My father trained as a machinist/gauge maker at Johansson in Eskilstuna, Sweden back in the 40's. I still have some of his original unused gauge block sets, catalogs, vernier calipers, and many more measuring tools. I was lucky enough to get to visit the Johansson factory in 1958. Keep up the good work Keith.
Hej Dennis, Vore det möjligt att komma i kontakt med dig? Jag är förtjust i passbitar, mätteknik och läppning. Jag har en sammling gamla mätverktyg som jag ville visa här på RUclips. Det vore fantastiskt att höra din fars historia och kanske göra en liten video för att visa sina vertyg för hela världen. Hälsningar från Nederländerna, Nobby Assmann
Hi Keith! Very nice and informative video as usual. As beeing Swedish I am very proud of the manufacutring skill that CE Johansson represent. His gauage blocks was a break trough in standardisation of measuring in the tool indistry in the late 1800's. CE Johansson went over to the US when he was 18 and got back some years later to Sweden and started at a gun manufacturer in Karlskoga where now Bofors guns are made. At the time all measurements where made with templates so he got the idea to standardise a toolset for measurements. He rebuilt his wifes sewíng machine to be able to grind the blocks to precison in his spare time. The set should have 102 blocks wich can get about 20.000 different combinations of measures. The surface of the blocks should in original be so fine grined and lapped, so you could twist them together and they would stick as if the where magnetic, held only by the atmospheric pressure and the lack of air in the seam between the blocks.
@Current Batches Yep. He modified his wifes sewing machine to be able to lap the blocks to the specified thickness. LOL. Think his wife forgave him for that hahaha.
There is a a delightful video about Henry Ford getting a load of Johansson gauge blocks for World War Two. Ford knew they would be critical for wartime production. I do not have a much better memory of the details. It just struck me how something this basic and small could be critical to industry and history. Many thanks Keith !!
And now, after 20yrs, I know why some refer to them as Jo blocks. Even with years of experience I still learned something here, thanks for the nicely done video Keith.
One of the many jobs I had was to build microwave isolators. In order for them to work for the specific frequencies, they had to be made do the 0.001 of an inch. When we proto-typed one, they gave it to me as the internal "circuit" they wanted it to be as exact as possible. Being a young kid, and quite anal retentive, I had my flat plate and gauge system, and they specially machined a vice just for me. I was able to mark and file those circuits to exact size. I love it, and they made quite a bit if change because of the accuracy. Then things tanked and they laid me off. I survived, and still to this day found that was one of the most satisfying jobs I had until the one I have now. This one involves much more precision .
Great video, very informative. I've been an aerospace inspector for over 10 years and I learned a few things. I've used the clamps before but didn't know what the base was for since I've never had one to play with. Some other uses for the clamps is to set bore micrometers, groove micrometers and other indicating type of gages. Gage blocks wise I would add that there are different grade types depending of the use: shop, inspection and standard. Shop blocks are usually made of steel and are used by machinist in the shop floor. They're cheap but wear out and need to be checked often and replaced as necessary. Inspection block are usually made of carbide or chromium. Their size doesn't fluctuate as much since they're usually used by inspector in a temperature controlled room. The material type makes them wear resistant and sometimes more easy to wring together. If taken care of they can last a lifetime - they tend to chip is mishandled. They're used to buy off parts, inspect tight tolerances and calibrate shop tools. Sets tend to be sent out for calibration periodically as required by a shop's quality system. Standards are used to calibrate tools or other blocks. They're machined to higher tolerances and sometimes made of more exotic materials. They're very expensive and not very practical for shop use.
Well this is by far the best demonstration of a CEJ Accessory set that I've seen so far. Picked up one a few weeks ago at auction and wanted to figure out how to use it. Mine is a bit different, the holders screw into the base and it's a tad smaller. Thank you for a decent demo.
A quick way to calculate and select the right combination of gage blocks is to always select a gage block that reduces the last digit to zero. Setting up a sine plate to check squareness of angles is another way to use them. Cleanliness is the key to handling Jo-blocks. You cannot be too clean and dry.
In the aerospace industry we used guagee blocks and a feeler guage to perform rapid go-nogo measurement rather than a test indicator. Less wear on the test indicator and resulted in more rapid testing. Roughly 3 times faster. Set the stack for the high end of the tolerance, and the feeler gauge would detect the low end. Consumed a metric ton of .0015 feelers, but time is money. 😄
I started machining in 1970 and used JO blocks quite a bit over the years. We also had what was called a cadillac gauge in our inspection that was used similar to JO blocks but with a micrometer dial to raise and lower the gages height.
Funny you mention that - I just found an old Cadillac Gage Pla-Chek that was deemed surplus equipment. Don't know what I need it for, but it may have followed me home regardless.
Thank you for making this video. I found it very interesting and informative. I enjoy all of your videos very much, and look forward to each new posting.
Thank you thank you! A great video about gauge blocks and accessories! I learn everyday from you and have applied it to my new hobby! Thanks Keith👍👍👍👍👍
First thing they learned us in machine shop regarding gauge blocks was to never ever touch the gauging surface with your fingers. The salt and moisture on your fingers will ruin the precision faster than you think.
