On Oct 10, 7:47*am, Doug White wrote:
I help coach the MIT collegiate pistol team, but end up spending half my
time doing gunsmithing. *We have a whole raft of match CO2 pistols that
need occasional O-ring replacements, and I'd like to make a custom bench
block to hold some assemblies while I work on them. *I have a couple of
general purpose commercial blocks, and I _think_ they are made out of
Nylon.

I'd like something easy to machine, but tough enough to put up with some
pounding. *A couple operations require pressing very large snap rings
on/off or pounding out cross pins with the piece supported mostly on a
coarse sharp threaded section. *I don't want the block getting chewed up
too quickly from those operations. *I have thick blocks of PVC, but I
think that is too soft.

Likely suspects would be Nylon (several flavors), Delrin, or UHMW
polyethylene. *Extra points for something I can get easily from McMaster
Carr in ~ 1.5" x 3" cross-section. *They indicate that polyethylene has
better impact strength than Nylon or Delrin, but I'm not sure that is the
best metric.

Comments? *Suggestions?

Thanks!

Doug White


Why not find some rock maple, rout your block out of it to try out
your ideas and carry on looking for polymer chunks while testing
things out?

My general purpose bench block was made out of a hunk of Micarta, my
dad brought home some healthy chunks about 2' square and 4" thick out
of some UHV switchgear, were shipping blocks for the terminals. Made
one up about the same pattern as the metal ones they used to sell only
larger, complete with a V across the diameter. Have been pounding on
it for 25 years, hardly shows any wear.

Stan