Quote from: Packard on December 14, 2022, 09:22 AM

....
I’m thinking I can achieve the same result with my palm-sized plunge router.  I will have to experiment.

I remember that years ago there was this tool that was sold for this task, and that basically was the motor part of an mfk 500, with a horseshoe shaped base. (It wasn't sold by festool, but they used the festool edgerouter body)

Such a base wouldn't be too hard to make for your palm router (no plunging needed)

What you are describing sounds like the Metabo paint grinder.

No, It's just a regular palmrouter, with the bit set flush to the bottom of the base, but the base has an open side (Like a horse shoe, or a C

Aha! I don’t recall seeing that but it’s a great idea. Anyone could buy an extra base for their little router and cut a big slot in one side of the base. If the height of the plug is kept below the thickness of the plastic base then you’d only have to slot the plastic base.

That said, the $30 Veritas Flush Cut Saw does a great job of cutting stuff down to within sandable height. The sharp teeth have no set and don’t scratch the surface.

Thanks for the tip @Cheese I have a set of their metric blocks I'd like to add to.

I bought 2 sets of import gage blocks on Alibaba recently; they are fine although the only 0.5mm block is 6.5mm for some inscrutable reason.

If you need finer adjustment, .020 plastic shim stock cut it into strips will give you 0.25mm resolution.

RMW

Woodpeckers manufactured the gage blocks from aluminum because they manufacture everything from aluminum whether it is the material of choice or not.

A couple of issues for aluminum:

1.  Aluminum has twice the thermal expansion rates as compared to steel.

2.  Aluminum is soft.  Adding hard anodizing will help, but steel that has not been heat treated has a surface hardness 8 times what aluminum does.  So aluminum dents and scratches more easily.  Hardening steel will increase that gap substantially.

Note:  Decorative anodizing will add nothing to the surface hardness (no measurable difference), but “hard anodizing” will.  Hard anodizing will bring the surface hardness to the equivalent of case hardened steel, but not to conventionally heat treated steel.

3.  You can surface grind steel to +/- 0.0001”. (One tenth of a thousandth) with commercially available grinding machines.  You cannot grind aluminum and milling cannot achieve that tolerance.

So, in my opinion, hardened steel gage blocks are a better choice for metal working, where tolerances are tighter and the risk of denting or scratching is greater.  Aluminum is OK for wood working.

I did not see where DG mentions what the cost was for these blocks.  Amazon.com sells leveling blocks in sets of 10 pieces each for about $40.00 per size.  These are not of the tightest tolerance, they are produced to +/- 0.0002” (two tenths of a thousandth), but of tighter tolerance than CNC can produce from aluminum.

Or you can buy a full array of sizes (one of each) in the tighter tolerance. 

I don’t have metal machining capability.  When I needed a piece made while I was still working, I would ask a favor of one of our tool and die makers, which means that my employer would have been “gifting” me those items.  He was probably not aware that he was being that generous.

Another good source for reasonably priced shims is a feeler gauge. Removed from the usual card deck holder, they make excellent shims etc.

Ron

Great idea Ron. $7 bucks online, a pair of them are on the way. Don't even have to drill out a rivet, just loosen a machine screw post. 

Thanks.

RMW

This is the set of individual gauges I use.

Somehow they only cost $24 when I purchased.

I know some folks will likely cringe at this but for $7.99 https://www.harborfreight.com/feeler-gauge-32-piece-63665.html cheap harbor freight feeler gauges make great cheap shims

from my experience, accurate transfer of dimensions is more important than absolute measurement.  Repeatability is the goal. 

I use 1/8”, 3/16”, 1/4” and 3/8” O.D. Brass tubing that I bought from a hobby store. I’m sure I measured them at one time with a micrometer, but the important point is that when I need 3/16” that dimension is repeatable using these 12” long pieces of tubing.

I used them also for my framing to layout mat decorations.  There, again, the absolute dimension is not as important as having the identical dimension on all four sides of the mat board.

I do not use these with a utility knife.  I only use them for marking.  The tubing is too soft for use with any type of tool.

For those who require more precision and durability with their measuring blocks, these are all available from Amazon at very reasonable prices.  (About 1/10th the cost of the Mitutoyo stuff.

https://www.findmallparts.com/collections/parallel-block

I would note that in our tool and die shop, they had Mitutoyo measuring equipment, and a Nikon comparator.  The tool and die workers would have been insulted to have to work with non-name measuring equipment.

Quote from: Packard on December 19, 2022, 04:21 PM

Snip. Repeatability is the goal.  Snip.

Agreed. That's why a measuring tape from a dollar store is just as accurate as any one of those pricey or fancy tapes as long as all measurements and cuts are based on that same dollar tape.