BTW. Ford did not purchase the C E Johansson company, Henry bought a license to produce gauge blocks, measuring tools and Johansson sent people to Detroit to set up the new enterprise known as Dearborn Gage. Even The Ford Museum get's that part wrong. What do you expect from a museum that has a death mask of Nikola Tesla on display with a sing saying "just another electrical engineer".
Gday Keith, I really enjoy watching videos which I have history about tooling, this video was excellent, I never knew that Ford got into make gauge blocks, I always thought there were only motorised transport, thank you for the great history lesson and please can you do more like this, much appreciated, ATB Matty 🇦🇺
Perfect timing! I've just bought a set of gage blocks that included some of the accessories. I didn't know what the "scraper" was used for until I saw this video. Thanks!
Thank you, The only thing I've used my gage block set for is the sine plate and checking calipers & ht. gage. I had never seen the Accessory kit. Learned something today. Got to get a set of those block clamps.
Gee, what everyone needs. A means to scribe lines to .0001. The accessory set is pretty cool. They had one like it at a shop I worked at 40 years ago used for calibrating tools.
I mean, you CAN technically set your sine plate with a 1-2-3 block, and set an adjustable parallel with a mic to dial it in, but just using blocks is generally quicker. The scribing lines to .0001 is just a bonus.
Thanks Keith, that was very interesting. I remember the "Joey" blocks from my apprenticeship days, but had never seen the accessory set. I do remember you were supposed to avoid touching the precision lapped surfaces and were supposed to clean them with a specific cloth before putting them back in the box. At college our lecturer called it "rusty fingers".
Dug out my B&S catalog (#32) from 1935 and there aren't any gage block sets in it. Also for what it's worth, stateside at least, my old reference books (SAE, ASTME, etc.) all have it as 'gage'. I have one machine tool book from Ontario that has it as 'gauge' though. Back in my early days I remember getting into said discussion with one of the 'Learned Ones'. He told me that in the Tool Room & Machine Shop we used 'gages' while over in plant maintenance, they used 'gauges'.
I just got one of these given to me yesterday when I bought some other unrelated items. I could see it was some kind of height gauge set but I couldn't figure out how it worked or what it was for. Now that I know I have to go and get some gauge blocks 😂
Rub blocks that do not wring on a flat black granite stone until they wring. A flat stone can be achieved by using 3 pieces of granite rubbed on the side of a preferably silicone carbide grinding wheel and then a flat cast iron ground brake disc. I have made quite a few and they work admirably. I have accumulated over 20 sets of blocks both rectangular and square and I use a Sheffield visual gage with graduations of 50 millions of an inch. differentiaition of about 5 millionths can be differentiated even rusted surfaces of gage blocks can be made to cling when wrung. the greatest variance in measurement comes when wringing blocks.
Really enjoyed the video, I knew something of the gauge blocks, but had never seen the accessories set. Your dog looks like he's heard it all before! lol
I believe our inspection department used to use kerosene to help ring their blocks. I would also like to mention gauge blocks like surface plates have different grades.
I've just replied to another comment saying I worked as a toolmaker for 40 years at Ford's Research & Engineering Center at Dunton in the UK, and despite handling Jo Blocks throughout that period, we didn't know that Ford bought out Johansson. I'd have liked to have seen you demonstrate how the blocks are used with indicators for comparative measurements, and maybe mention that they come in a range of (4) tolerance grades. I only used Grade B Workshop sets, but even with these we were taught to thoroughly clean off any oil from touching them before putting them away. Keith do you own a set of Gauge Pins? Tom at Oxtools looks up to you as a fount of engineering knowledge, but I think he might be better equipped than you. He is, or course, a bit obsessed with the last micron with his lapping and measuring tools.
If you can't wring your gauge blocks together, something is wrong. And by wrong, I mean you can't depend on those blocks to have the right dimensions. You especially can't depend on a stack of blocks. The clamp is not for holding a stack of damaged gauge blocks together. The clamp prevents damage to the stack, minimizes heat transfer to the blocks, aids in clamping accessories onto the stack (making it a usable end standard), and makes the wringing interval slightly more consistent. Check out Fundamentals of Dimensional Metrology by Ted Busch published in 1964. He goes on and on about all the details.
Great topic Keith. It would be interesting to know the history of licensing during ww11. I would imagine that gage blocks sets were in great demand leading up to and during the war.
Countries that needed them for war efforts didn't care who owned a patent. If they needed gauge blocks, they made the gauge blocks. They didn't call Johansson and ask to license the product.
From what i could find B&S started making them around 1935. And looking at the sets they sold from 1937 that seems reasonable as their set looks almost identical box and all .
Im not 100% sure, but that sounds a little off to me. I have a set dated Aug 1944 labeled Dearborn Gage Co. They have the same exact box even down to the placement of the tag in the inside center of the lid. I think they were sold as CEJ, then Ford, then Dearborn Gage, finally B&S, because I cant imagine B&S letting go of the rights to them in the 40's
I believe wanker is pronounced ‘WANK-UR’ , just for the speech police. There’s a few other things I’d like to pronounce for you but I’ll do my best to keep it civilised.?
That is a triangular straight edge, not a scraper. You look to see if there is light between the straightedge and the part to determine flatness. It is just like a bevel edge straight edge, only with 3 sides and generally used for more accurate checking.
A gage is a device of a fixed size, it measures by comparison, such as a feeler gage, or a thread gage. It measures only one size. A gauge is an analog device that measures a range of sizes or units, using a dial or other variable indicator.
