Machine tool accessories, such as clamps and cutting bits, are essential for precise machining projects. Measuring devices and bluing chemicals are also useful. Certain machines require specific accessories, like multi-function clamps for milling machines and threading attachments for lathes. Machinist’s dye and awls are used for marking metal before machining.
Machine tool accessories range from vises and clamps to cutting bits. For most shop services, a machine is of little or no help without the help of different types of machine tool accessories. Other machine tool accessories that are often overlooked, such as scratch marks, number stamps and bluing chemicals, are invaluable when undertaking a complex and precise machining project. Measuring devices, hammers of various types, and even brushes for cleaning metal shavings are very useful tools when working on any type of metalworking tool.
Some metalworking machines, such as a milling machine, depend on certain machine tool accessories to hold the workpiece in place during the machining process. Multi-function clamps are usually the right choice when working on any type of milling machine as the clamps can be adjusted to hold the workpiece at almost any angle or position on the mill bed. Also, cutting tools of various sizes and styles are required to operate the mill properly. Whether it’s polishing a control panel with motor spin marks or shaving material off a component to allow for a more precise fit, the correct cutting bit in your router is often the ideal setup to do the job.
Another of the many machine tool accessories that isn’t easily replaced is a threading attachment for a lathe. By placing this attachment on a metal lathe, the operator is able to create a myriad of thread sizes and types by programming the correct adjustments into the threader attachment and turning on the lathe to do its job. The knurling attachment is another invaluable tool when creating a socket for a hammer or screwdriver handle, among many other uses. While these types of accessories are useful for creating results when using a machine, other accessories are used before metal is placed into the machine. Measuring devices are typically used in the selection process when searching for a piece of metal to use in the machine.
When taking measurements and placing certain marks on a piece of metal, the machinist will often use a product known as a machinist’s dye or bluing. This ink-like product is painted or rubbed into the metal and allowed to dry. Once dried, the machinist uses another of many machine tool accessories, an awl, to etch a mark into the blued area. This process creates a reference line that is easier to see as the metal is machined with other machine tool accessories.
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