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Butch...Mn

Plastic
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Mar 28, 2009
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Mn
I am in need of a custom accurate square that I would use to set up and adjust machinery...especially crosscut fences on a sliding table saw. I am thinking a 16" X 24" size would work fine. One requirement is that the edges be smooth in order to use a dial indicator along the edges. Of course, it must be accurate as well. I am undecided as to wether I would want it made from aluminum or a plastic or phenolic type of material, probably 1/4" or 3/8" thick. I am asking you experts what process listed above would be more desirable and would one type of material have advantages over others I have listed. I assume any one of the processes would be capable of producing a good 90* angle.
 
You need a custom square? Why?

Hobestly curious as they make a lot of different squares... Also depebding on how square and smooth you need the edge its hard to say if any of those methods would work. How precise do you need it to be realistically?
 
None will be smooth enough for use with a typical thou reading DTI with out at least a pass on a mill. That said, if the machines in good repair any of thoes will cut a good accurate square any size you want, but there could well be stresses in the plate that makes the cut item a lot less accurate than your hoping for by the sound of things.
 
Abrasive waterjet on its highest cut quality setting (low speed) will produce the smoothest, squarest edge of the three processes you mentioned.

Jim Colt Hypertherm

I am in need of a custom accurate square that I would use to set up and adjust machinery...especially crosscut fences on a sliding table saw. I am thinking a 16" X 24" size would work fine. One requirement is that the edges be smooth in order to use a dial indicator along the edges. Of course, it must be accurate as well. I am undecided as to wether I would want it made from aluminum or a plastic or phenolic type of material, probably 1/4" or 3/8" thick. I am asking you experts what process listed above would be more desirable and would one type of material have advantages over others I have listed. I assume any one of the processes would be capable of producing a good 90* angle.
 
I asked my neighbor (a wood worker) how he aligned his fence, and he replied that the fence's design made it square enough. Any tweaking beyond that would be lost.

His opinion was that sawing was a roughing operation, much like using a twist drill is in machining. After all, you are cutting a material that shrinks and expands with humidity and using blades that have NO tooth to tooth runout specified.

Given that, a standard carpenter's square would probably be good enough to align the blade with the fence.

Dan
 
What a carpenters square is accurate enough for wood work??? Wow you mean i should not have been breaking out the granite square all these years?
 
I annoy one of my neighbors whenever I have to borrow his table saw. "Dude...it's wood not metal." as I'm trying to dial in a cut to 1/64" or better. It's turned in to an inside joke between us.
 
Sounds like a job for any old VMC, not a 2D cutting process. But like anything else if you can buy just buy it.
 
Abrasive waterjet on its highest cut quality setting (low speed) will produce the smoothest, squarest edge of the three processes you mentioned.

and no heat is put into it so no risk of heat distortion and you can do whatever material. most expensive of the three though.
 
I am in need of a custom accurate square that I would use to set up and adjust machinery...especially crosscut fences on a sliding table saw. I am thinking a 16" X 24" size would work fine. One requirement is that the edges be smooth in order to use a dial indicator along the edges. Of course, it must be accurate as well. I am undecided as to wether I would want it made from aluminum or a plastic or phenolic type of material, probably 1/4" or 3/8" thick. I am asking you experts what process listed above would be more desirable and would one type of material have advantages over others I have listed. I assume any one of the processes would be capable of producing a good 90* angle.

Is somebody pulling somebodies choke here?

Normal humans would start with a Framing Square, available in steel for ≈$7 at your local Home Depot.

Glue 2 more together to get your desired thickness.

Since you didn't specify accuracy in any technical terms, I presume you're not familiar with such nonsenses.

Why not post an RFQ in the Manufacturing Resources forum? They are experts at responding to such requests.
 
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Thanks for the link Sea Farmer, I may get a couple of those so I have an extra!! Ha

Good.. with extra bucks to use up buy me one also... I might never use it but just in case it would look nice hanging in my shop..

My saw fences (two table saws, not sliding) are so sloppy that I have to double measure for every cut.. Thought about making a sliding parallel pair that would get wider with sliding the angle. But so far have not made one.
 
I'm a waterjet shop, we bang out custom squares and custom angle setting and checking gages of all sizes on a regular basis, for use dialing in the press brake, jigging up welded fabrications and parts assemblies and anything else where having a production gage will quickly earn back the time otherwise spent using squares and protractors.

The catch is, it's a bridge machine, and so the machine is only as square as the straightness of the rails, and position of the end stops that set the absolute home on the front & rear rails of the X axis. The machine is squared by cutting a ... square and then checking that with a reference square and moving the end stops as needed.

There's enough flex in the machine and taper in the cut edge that I would not quote an 18x24" part to be square to better than .002" TIR. Even the highest quality cut edge is still too rough to drag an indicator tip over and expect repeatable results.

It sure is convenient for the world of applications where .002 to .005" is good enough, that covers pretty much any press brake operation and welded fabrication.

Someone could have us cut a blank from e.g. 1/4" 6061 aluminum, and then finish it on their own by draw filing and spotting with a surface plate and a reference square. Or go the traditional route of having 3 identical blanks cut and using them and a straightedge to square each other.
 
It sure is convenient for the world of applications where .002 to .005" is good enough, that covers pretty much any press brake operation and welded fabrication.

All the sheetmetal shops that work to much tighter tolerances than that would strongly disagree with that statement, unless you're talking a few thou over 20 feet or so.
 








 
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