Some of us old guys need a bathroom trip in the middle of the night, so why not check for new videos while we are at it. Keith can set his videos to upload at any time he chooses. Why he picks the wee hours, I don't know.
Just wondering: do the blocks not wringing together affect the actual height? Is wringing a necessity or a convenience? I expect that this difference - if it occurs - is in the hundred-thousands or less.
The wringing/sticking feature is just an effect of the extremely flat and polished surfaces. Some say it's molecular attraction that makes it possible. Wikipedia has an interesting article on these things: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gauge_block#Wringing
It depends. Wringing them gets them as close as possible. But it depends on the tolerance of the blocks and how accurate you need them to be. So they should always be wrung together. Wringing blocks will not have any appreciable thickness added. (Negligible without very precise/accurate metrology equipment. As long as you don't stick them together. Sticking them together with a grease/pull film is not wringing.)
Great video as always, wold like to own a C.E johanssen gauge block set one day. However I am a medicine student with a newfound passion for machining, so gauge block sets aint really what I should spend my money on right now. I would like to ask here in the comment section, hope that is okay. What the recepie would be to check toleranses on a budget. I currently own a mikron dial indicator, and I am thinking about buying a cheap small granite surface plate and one or two gauge blocks. Simply mill out pieces that has the same dimensions as the gauge blocks and then compare them against the gauge blocks. Would that be well spent money or should I buy one or two micrometers instead?
Even a cheap gage block set would likely be better than home made blocks. Used sets are often found on eBay for small dollars. Small surface plates are fairly cheap from import suppliers, same for micrometers and such. I'd start with a mic and move from there. I favor the Mitutoyo Digimatic line, staying with the older 293-721 series
@@russkepler Thank you for your reply! :) I have no intentions of trying to create my own gauge blocks :D ( English is not my first language). Mitutoyo micrometer it is :)
Chances are, if you buy a decent set of off brand, shop grade gage blocks, they'll be as precise as you'll ever need for hobby work. Really you could say the same for micrometers anymore, digital or otherwise. Surface plates can get expensive to ship, however, so if you want to wait to find a deal on one locally, you might be surprised how close you can get with a good flat piece of glass.
I wonder what the composition is of the steel they put into these blocks? Also, what heat treatment are they subjected to? And finally, what is the Rockwell C hardness of the blocks?
My Hoke steel blocks are supposed to be Rc 64-65, so basically tool steel. Those are the 'softest' blocks. After those are carbide, ceramic and finally chromium carbide. I have .050 and .100 wear blocks in my set that I think are carbide from the density. I think gage blocks were the first commonly cryogenically treated tool, necessary to stabilize them so the size doesn't change after lapping them in.
@@russkepler Actually I specifically asked Mitutoyo about changes in the blocks over time. They can change up to 1 Um per inch of length per year. Sorry for the mixed units but that's how Mit. worded it. At these levels of millionths of an inch steel no matter how good and how much care has gone into the heat treatment and post processing cryo still isn't as stable as we would like to think. That change and in use wear is why it's recommended to have them re-certified at least once a year. For what I do the blocks are my calibration for everything else and yearly re-certification costs aren't really possible.
@@turningpoint6643 Look up the NIST "Gage Block Handbook". It's a manual on all things gage block. In it they have long term observations on gage blocks of different types (unfortunately not including ceramic) where they saw growth in stabilized 52100 at .01 x 10^-9 per year. That's magnitudes lower than the number from Mitutoyo. Be interesting to know why. I'd love to find something newer covering ceramic and carbides. I might have gotten access to that info at my old job (walked by a primary standards lab daily) but I'm retired now.
@@russkepler Thanks I'll check that out. Mit did say "up to" so I'd guess that's the maximum they've ever seen during long term tests. Mine are just steel grade 2 Mits but if I recall correctly they did say the ceramic changed the least. For most of us with home shops that change could be basically ignored. I'd seen hints in various places over the years that the blocks could change a bit so I made a point of finally asking them about it. It's funny but most users seem to assume and I did as well that steel and even more so for thermally treated and stabilized steel would remain at the original size. There must be a lot more going on within the grain structure of the metal over a period of time than most of us realize.
Check this out: ruclips.net/video/dBIYD_hJGbo/видео.html At 7:05 C E Johansson himself demonstrates how warming the the blocks in your hand for 5 seconds affects the measurement. This is something of great national pride in Sweden among those in the know. I read somewhere that during WW II parts that where supposed to fit together where produced in both US and UK. Thanks to the gauge blocks the US made parts fitted the UK made parts. Can someone fill me in on this. Was it engine parts? Parts for weapons or planes?
Gauge blocks are calibrated at 20°C (68°F). If you are measuring like for like though, e.g. steel gauge blocks with a steel part, the expansion rate is the more or less the same for both, so temperature is not much of an issue. It is an issue if you bring the gauge blocks out of a temperature controlled room into a hot/cold workshop. Let them stabilise to the same temperature first before measuring.
There are special ceramic stones available from Starrett/Webber to recondition gage blocks. I finally found one in an obscure auction on eBay, wouldn't spend what Starrett wanted for one new. The stone cleans up burrs keeping the block from wringing in a couple of passes
I was wondering about this too. How does the pros do it? Suburban Tools made a video about a company called A.A. Jansen, i believe. But they didn't show or talk about how it was done....
