Thread: Ring gage block? Does this exist?

Im looking for something to use at my machine to calibrate my probe and tool setter. What would be idea would be a 3x3x3 gage block with a precision bore in the center. Seems like a pretty straight forward item, bit I can't find it. Does anyone know if something like that exists? It could be bigger, or smaller, but the concept would be nice.

Thanks,
Brian

Originally Posted by BRIAN.T

Im looking for something to use at my machine to calibrate my probe and tool setter. What would be idea would be a 3x3x3 gage block with a precision bore in the center. Seems like a pretty straight forward item, bit I can't find it. Does anyone know if something like that exists? It could be bigger, or smaller, but the concept would be nice.

Thanks,
Brian

For a square body, round hole, a custom gage is what you will probably need - calibration certs from the maker. Van Keuren was the/a major player in "round stuff" including "ring" gages, and custom builds - but half a century ago.

Go ogle finds more than one present-day host, so I am not sure if the survivors are dealing only through others, or were broken-up, various segments OWNED by others.

Plain round external, cylindrical bore ring gages, setting rings, bore gage setting masters, are now also stock items from Mitutoyo et al.

Can you not use a cylindrical external shape, rather than square?

The bore has to be as "perfect as possible", but how critical is it that it be perfeclty centered if set-into a shop-fabbed block?

Mind I'm "guessing" that the need for a rectangle is because it is on a milling center's table, vise, fixture, pallet, indexer, rotab, or tombstone or somehow meant to tuck up against a straight edge or into a corner?

"Special need" one way or the other?

Look for ring gages used to set internal micrometers. Here's an example: Cylindrical Ring Gages | Ring Gauges

Originally Posted by BRIAN.T

Im looking for something to use at my machine to calibrate my probe and tool setter. What would be idea would be a 3x3x3 gage block with a precision bore in the center. Seems like a pretty straight forward item, bit I can't find it. Does anyone know if something like that exists? It could be bigger, or smaller, but the concept would be nice.

Thanks,
Brian

To set your probe you only need a ring gage, preferably 1" or larger (or so I was taught), for the tool probe you want one of these -

CAT40 Tool Probe Calibrator - Made in USA MariTool

Ass-uming you are using a Renishaw system

edit: we have the one from renishawcommand, which has a little bit larger tip, nominal .500 (but the length and tip diameter will be marked on it)

Command part #M-2253-0954

Originally Posted by thermite

For a square body, round hole, a custom gage is what you will probably need - calibration certs from the maker. Van Keuren was the/a major player in "round stuff" including "ring" gages, and custom builds - but half a century ago.

Go ogle finds more than one present-day host, so I am not sure if the survivors are dealing only through others, or were broken-up, various segments OWNED by others.

Plain round external, cylindrical bore ring gages, setting rings, bore gage setting masters, are now also stock items from Mitutoyo et al.

Can you not use a cylindrical external shape, rather than square?

The bore has to be as "perfect as possible", but how critical is it that it be perfeclty centered if set-into a shop-fabbed block?

Mind I'm "guessing" that the need for a rectangle is because it is on a milling center's table, vise, fixture, pallet, indexer, rotab, or tombstone or somehow meant to tuck up against a straight edge or into a corner?

"Special need" one way or the other?

I could certainly use a cylinder, so long as the length was a known dimension, and flat. and i suppose it would need to big enough to sit nicely on a machine table. does that exist? maybe 3" round, by 3" tall

As for the bore in my would be block, center wouldn't matter at all, i would just like to be able to drop the spindle nose onto a block, then probe the bore to check the probe.

ill look into having something made, but if im a betting man, im going to say the price is going to void my hopes of being able to use one "do all" block. ive got no problem buying both a ring gage and a block, if thats what i need to do.

Originally Posted by Mike1974

To set your probe you only need a ring gage, preferably 1" or larger (or so I was taught), for the tool probe you want one of these -

CAT40 Tool Probe Calibrator - Made in USA MariTool

Ass-uming you are using a Renishaw system

edit: we have the one from renishawcommand, which has a little bit larger tip, nominal .500 (but the length and tip diameter will be marked on it)

Command part #M-2253-0954

You are correct, however this machine is a hsk spindle, which is nice because they are dual contact, so i can just drop the spindle nose to the block then create a master tool based on the difference, which seem like more work, and maybe it is, but it also allows me to use the same system/block on my cat40 mills.

I've been looking for the same thing. AME makes this, it's close but not quite gage quality.

Calibration Block | Advanced Machine & Engineering Co.

Originally Posted by Mud

I've been looking for the same thing. AME makes this, it's close but not quite gage quality.

Calibration Block | Advanced Machine & Engineering Co.

Oh this is interesting, thanks I'll check it out.

the Haas guy that calibrated our system used a 1" ring guage ( like you would set a bore mic with) held on the table with a couple of small magnets. All available from McMaster

Originally Posted by Mud

I've been looking for the same thing. AME makes this, it's close but not quite gage quality.

Calibration Block | Advanced Machine & Engineering Co.

Wouldn't really need to be, as long as surfaces are parallel and bores are round. If you have the equipment to measure say the 1.000" bore and mark it as such (1.0003 etc) should be fine, depending on price I suppose....

Originally Posted by BRIAN.T

I could certainly use a cylinder, so long as the length was a known dimension, and flat. and i suppose it would need to big enough to sit nicely on a machine table. does that exist? maybe 3" round, by 3" tall

That the material is stable enough to be useful for gaging at all, whatever those dimension are, they will assuredly be every bit as stable on the height/length. Not hard to get a figure, make it part of calibration?

As for the bore in my would be block, center wouldn't matter at all, i would just like to be able to drop the spindle nose onto a block, then probe the bore to check the probe.

Then here is where you "embed" a stock store-bought cylindrical ring into a shop-fab squared holder.

I'd suggest placing it OBVIOUSLY off-center, or notching/flatting or rounding one corner as well such that it is always set into place in the same orientation.

2 components worth.

Proven approach, yah?

Whole lotta things on-planet, ourselves included, as are the product of a 2-component exercise, after all!

What's not to like about that?