Bench blocks

[Intheshop]

Just talkin here....

Back 30+ years I had a bunch of babies which means not a whole lot of play money.Consequently I made the bench block you see here with the plastic glued to a nice chunk of maple. Been using it,for a long time. This morning made another out of some Delrin round stock that was laying around. Pics should sum it up.

 

[Intheshop]

Here's the down N dirty mill setup. The round stock ends were trued in the lathe. Hole was drilled with a forstner "bit" borrowed from the cabmet shop.

 

[Wasalmonslayer]

Those are very nice!
I have been using a lead disc with a hole drilled but these would work a lot better!
Any chance you could make a couple for a guy?

 

[Intheshop]

Yes but..... 20$ from Brownells probably makes more sense. Delrin is stupid $$. I get some free from time to time but it's not a steady supply.

 

[Wasalmonslayer]

I’ll order a couple did not even know they were made.
Thank you!

 

[Intheshop]

One thing you can do if you get two is;

Make a 1/2 or 3/4" "riser" for one..... it's useful to have that option when working on say replacing a Remington trigger. A sporter barrel is smaller in diameter than the action. It keeps it all level. The same can be said for any project.

I was in the gunsmith shop in Williamsburg years ago. On the bench a cpl feet from the main vise was a leather covered V shaped "block"..... asking what it's use was,the craftsman said it's the perfect height for holding the barrel up when the action was in the vise.

Take away,wasn't my doh moment but,the fact that a leather covered,shaped block is not only an excellent outrigger but is useful in a lot of ways on a gun bench. Might get some strange looks but,thick leather purses from Goodwill makes a mighty cheap source for materials..... I make wifeypoo come with me,haha.

Edit to add; glue a dowel in the wooden riser,make it the size of your bench block's through hole..... keeps it in place. You can also do this same idea on a larger wooden base plate/dowel for holding the bench block in a std vise.

 

[Ian]

Brownells has a variety of blocks. One if the best-known these days is probably the AR-15 front sight gas block bench block, very handy for reaming the tapered pin holes.

 

[Bret4207]

I have several bench blocks that started out as bodies of hydraulic valves from a long gone mill. Not sure how my father came into them, but they work nicely. 3-4" around with a mess of holes. I should stick one in the shaper and vee it across the center...just as soon as I get "a round tuit"!

 

[blackthorn]

Hockey pucks and a drill press work OK. I also have a couple of 2" thick blocks of plastic that my nephew made me when he worked in a plastic bag plant. When they cleaned the machine, they ran the leftover hot-liquid residue out of the machine. He used a cut-off cardboard box to catch and level the residue. Once it cooled you were left with a solid block of plastic and all I had to do was drill some holes and "V" grooves. I have used those blocks for over 40 years.

 

[Intheshop]

Ordered a Protektor #16 today. Going to play with the fill amt and see how useful it is on the bench. At the least,it'll get used as designed,elbow bag for BR shooting.

 

[Intheshop]

Crummy pic from awhile back. This one or style is super easy. 2 wooden? or whatever plates with a cpl 1/4" bolts running through,then get some threaded knobs or nice wingnuts or something. There's a pce of dense foam that lays in there to protect the finish,could cut up your wifes leather purse though? The cool part is you don't have to tighten the nuts,because the bolts are close to the center line they act as a fulcrum and once the nuts are adjusted..... the rifle just fits like magic. I made this one 10 years ago,maybe adjusted it 1/2 dz times?

 

[Bret4207]

We used 25 lbs bags of shot, once shot actually became available. It wasn't for many, many years. You had to order it, our local shops and my semi-wholesaler didn't carry it at all. Before that Dad had a section of leg from an old pair of pants filled with coarse sand that did the same basic thing.

 

[smokeywolf]

Intheshop, I like your adjustable angle plate. Have one almost identical to that. It's yet another of those machine shop tools that when you need one, there is little else that will do.

 

[Pistolero]

I have had one of the Brownell's ones for years. Very handy.

Bill

 

[Intheshop]

Filled the #16 Protektor with cat litter..... it's paying dues. I'd say more of a handgun bench accessory than long gun. Which isn't as "duh" a statement as the bags measurement would imply. It IS, useful for long guns..... but could become downright indispensible for the shorter brethren.

Next..... not much of a wood lathe guy. With apologies to folks that are but,how many "bowls" does a family really need? Yes,I know..it's the journey not the destination,I get it and more power to you. If I cared,would be sporting a Powermatic 90,old arn,wood lathe and not look back. And have turned(ha) fine examples down for basically beer money.

I have an extremely modest wood lathe..... which paid for itself in 3 or 4 hrs. Generally,when we needed turnings in old house (National Register listing) preservation jobs..... I'd look up local turning clubs. These guys make me look stupid with their skillsets.... and,"how many bowls do you really need" enters because,and saying this respectfully,they were tripping over each other to #1,make something to spec,and NOT be a bowl. #2 work on a "book" house(thick arse registry book).#3,make money and show their wives all this "stuff" isn't for naught.

All a round about way to say I turned this the other day. Got a metric ton of gunsmith "bits" and a slew of cleaning junk. These are what's needed on a day to day basis on the bench. Cherry base,and some very nicely speckled maple on top that pics don't do justice. Amber tinted lacquer to give it a spot of antique'ness (old clear coats yellow with age).