To an extend yes. Typical gage block stones look like tiny surface plates that you can wipe the surface of the blocks with. No abrasives should ever be used.
NOT precision ground stones. If they do anything, it will be to destroy the gauge block surface. Aside from the special ceramic dressing stones (these are the premire method today) for MINOR imperfections, there are the traditional gauge block stones that, as mentioned, look like small surface plates, but, though they are as flat or flatter than a surface plate, have a different surface finish. In a pinch, a good granite surface plate can be used to dress a minor scratch, but you may not be able to get a wringable finish. Any large burr or scratch is best repaired with a drill hammer, as it is not fixable-- the block will end up out of tolerance, and may have further movement due to displaced material.
Of course you can. It just matters how accurate you need the blocks. Since precision ground stones really only remove the high spots, it's all relative. Can you get away with using a lapping plate to remove the burr/upset, do you need diamond slurry, do you need a surface grinder, or does it need to be replaced. Those are all questions based on how accurate you need them to be. But yes. You can use a precision ground stone to remove burrs/upsets.
You don't add grease to gauge blocks. That triangular instrument he referred to as a scraper is a parallel, not a scraper. You can wipe the blocks down with a VERY light coating of oil, most of which gets wiped off, as to not as thickness. They don't need grease to wring together. (As long as they're not beat up.)
You most certainly can measure with gauge blocks. Building stacks in increments of 0.001" or 0.0001", you can't try them until you get to the last one that fits. It's more accurate than measuring with a ruler
@@larryexact9687 Actually they are one of the most precise ways to measure something, but I can't measure your IQ, just compare it to the "rest of mankind" No special tools required
@@garth849 Measuring is only possible with a measuring device that outputs a measured value. Testing is done by comparing with a gauge. Only two results are possible: go or no go. A stack of gauge blocks is nothing more than a gauge. You can only tell if the measure fits or not.
Between the 1890s and 1960s, the inch went from 1m/39.37, to 25.4mm. In practice, were there any inch standards that could consistently be now measured at 25.40005mm?
If I remember correctly, Mr. Johannson decided that his gage blocks would be made at 25.4mm = 1inch exactly. To detect that 0.00005mm difference would require a laboratory with carefully controlled parameters.
Has my name and family name all over it. However, nowadays the proud nation of Sweden produce pretty much nothing anymore. Other priorities such as being the greatest humanitarian “superpower” in the world and of course the climate saint Greta... Sad and pathetic.
Erik Johansson as a fellow Swede I totally agree. Socialism, feminism, climate alarmism and a few other "ism:s" is really making me consider moving abroad.
My father trained as a machinist/gauge maker at Johansson in Eskilstuna, Sweden back in the 40's. I still have some of his original unused gauge block sets, catalogs, vernier calipers, and many more measuring tools. I was lucky enough to get to visit the Johansson factory in 1958. Keep up the good work Keith.
I use the blocks at work, almost every day.
Hej Dennis,
Vore det möjligt att komma i kontakt med dig? Jag är förtjust i passbitar, mätteknik och läppning. Jag har en sammling gamla mätverktyg som jag ville visa här på RUclips. Det vore fantastiskt att höra din fars historia och kanske göra en liten video för att visa sina vertyg för hela världen.
Hälsningar från Nederländerna,
Nobby Assmann
Soon as you finish that planer you will be able to make huge gauge blocks!! 😎
Hi Keith! Very nice and informative video as usual. As beeing Swedish I am very proud of the manufacutring skill that CE Johansson represent. His gauage blocks was a break trough in standardisation of measuring in the tool indistry in the late 1800's. CE Johansson went over to the US when he was 18 and got back some years later to Sweden and started at a gun manufacturer in Karlskoga where now Bofors guns are made. At the time all measurements where made with templates so he got the idea to standardise a toolset for measurements. He rebuilt his wifes sewíng machine to be able to grind the blocks to precison in his spare time. The set should have 102 blocks wich can get about 20.000 different combinations of measures. The surface of the blocks should in original be so fine grined and lapped, so you could twist them together and they would stick as if the where magnetic, held only by the atmospheric pressure and the lack of air in the seam between the blocks.
It's a great day when you hear mr Rucker talk about Sweden :)
Great video as always, greetings from Sweden.
@Current Batches Yep. He modified his wifes sewing machine to be able to lap the blocks to the specified thickness. LOL. Think his wife forgave him for that hahaha.
Learning all the time thanks for sharing Keith 👍🇦🇺
There is a a delightful video about Henry Ford getting a load of Johansson gauge blocks for World War Two. Ford knew they would be critical for wartime production. I do not have a much better memory of the details. It just struck me how something this basic and small could be critical to industry and history. Many thanks Keith !!
And now, after 20yrs, I know why some refer to them as Jo blocks. Even with years of experience I still learned something here, thanks for the nicely done video Keith.
I never knew or gave much thought as to why gage blocks are still often referred to as "Jo' blocks". You learn something new every day.
One of the many jobs I had was to build microwave isolators. In order for them to work for the specific frequencies, they had to be made do the 0.001 of an inch. When we proto-typed one, they gave it to me as the internal "circuit" they wanted it to be as exact as possible. Being a young kid, and quite anal retentive, I had my flat plate and gauge system, and they specially machined a vice just for me. I was able to mark and file those circuits to exact size. I love it, and they made quite a bit if change because of the accuracy. Then things tanked and they laid me off. I survived, and still to this day found that was one of the most satisfying jobs I had until the one I have now. This one involves much more precision .
