British Kingway Alignment Jig

Ran across this piece of equiptment, and was wondering exactly how it's used, and what all it can do?
Does it just check a machine after regrinding or rescraping the ways perhaps?
Anyone used one before?
http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/machinealignment1.jpg

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/king-way-alignment-tool-picture-heavy-172475/ This is really helpful , really nice tool

That is a Kingway alignment tool invented by Robert King in the 1950's. It is an American invention not British. I believe his son of the same name teaches hand scraping or at least he did.

It is one of the most useful tools that I have ever used in rebuilding machine tools. It can be configured for any type of guide ways. (external, internal Vee's, flat ways, dovetails). In the picture it is bearing on 3 points so that it does not rock. The level parallel to the bed ways is for showing straightness and the level perpendicular to the ways will show the twist.

It is easy to set up and quick to use. It is a great old school tool that I would prefer over any laser alignment system.

dinosaur said:

That is a Kingway alignment tool invented by Robert King in the 1950's. It is an American invention not British. I believe his son of the same name teaches hand scraping or at least he did.

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Wasn’t the Fathers name Herman, and the son is Richard?

Richards’s site is still up to date, 2010. So he’s still in the consulting / training caper.
http://handscraping.com/Home_Page.php

Regards Phil.

Ok guys,
SO, how difficult are these to find? Are they uber-rare, and impossible to ever come across, or are they fairly easy to come by? I'm assuming they are no longer in production, correct?

Finally, does anyone know the estimated value/cost of these alignment jigs? This definitely seems like a good piece of kit to score, should I ever run across one, but what is the value of one in good condition?
I've always wanted to learn how to rescrape these machines we all love. Of course, I've got a long way to go practicing with the scraper, before I even attempt to actually restore a machine I plan on using.

Paul Cataldo said:

Ok guys,
SO, how difficult are these to find? Are they uber-rare, and impossible to ever come across, or are they fairly easy to come by? I'm assuming they are no longer in production, correct?

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In order:
Very difficult: In three years of looking (since I first heard of them) I have not been able to locate one on eBay.

See above.

Correct.

Finally, does anyone know the estimated value/cost of these alignment jigs?

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I would gladly pay US$500 for a complete kit. I imagine in an eBay auction that I would be outbid.

This definitely seems like a good piece of kit to score, should I ever run across one, but what is the value of one in good condition?

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So much so that shapeaholic made his own copy (see sjlarkins link), Forrest Addy has suggested to his scraping students to design and make their own, and I have considered making one myself. It shouldn't be too difficult. The heart of the design is in the precision of the levels. The most difficult part to make appears to be the cylindrical 'glides'... th rest is rods, clamps, and mounts for the level phials.

I've always wanted to learn how to rescrape these machines we all love. Of course, I've got a long way to go practicing with the scraper, before I even attempt to actually restore a machine I plan on using.

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Part of the scraping process is learning how and making ones own gages.

I suppose one could ask shapeaholic for a copy of his drawings.

-DU-

For the record, the patent is registered to Herman King.

Yes these are slick rigs. The patent has a number of illustrations describing its practical uses. It's worth looking up. http://www.google.com/patents?id=ZotDAAAAEBAJ&pg=PA3&lpg=PA3&dq=Patent+%22Herman+King%22+alignment&source=bl&ots=rVqbpMtKzv&sig=sCHHGysiuTodj89BtZFtaasUQEI&hl=en&ei=WwY2TMj9Ic2hnQfw9ZjWAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CDQQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=Patent%20%22Herman%20King%22%20alignment&f=false

The kit is not too hard to make once you find a pair of mounted precision level vials. They're available from Geier and Bluhm (http://www.geier-bluhm.com/) and a few others.

Drill rod or better, hydraulic chrome rod will make the shafts and most anything machinable will do for the rest of the parts. The original Kingway kit had many bronze parts but cast iron, mild teel, aluminum, whatever... I strongly suggest cast iron or bronze for surfaces that bear against the machine beng aligned.

Proportion the parts as you see fit for your own equipment but I suggest you make a wood prototype to prove it in simulated use.

Here's a handy hint: Boring a split clamp to reliably grip a rod never seems to work satifatorily. You have to bore for some clearance. When you tighten it on the shaft, the clamp bears first at two points. Thus its a little wobbly unless you tighten the snot out of it.

Here's the trick slit the clamp drill and tap for the screw. Then make a shim about 0.010" thinner than the slit. Insert the shim, run a screw in and bring it snug to the shim but not real tight. Bore the clamp to the shaft size. Relieve the center third of the bore.

This brings several advantages. The clamp assembles on its rod and slides freely. When the screw is snugged up the clamp can be moved through a range of stiffer adjustability until it becomes immovable. Once snug it will not move because the rod is gripped over its entire circumference. The relieved bore avoids an uncertan center grip encountered when a single clamp screw is used.

Forrest,

What accuracy would you recommend for such a gage? 10 second?

-DU-

Dave, yup. 10 arc second vials work very well for most any machine tool laignment problem. Ten secords is the interval of graduation and they are 2 MM apart so the level can be eyeballed far closer than that.

machtool said:

Wasn’t the Fathers name Herman, and the son is Richard?

Richards’s site is still up to date, 2010. So he’s still in the consulting / training caper.
http://handscraping.com/Home_Page.php

Regards Phil.

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Yes you are correct and I am mistaken. I was thinking of another machine tool rebuilder by the name of Bob King.

The 1972 Rank Precision Industries catalog lists the "Kingway Machine Alignment Instrument", including a Last-Word-looking 0.0001 inch dial test indicator, under Scherr-Tumico Catalog No 24 0371, for US$ 450.00.

Included in the catalog description is this statement, " . . . and the LEVEL VIALS WHICH ARE 5 SECOND GRADUATED (three ten-thousantshs of an inch per foot." [emphasis in the original]

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Inflation Calculator shows US$ 450 in 1972 is worth US$ 2,348.81 in 2010.

John

I have two of these Scherr-Tumico levels. and I use them on most every machine I rescrape. Wonderful piece of equipment!
John Fahnestock
J&L Scraping Service
www.j-lscraping.com

I have one of these kingway jigs, it went through a fire and so it will need new vials in the levels but it is otherwise OK, I think.
This is an estate item, so I'm interested in finding a new home for it.

My Dad (Herman - Red - King the inventor, sold a license to Sheer Tumico and Do-All to produce them along by himself.
When I was a little kid I helped varnish the oak boxes. I have 3 of the original oak boxes now. I have the memory I got 60 or so years ago. I have the contract in my archives. ST's contract was to make 300 units and they never made that many. Both ST and Do-all are gone now. I started to make kits and just sold one today as a matter of fact.

What are you looking to get for the king-way project?

Rich — I didn’t know you were doing kits for the king ways.

medsar said:

What are you looking to get for the king-way project?

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The Kingway project has found its new home, thanks to some help with folks on this discussion thread.

I watched a batch of homemade king alignment tools go for some good bread within the last year or so.

A shop liquidation of all things.... batch of (5) units...

bill noble said:

The Kingway project has found its new home, thanks to some help with folks on this discussion thread.

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I'm glad I could have helped