my new callipers need some spacing (6mm) on my uprights

at the moment I'm using washers , but want something more permanent

i was going to use plate aluminium (2 layers of 3mm Alli plate)

anyone got any opinions- is the alli ok to use?

Get something machined in ali would be safer.

its possible to cut 6mm ali plate with a jigsaw
use a coarse wood blade and spray it with WD40 as you cut, file the edges clean, and hey presto home made cheap spacers. I may have some kicking round in the garage that you can have.

Al

I've used mild steel plate for spacers on my calipers. Drilled and then cut/ground to shape.

[Edited on 11/5/05 by clbarclay]

Just use a couple of seat belt spacers -- no hassle job done

I would be happy with 2 x 3 mm plates.

Maybe this is old hat, but was news to me when I was shown it by an old fabricator.

To get a nice finish on the edge of a flat plate you have filed, put the file square across the edge of the part with one hand on the handle and the other on the end of the file, and pull it repeatedly towards yourself along the edge.

Removes all the filling marks

If everyone knows this, Ill get me coat........

Cheers

Fred WB

Yes, its called draw filing. At training school we had to do phase tests using this technique and achieve a surface finish requirement. You can also use chalk on the file blade to lubricate it and reduce its coarseness. IIRC we also had to use a file card regularly to stop debris getting stuck in the file and cause scratches.

quote:

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Originally posted by DarrenW
Yes, its called draw filing. At training school we had to do phase tests using this technique and achieve a surface finish requirement. You can also use chalk on the file blade to lubricate it and reduce its coarseness. IIRC we also had to use a file card regularly to stop debris getting stuck in the file and cause scratches.

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At least 40 years ago they taught you that sort of thing! When I was at school (I'm 27 now) we did a few basics but that was it, and now it's even worse, many do none at all!!..................and we wonder why we have so few engineers that dn't want to venture out into the workshops from behind their CAD stations!

That was in the days BEFORE computers took over and everything was sketched with a PENCIL before it was hand crafted (or hacked) out of raw materials - GOD that makes me feel old

First 6 weeks of apprentice ship was spent filing a block of steel so that all sides and faces were parrallel/ square to each other. At the start there was a round hole in the centre. After all faces and sides were square you then had to make the round hole square. Then you got a round bar that you had to hacksaw and file a square end on the thickness of the square section and all this to withoin 2 thou. Ah i remember it well (23 years ago).We could all have robbed banks for these 6 weeks because none of us had any finger prints left by the end of the first dayHappy days of Mark 1 escorts and no wucking furries)