Great video, very informative. I've been an aerospace inspector for over 10 years and I learned a few things. I've used the clamps before but didn't know what the base was for since I've never had one to play with. Some other uses for the clamps is to set bore micrometers, groove micrometers and other indicating type of gages.
Gage blocks wise I would add that there are different grade types depending of the use: shop, inspection and standard.
Shop blocks are usually made of steel and are used by machinist in the shop floor. They're cheap but wear out and need to be checked often and replaced as necessary.
Inspection block are usually made of carbide or chromium. Their size doesn't fluctuate as much since they're usually used by inspector in a temperature controlled room. The material type makes them wear resistant and sometimes more easy to wring together. If taken care of they can last a lifetime - they tend to chip is mishandled. They're used to buy off parts, inspect tight tolerances and calibrate shop tools. Sets tend to be sent out for calibration periodically as required by a shop's quality system.
Standards are used to calibrate tools or other blocks. They're machined to higher tolerances and sometimes made of more exotic materials. They're very expensive and not very practical for shop use.
Well this is by far the best demonstration of a CEJ Accessory set that I've seen so far.
Picked up one a few weeks ago at auction and wanted to figure out how to use it.
Mine is a bit different, the holders screw into the base and it's a tad smaller.
Thank you for a decent demo.
You are a good teacher, and I've learnd a lot by watching your video's.
Thanks very much for making me wiser Keith.
i really enjoy these tool how-to videos especially for the less common tools. i also enjoy learning the history of tools and tool manufacturers.
Great info! Thanks Keith, I really appreciate your taking the time to explain that equipment.
A quick way to calculate and select the right combination of gage blocks is to always select a gage block that reduces the last digit to zero. Setting up a sine plate to check squareness of angles is another way to use them. Cleanliness is the key to handling Jo-blocks. You cannot be too clean and dry.
In the aerospace industry we used guagee blocks and a feeler guage to perform rapid go-nogo measurement rather than a test indicator. Less wear on the test indicator and resulted in more rapid testing. Roughly 3 times faster.
Set the stack for the high end of the tolerance, and the feeler gauge would detect the low end. Consumed a metric ton of .0015 feelers, but time is money. 😄
I started machining in 1970 and used JO blocks quite a bit over the years. We also had what was called a cadillac gauge in our inspection that was used similar to JO blocks but with a micrometer dial to raise and lower the gages height.
Funny you mention that - I just found an old Cadillac Gage Pla-Chek that was deemed surplus equipment. Don't know what I need it for, but it may have followed me home regardless.
Thank you for making this video. I found it very interesting and informative. I enjoy all of your videos very much, and look forward to each new posting.
Thank you thank you! A great video about gauge blocks and accessories! I learn everyday from you and have applied it to my new hobby! Thanks Keith👍👍👍👍👍
First thing they learned us in machine shop regarding gauge blocks was to never ever touch the gauging surface with your fingers. The salt and moisture on your fingers will ruin the precision faster than you think.
Nice explanation of the use of the accessories. I was taught that you do not touch the precision surfaces of the gauge blocks with your fingers.
Big thanks for class, very interesting. Uk Stan.
Perfect video thank you so much for making that, :) education is priceless
That is a really cool accessory set.
That's a seriously chilled out dog you've got there.
And super accurate.
BTW. Ford did not purchase the C E Johansson company, Henry bought a license to produce gauge blocks, measuring tools and Johansson sent people to Detroit to set up the new enterprise known as Dearborn Gage. Even The Ford Museum get's that part wrong.
What do you expect from a museum that has a death mask of Nikola Tesla on display with a sing saying "just another electrical engineer".
Gday Keith, I really enjoy watching videos which I have history about tooling, this video was excellent, I never knew that Ford got into make gauge blocks, I always thought there were only motorised transport, thank you for the great history lesson and please can you do more like this, much appreciated, ATB Matty 🇦🇺
Perfect timing! I've just bought a set of gage blocks that included some of the accessories. I didn't know what the "scraper" was used for until I saw this video. Thanks!
Kristofer Jonsson apparently it's not a scraper it's a straight edge
Thank you,
The only thing I've used my gage block set for is the sine plate and checking calipers & ht. gage. I had never seen the Accessory kit. Learned something today. Got to get a set of those block clamps.
Gee, what everyone needs. A means to scribe lines to .0001. The accessory set is pretty cool. They had one like it at a shop I worked at 40 years ago used for calibrating tools.
I mean, you CAN technically set your sine plate with a 1-2-3 block, and set an adjustable parallel with a mic to dial it in, but just using blocks is generally quicker. The scribing lines to .0001 is just a bonus.
THANK YOU...for sharing. Enjoyed.
Thanks Keith, that was very interesting. I remember the "Joey" blocks from my apprenticeship days, but had never seen the accessory set. I do remember you were supposed to avoid touching the precision lapped surfaces and were supposed to clean them with a specific cloth before putting them back in the box. At college our lecturer called it "rusty fingers".
Some people have acdic skin that rusts everything he touches. TBH those people shouldn't be put to handle gauge blocks.
