aluminum pallets

[sorrelcreek]

I've seen these being used lots and wanted to make some after seeing how any ways you can use them. I made two that are 6x4x1 inche thick and one that is 6x8x1 inche thick my vise opens to almost 9 inches that's why a built a bigger pallet. On two pallets with more holes I drilled and tap 1/4-20 and every other hole reamed for a 1/4 harden pin. The pins can act like a stop for parts and also fast setup for anything that needs 45 degree angles. Next I'm working on making the clamps for it which are going to be three different sizes 2 3 and 4 inch long ones and if anything in the future for any jobs just built other clamps for them.

 

[Janger]

Let's see the clamps! Something like that would be useful for a welding table too...

 

[Mphenley]

Those slabs couldn't have been cheap... Any reason why you used aluminum instead of steel? Other than weight? I'd think the threading would be vulnerable...

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[PeterT]

Coincidentally I'm just making a mini version of that for my 4" rotary table. I have so many futzy little parts I need to set up in different orientations. My holes are 6-32 on 0.5" grid. I also made a baseplate for the RT so now I can clamp it directly in the 6" mill pre-squared or at an angle with appropriate wedge blocks.

I wasn't aware the plates were called a 'pallet', maybe that's why my ebay searches came up dry. I found some called tooling plates but anyway, big bucks. I have a chunk of 1/2" cast aluminum earmarked for the plate, supposedly its ground very flat.

Another thought I had: tap some holes along the edges. That way you can bolt on a vertical fence & that can act as a datum stop to locate repetition parts or up square into a corner with 2 fences kind of like a vise stop principle. I like your dowel pin hole idea, hmm.. maybe I can work that in still.

 

[sorrelcreek]

The aluminum wasn't to bad about $70.00 for all the aluminum and I went with aluminium over steel for the fact that it just easier when your machining something and you break through the part you just going into aluminum instead of steel and the weight is better. It doesn't matter what you make it out of. The aluminum threaded holes won't get stripped out or wear out cause this is for small parts your not going to put a ton of force onto the screws and worse case if you do just put a thread insert into the hole and your good to go again.

Yes Peter t I was thinking of doing that also drilling and tapping holes on the sides it just adds more to the setups you can do.

 

[John Conroy]

I made this one a while back from a chunk of hot rolled steel that came my way. Aluminum would have been a lot easier to tap but this was free. It can be clamped in a vise in either direction and at any angle so it's very handy for angles on small parts.

It can also have a small vise mounted to it for angle work.

These things are a versatile piece of kit.

 

[sorrelcreek]

Hi John I do remember seeing your post on this. It's a great looking project and they are very useful for all types of set up. It's one project that you can add and modify to what ever you can think of.

 

[Geoff]

I really like the idea of bolting on a piece of round bar. The concept of attaching a round bar or other 'attachments' gives me some ideas about milling compound angles. I have made a few carbide insert tool holders and the neutral or negative inserts require a compound angle to provide the relief. Any insert that has 'N' as the second letter requires an angled tool holder (eg. CNMG, TNMG, etc...). The benefit of using this style of insert is that they are double-sided so you get more cutting edges.

There is a lot of debate about using carbide inserts on smaller lathes such as mine and if you are going to use carbide, the recommendation is to use a positive style insert as the negative style inserts require more pressure. I have tried a bit of everything and I have found that sometimes I just can't use HSS, especially on harder materials. When I am turning large diameter steel, I almost always use carbide and I have had very good success with both positive and negative style inserts. When I am turning alloy steel such as 4140, I always use carbide and I tend to feed fairly quickly.

Nice work on the pallets and thanks for the ideas!