That was an early lesson that I got on one of my first installs. Comparing tapes with the person you are working with, first thing, before anything gets cut, is a must.

Quote from: Packard on December 19, 2022, 04:21 PM

Snip. Repeatability is the goal.  Snip.

Agreed. That's why a measuring tape from a dollar store is just as accurate as any one of those pricey or fancy tapes as long as all measurements and cuts are based on that same dollar tape.

But then we use machines that have measuring fences which have not been calibrated to the tape or all the other machine fences in the work shop.

Snip.
But then we use machines that have measuring fences which have not been calibrated to the tape or all the other machine fences in the work shop.

In my shop, I use the tape that I just took a measurement from a project to set the machine (table saw, router table or miter saw). I ignore the scale on the table saw. The only time I use the scale on the table saw is when I start the stock prep. That's, I use that scale to cut every sheet or piece using the cut list prepared beforehand. I don't think that the imperial or metric scale on the table saw (SawStop) matches the scale of any of the tapes (Fastcap, Craftsman, Stanley and Lee Valley Tools) I have around.

A. Woodpeckers manufactured the gage blocks from aluminum because they manufacture everything from aluminum whether it is the material of choice or not.

1.  Aluminum has twice the thermal expansion rates as compared to steel.

2.  Aluminum is soft.  Adding hard anodizing will help, but steel that has not been heat treated has a surface hardness 8 times what aluminum does.  So aluminum dents and scratches more easily.  Hardening steel will increase that gap substantially.

Note:  Decorative anodizing will add nothing to the surface hardness (no measurable difference), but “hard anodizing” will.  Hard anodizing will bring the surface hardness to the equivalent of case hardened steel, but not to conventionally heat treated steel.

3.  You can surface grind steel to +/- 0.0001”. (One tenth of a thousandth) with commercially available grinding machines.  You cannot grind aluminum and milling cannot achieve that tolerance.

So, in my opinion, hardened steel gage blocks are a better choice for metal working, where tolerances are tighter and the risk of denting or scratching is greater.  Aluminum is OK for wood working.

A. That's not necessarily a bad thing...and in this case aluminum is the material of choice. If it wasn't, they would have chosen another material. Woodpeckers produces products manufactured from aluminum, stainless, phenolic, Delrin, nylon, cold rolled  and tool steel, If there was a better alternative I'm sure they would have chosen that alternative material.

1. Thermal expansion can be an issue, however if it's left in an environment to fully stabilize then it's no longer an issue. Besides, gage blocks are typically kept within the area that they will be used in. It's the raw materials that are sometimes kept in a colder/hotter holding area. So those materials then become the problem because you're waiting for those materials to heat stabilize...not the gage blocks.

2. Aluminum is soft but when working around sharp carbide tools it's a lot better than steel which can chip the carbide if adequate care is not taken.

3. You can surface grind aluminum to +/- 0.0002”. (Two tenth's of a thousandth) with commercially available grinding machines.

So, in my opinion, hardened steel gage blocks AND aluminum gage blocks are both good choices for metal & wood working, it just depends upon your needs at the time.

I also have a set of Starrett hardened steel gage blocks that I use for caliper & micrometer calibration. Incredibly nice stuff...incredibly expensive stuff. Nine very small gage blocks that cost $420 and they need to be carefully wiped down every 6 months to prevent rust from forming on the surface. They can be wrung together which aluminum blocks will never be able to do but then again Starrett claims the flatness accuracy of their Grade A1 steel gage blocks is in the neighborhood of .000004". 

I own both because I need both.

Aluminum can be ground, but special care must be taken to avoid shop fires and the cost is prohibitive.

https://www.finishing.com/317/17.shtml

@Cheese - how much were these extra gauge blocks?

$8.99 each...not cheap but also not that expensive either considering they're guaranteed to be within .001".  The first person I talked to suggested I just order a couple of extra filler sets.    I then mentioned that I had absolutely no use for the other 5 or 6 gage blocks in each filler set.

Ask for Eric Whitsel, I've already put him through the wringer and he's up to speed. 

Get the dimensions for the plastic bag.  You will find 6 mil thick pclear plastic bags from Uline and others for less than Jet charges.

For example, 36” x 48” x 6 mil, 50 bags per carton @91.00 per carton.

The 50 bags will last several lifetimes, so post the size here and maybe someone will buy the overage.  That’s about $2.00 each.  So 10 bags = $20.00 + postage.  If your bags are an appropriate size, I’d be interested in 10.  My Grizzly bag is showing it’s age (you can empty it several times befor you have to replace it.

I have a long hose and I bring it to the other stations.  It had less pressure but far mor volume than a vacuum, and is more effective for dust collection.