Very cool accessory kit.
I learned something new today, Thank You Keith.
Dug out my B&S catalog (#32) from 1935 and there aren't any gage block sets in it.
Also for what it's worth, stateside at least, my old reference books (SAE, ASTME, etc.) all have it as 'gage'.
I have one machine tool book from Ontario that has it as 'gauge' though.
Back in my early days I remember getting into said discussion with one of the 'Learned Ones'.
He told me that in the Tool Room & Machine Shop we used 'gages' while over in plant maintenance, they used 'gauges'.
I just got one of these given to me yesterday when I bought some other unrelated items. I could see it was some kind of height gauge set but I couldn't figure out how it worked or what it was for. Now that I know I have to go and get some gauge blocks 😂
Thanks Keith
Thanks Keith, now I know the origin of the term "Jo Block"
The three sided tool is usually used as a straightedge. Never heard of anyone using it as a scraper, what reference do you have for that? Charles
Rub blocks that do not wring on a flat black granite stone until they wring. A flat stone can be achieved by using 3 pieces of granite rubbed on the side of a preferably silicone carbide grinding wheel and then a flat cast iron ground brake disc. I have made quite a few and they work admirably. I have accumulated over 20 sets of blocks both rectangular and square and I use a Sheffield visual gage with graduations of 50 millions of an inch. differentiaition of about 5 millionths can be differentiated even rusted surfaces of gage blocks can be made to cling when wrung. the greatest variance in measurement comes when wringing blocks.
Great knowledge. Thanks Keith!!
Beautiful tools, and a great explanation/demonstration. Thank you!
Really enjoyed the video, I knew something of the gauge blocks, but had never seen the accessories set. Your dog looks like he's heard it all before! lol
Thank you for the gage block class enjoyed.
Super interesting, Keith.
Thanks for sharing.
Great video.
Great video Mr. Rucker. Gage blocks are so cool! 🤓
I believe our inspection department used to use kerosene to help ring their blocks. I would also like to mention gauge blocks like surface plates have different grades.
Interesting video Keith. First time I've seen an accessory kit. BTW: small point, but there is no E in Johansson
Nice setup Keith.
Very nice video. Thanks for sharing with us.
Congratulations!
Eng. Nilton Polydoro from Brazil
I've just replied to another comment saying I worked as a toolmaker for 40 years at Ford's Research & Engineering Center at Dunton in the UK, and despite handling Jo Blocks throughout that period, we didn't know that Ford bought out Johansson. I'd have liked to have seen you demonstrate how the blocks are used with indicators for comparative measurements, and maybe mention that they come in a range of (4) tolerance grades. I only used Grade B Workshop sets, but even with these we were taught to thoroughly clean off any oil from touching them before putting them away.
Keith do you own a set of Gauge Pins? Tom at Oxtools looks up to you as a fount of engineering knowledge, but I think he might be better equipped than you. He is, or course, a bit obsessed with the last micron with his lapping and measuring tools.
Keith, I remember B&S bought CEJ in the late 1960s. After they parted Ford and became a standalone company for a little while.
Very interesting, thanks.
Nice accessory set. Rarely find them complete.
Gage blocks are vital. Without the ability to calibrate your measuring instruments, your measuring instruments are worthless.
Gauge blocks?
@@johnmason6443 Both are valid spellings.
If you can't wring your gauge blocks together, something is wrong. And by wrong, I mean you can't depend on those blocks to have the right dimensions. You especially can't depend on a stack of blocks. The clamp is not for holding a stack of damaged gauge blocks together. The clamp prevents damage to the stack, minimizes heat transfer to the blocks, aids in clamping accessories onto the stack (making it a usable end standard), and makes the wringing interval slightly more consistent. Check out Fundamentals of Dimensional Metrology by Ted Busch published in 1964. He goes on and on about all the details.
Thank you for another very informative video. I feel like this video could qualify for college credits. :)
Great topic Keith. It would be interesting to know the history of licensing during ww11. I would imagine that gage blocks sets were in great demand leading up to and during the war.
Countries that needed them for war efforts didn't care who owned a patent. If they needed gauge blocks, they made the gauge blocks. They didn't call Johansson and ask to license the product.
From what i could find B&S started making them around 1935. And looking at the sets they sold from 1937 that seems reasonable as their set looks almost identical box and all .
Im not 100% sure, but that sounds a little off to me. I have a set dated Aug 1944 labeled Dearborn Gage Co. They have the same exact box even down to the placement of the tag in the inside center of the lid. I think they were sold as CEJ, then Ford, then Dearborn Gage, finally B&S, because I cant imagine B&S letting go of the rights to them in the 40's
Isn't it pronounced 'yo-HAHN-sun' rather than jo-han-ee-sun ?
Yes, three syllables, not four.
and "oil" is pronounced 'OY-IL ', not, 'ALL'
Correct.
I believe wanker is pronounced ‘WANK-UR’ , just for the speech police. There’s a few other things I’d like to pronounce for you but I’ll do my best to keep it civilised.?
@@sayeager5559 Exactly. I'm a Southerner like Keith, though I do pronounce Johansson with 3 syllables, as it is spelled. ;)
That is a triangular straight edge, not a scraper. You look to see if there is light between the straightedge and the part to determine flatness. It is just like a bevel edge straight edge, only with 3 sides and generally used for more accurate checking.
I thought so too. I was cringing a bit thinking Keith's going to scratch that gauge block!
A gage is a device of a fixed size, it measures by comparison, such as a feeler gage, or a thread gage. It measures only one size. A gauge is an analog device that measures a range of sizes or units, using a dial or other variable indicator.
It’s not Johanneson...it’s Johansson! I love ya Keith, but that pronunciation was getting to me!
Great video! I have a similar set. The extra tall ones with the offset block in the middle still have me stumped?
Keith, Johansson only has one "a" in it.
Why do most people mispronounce height? The last two characters are not TH, they are HT.
It's a regional pronunciation.
Width, Length, Heighth. Duh!
(jk) ~:)P
Good information. FYI the name is pronounced Johan's Son
Keith uploaded this video right before 4 in the morning. What are you doing up so late? Or early? I’m in Charleston SC. Same time zone.
Some of us old guys need a bathroom trip in the middle of the night, so why not check for new videos while we are at it.
Keith can set his videos to upload at any time he chooses. Why he picks the wee hours, I don't know.
Keith probably uploaded and hours or days before and just sent a release time for people who get up really early
Just wondering: do the blocks not wringing together affect the actual height? Is wringing a necessity or a convenience? I expect that this difference - if it occurs - is in the hundred-thousands or less.
The wringing/sticking feature is just an effect of the extremely flat and polished surfaces. Some say it's molecular attraction that makes it possible. Wikipedia has an interesting article on these things: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gauge_block#Wringing
It depends. Wringing them gets them as close as possible. But it depends on the tolerance of the blocks and how accurate you need them to be. So they should always be wrung together. Wringing blocks will not have any appreciable thickness added. (Negligible without very precise/accurate metrology equipment. As long as you don't stick them together. Sticking them together with a grease/pull film is not wringing.)
Shop dowg needs a nap!
Great video as always, wold like to own a C.E johanssen gauge block set one day. However I am a medicine student with a newfound passion for machining, so gauge block sets aint really what I should spend my money on right now. I would like to ask here in the comment section, hope that is okay. What the recepie would be to check toleranses on a budget.
I currently own a mikron dial indicator, and I am thinking about buying a cheap small granite surface plate and one or two gauge blocks. Simply mill out pieces that has the same dimensions as the gauge blocks and then compare them against the gauge blocks. Would that be well spent money or should I buy one or two micrometers instead?
Even a cheap gage block set would likely be better than home made blocks. Used sets are often found on eBay for small dollars.
Small surface plates are fairly cheap from import suppliers, same for micrometers and such. I'd start with a mic and move from there. I favor the Mitutoyo Digimatic line, staying with the older 293-721 series
@@russkepler Thank you for your reply! :) I have no intentions of trying to create my own gauge blocks :D ( English is not my first language).
Mitutoyo micrometer it is :)
A set of automotive feeler gauges available at any parts store for $6 will get you within a thousandth
@@OldtimeIronman Have a feeler gauge kit for my dirtbike. Didnt think about that actually, thx for the tip :)
Chances are, if you buy a decent set of off brand, shop grade gage blocks, they'll be as precise as you'll ever need for hobby work. Really you could say the same for micrometers anymore, digital or otherwise. Surface plates can get expensive to ship, however, so if you want to wait to find a deal on one locally, you might be surprised how close you can get with a good flat piece of glass.
I wonder what the composition is of the steel they put into these blocks? Also, what heat treatment are they subjected to? And finally, what is the Rockwell C hardness of the blocks?
My Hoke steel blocks are supposed to be Rc 64-65, so basically tool steel. Those are the 'softest' blocks. After those are carbide, ceramic and finally chromium carbide. I have .050 and .100 wear blocks in my set that I think are carbide from the density.
I think gage blocks were the first commonly cryogenically treated tool, necessary to stabilize them so the size doesn't change after lapping them in.
@@russkepler Actually I specifically asked Mitutoyo about changes in the blocks over time. They can change up to 1 Um per inch of length per year. Sorry for the mixed units but that's how Mit. worded it. At these levels of millionths of an inch steel no matter how good and how much care has gone into the heat treatment and post processing cryo still isn't as stable as we would like to think. That change and in use wear is why it's recommended to have them re-certified at least once a year. For what I do the blocks are my calibration for everything else and yearly re-certification costs aren't really possible.
@@turningpoint6643 Look up the NIST "Gage Block Handbook". It's a manual on all things gage block. In it they have long term observations on gage blocks of different types (unfortunately not including ceramic) where they saw growth in stabilized 52100 at .01 x 10^-9 per year. That's magnitudes lower than the number from Mitutoyo. Be interesting to know why.
I'd love to find something newer covering ceramic and carbides. I might have gotten access to that info at my old job (walked by a primary standards lab daily) but I'm retired now.
@@russkepler Thanks I'll check that out. Mit did say "up to" so I'd guess that's the maximum they've ever seen during long term tests. Mine are just steel grade 2 Mits but if I recall correctly they did say the ceramic changed the least. For most of us with home shops that change could be basically ignored. I'd seen hints in various places over the years that the blocks could change a bit so I made a point of finally asking them about it. It's funny but most users seem to assume and I did as well that steel and even more so for thermally treated and stabilized steel would remain at the original size. There must be a lot more going on within the grain structure of the metal over a period of time than most of us realize.
Ya might want to wring those jo-blocks together before you put them in the clamp...
you are going to have to quit working that dog so hard!
how are gage blocks made makes me wonder ?
In short, mill -> heat treat -> grind -> lap
Check this out: ruclips.net/video/dBIYD_hJGbo/видео.html
At 7:05 C E Johansson himself demonstrates how warming the the blocks in your hand for 5 seconds affects the measurement. This is something of great national pride in Sweden among those in the know.
I read somewhere that during WW II parts that where supposed to fit together where produced in both US and UK. Thanks to the gauge blocks the US made parts fitted the UK made parts. Can someone fill me in on this. Was it engine parts? Parts for weapons or planes?
Are there any info on at what temperature they're within spec?
Gauge blocks are calibrated at 20°C (68°F). If you are measuring like for like though, e.g. steel gauge blocks with a steel part, the expansion rate is the more or less the same for both, so temperature is not much of an issue. It is an issue if you bring the gauge blocks out of a temperature controlled room into a hot/cold workshop. Let them stabilise to the same temperature first before measuring.
The name is pronounced Yo Hans Sen
Could one use precision ground stones to "recondition" the measuring surfaces on the block? Anyone know if @Robrenz follows Keith on here?
There are special ceramic stones available from Starrett/Webber to recondition gage blocks. I finally found one in an obscure auction on eBay, wouldn't spend what Starrett wanted for one new. The stone cleans up burrs keeping the block from wringing in a couple of passes
I was wondering about this too. How does the pros do it? Suburban Tools made a video about a company called A.A. Jansen, i believe. But they didn't show or talk about how it was done....
To an extend yes. Typical gage block stones look like tiny surface plates that you can wipe the surface of the blocks with. No abrasives should ever be used.
NOT precision ground stones. If they do anything, it will be to destroy the gauge block surface. Aside from the special ceramic dressing stones (these are the premire method today) for MINOR imperfections, there are the traditional gauge block stones that, as mentioned, look like small surface plates, but, though they are as flat or flatter than a surface plate, have a different surface finish. In a pinch, a good granite surface plate can be used to dress a minor scratch, but you may not be able to get a wringable finish. Any large burr or scratch is best repaired with a drill hammer, as it is not fixable-- the block will end up out of tolerance, and may have further movement due to displaced material.
Of course you can. It just matters how accurate you need the blocks. Since precision ground stones really only remove the high spots, it's all relative. Can you get away with using a lapping plate to remove the burr/upset, do you need diamond slurry, do you need a surface grinder, or does it need to be replaced. Those are all questions based on how accurate you need them to be. But yes. You can use a precision ground stone to remove burrs/upsets.
Nice video. But never play around with them on a granite surface!
Johansson not Johanasson, generally pronounced Yohansson.
Here's a comment 'cuz I like
If you use grease between two gauge blocks does it add any length to the over all thickness?
Thanks
You don't add grease to gauge blocks. That triangular instrument he referred to as a scraper is a parallel, not a scraper. You can wipe the blocks down with a VERY light coating of oil, most of which gets wiped off, as to not as thickness. They don't need grease to wring together. (As long as they're not beat up.)
@@xenonram Thanks, Andrew
He is not able to say "Johansson"? =(
You can't measure with gage blocks. You can only compare.
You most certainly can measure with gauge blocks. Building stacks in increments of 0.001" or 0.0001", you can't try them until you get to the last one that fits. It's more accurate than measuring with a ruler
@@xenonram That's just your opinion. The well-educated rest of mankind knows, that it is not measuring. Just read the definition.
@@larryexact9687 Actually they are one of the most precise ways to measure something, but I can't measure your IQ, just compare it to the "rest of mankind" No special tools required
@@larryexact9687 And just how do you "measure" something without "comparing" it to something of a known value?
@@garth849 Measuring is only possible with a measuring device that outputs a measured value.
Testing is done by comparing with a gauge. Only two results are possible: go or no go.
A stack of gauge blocks is nothing more than a gauge. You can only tell if the measure fits or not.
Between the 1890s and 1960s, the inch went from 1m/39.37, to 25.4mm. In practice, were there any inch standards that could consistently be now measured at 25.40005mm?
If I remember correctly, Mr. Johannson decided that his gage blocks would be made at 25.4mm = 1inch exactly. To detect that 0.00005mm difference would require a laboratory with carefully controlled parameters.
No the triangle is a burchick share or scraper
Whhhhhaaat? A "burchick share"? Also, it's not a scraper.
"burchick share" -- No reference found...
Don't want to be picky but the pronunciation is "Yo-han-son"
Has my name and family name all over it.
However, nowadays the proud nation of Sweden produce pretty much nothing anymore. Other priorities such as being the greatest humanitarian “superpower” in the world and of course the climate saint Greta...
Sad and pathetic.
Erik Johansson as a fellow Swede I totally agree. Socialism, feminism, climate alarmism and a few other "ism:s" is really making me consider moving abroad.
@@wildtimbrown do you know anything about the situation in Sweden or about me?
Sandvik, Esab, SAAB, Atlas Copco, SSAB, SKF, Volvo, Scania, Autoliv...
Simon Schön Of which most have move abroad as you may or may not know.
Kristofer Jonsson I have moved and that was the best decision I have made for myself and my family.