Set up blocks just $419.99 - what am I missing?

[dennis thompson]

I got an email from Woodpeckers offering a deluxe set of 42 setup blocks for $419.99. Huh? What am I missing here? I use a set I made from some old white oak that have worked great for many years.

[William A Johnston]

I think a lot of their one time tools are pretty cool. I've never purchased one because of the price.

Must be the anodized Red that makes them expensive. Hahaha. I will admit all their tools are high quality but being a cabinet builder by trade most are out of my price range.

Bill

[Derek Cohen]

Some like to own all the tools they imagine they might need when they begin building furniture. "Be Prepared" ... must be a lot of boy scouts out there :)

They do look nice.

I make set up blocks as needed out of hardwood.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Peter Kuhlman]

Lee Valley sells I believe the exact same sets for far far lower cost. I have them and they measure accurate on my micrometer. Can’t see the red ones offering a single benefit other than color! They are handy to have but not $300-400 handy.

[Frederick Skelly]

Can I ask a dumb, off topic question?
What is the no-kidding benefit of a set of set-up blocks (either home made or store bought)? I use a ruler and havent noticed any problem. Maybe Ive been missing something very useful?

Thank you.
Fred

[Brian Holcombe]

I use setup blocks and parallels commonly in machine work. They’re required for sine plates and they make quick work of making an offset from a stopped position. If you need to offset something a fixed distance, it’s quicker and more accurate to use a block than to move the machine.

Same practice applies in woodworking.

Not sure I’m over the moon about using aluminum, but it is not as dangerous around the cutters as a block of hardened steel or ceramic. My setup blocks are rarely at risk of doing so.

Best to have a good set for checking instruments and a user set that can get shop worn. Typical of this in the machine shop where the AA grade are treated with extreme care. The B set are users.

[Jared Sankovich]

Lol.. you can get a 80 pc set of machinist gauge blocks accurate to .00001 for under $100..

Woodpecker "selling machinist tools to desperate woodworkers for a 5000% markup since 1988"

[Steve Demuth]

Can I ask a dumb, off topic question?
What is the no-kidding benefit of a set of set-up blocks (either home made or store bought)? I use a ruler and havent noticed any problem. Maybe Ive been missing something very useful?

Thank you.
Fred

I certainly agree with you in general. The notion that I would have a use for 42 setup blocks accurate to .001" in all 1/32" increments is laughable. For one thing, not many wood working operations can be set up to .001" accuracy using blocks (unlike many metal machining tasks), because of the tool configuration and usage.

But, I was given a set of these (https://www.amazon.com/Precision-Router-7-Piece-Kreg-PRS3400/dp/B07V7GDSR6/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIv6S-_eeW5QIVdBh9Ch2AVAfTEAAYASAAEgKzoPD_BwE&hvadid=153755501482&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=1015983&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=32176823609547194&hvtargid=kwd-27943797689&hydadcr=1611_9512018&keywords=kreg+setup+bars&qid=1570886476&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFQRUVSNFZJWFVUM1cmZ W5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAxMjIxMDIzQUc1SjVFTklPMFBSJmVuY3J 5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAwNTk1ODExNFdQTDU3STdJSElNJndpZGdld E5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm9 0TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==)by a family member for Christmas some years back, and I do admit that they are handy. Mostly I use the recessed mode, to set height on router bits. Certainly can do with a rule, but the fact that the block quickly and reliably finds the highest part of a bit, and the arms span the table inserts is rather nice for this task. But even then, on the router, a single block that sets, say 1/4", would be sufficient for most uses, since the lift is accurate to 1/128" inch. I can get to any required bit height from the 1/4" known height and the accurate lift index.

On the other hand, if you own tools for the pleasure of owning them, the design, color, presentation of the blocks would make them a perfect tool. And I've found that quite a few people do in fact own tools primarily for the pleasure of having them. I think Woodpeckers caters a lot to that crowd.

[glenn bradley]

I will say that I prefer the 4" length (I have the small Whiteside brass set) to the Lee Valley or Rockler ones that set in a drawer. Most machinist sets I have seen are also too small for my use in woodworking. Like others, I make hardwood blocks for some tasks. This is hardly the only area where folks are marketed out of their money by the color of something. Top notch products though.

[Steve Demuth]

Lee Valley sells I believe the exact same sets for far far lower cost. I have them and they measure accurate on my micrometer. Can’t see the red ones offering a single benefit other than color! They are handy to have but not $300-400 handy.

A very complete, although not identical, set for $120 in fact. But then Woodpecker's doesn't actually sell the $420 set referenced by the OP. It was a one time tool some time ago.

[Ron Selzer]

A very complete, although not identical, set for $120 in fact. But then Woodpecker's doesn't actually sell the $420 set referenced by the OP. It was a one time tool some time ago.

Woodpeckers has this set right now thru Oct 28, 2019
https://www.woodpeck.com/onetime-tool-setup-block-2019.html
Not for me,
HOWEVER do have a Woodpeckers centering rule, 36" that will leave my shop after I do. VERY handy setting up dovetails among other things
I am old enough if I want it I don't need to justify it, when I was young, raising kids and struggling for every dollar then I got by however.

[dennis thompson]

A very complete, although not identical, set for $120 in fact. But then Woodpecker's doesn't actually sell the $420 set referenced by the OP. It was a one time tool some time ago.

Well I got an email today offering it , so I guess they're bringing it back

[Brian Holcombe]

Setup blocks need to be accurate so that the setup is accurate. Same applies to machining metal, Knee mills are not really accurate to under .001” but it’s not unusual at all to have setup equipment that is accurate to a few tenths of a thousandths or in the case of setup blocks a good set is more accurate than .0001”.

[Bill Dufour]

Seems like a pair of 123 blocks and some shim stock would be a lot cheaper. For woodworking a set of used 123 blocks would be plenty accurate.

[Mark Bolton]

Setup blocks need to be accurate so that the setup is accurate. Same applies to machining metal, Knee mills are not really accurate to under .001” but it’s not unusual at all to have setup equipment that is accurate to a few tenths of a thousandths or in the case of setup blocks a good set is more accurate than .0001”.

I appreciate your pursuit of accuracy and machining but I use to argue about .001 which is ridiculous for the "nahm" hobby shop but can play a hand in a CNC shop, but now were treading into even deeper territory lol. Maybe going off the cliff is not a full on free-fall to the bottom but rather just a fall to a slightly lower cliff projection.

I cant even fathom a place for a .001 set of gauge blocks in a wood shop... but low and behold. Will the next thing be being able to wring two boards together after surface sanding and somehow lapping? Insane.

[Frederick Skelly]

I cant even fathom a place for a .001 set of gauge blocks in a wood shop... but low and behold.

Uh Oh. INCOMING....

[Mark Bolton]

Uh Oh. INCOMING....

Thats a good one. I think I could actually get a few parts to wring together if a drop or two of sweat landed between the parts lol.. But that could be blamed on the lignin... hahah

[jack duren]

It's like BowClamps. You either see the value or you don't.

Weaver arch panels jigs is another. Why buy when you can make.

[Brian Holcombe]

I appreciate your pursuit of accuracy and machining but I use to argue about .001 which is ridiculous for the "nahm" hobby shop but can play a hand in a CNC shop, but now were treading into even deeper territory lol. Maybe going off the cliff is not a full on free-fall to the bottom but rather just a fall to a slightly lower cliff projection.

I cant even fathom a place for a .001 set of gauge blocks in a wood shop... but low and behold. Will the next thing be being able to wring two boards together after surface sanding and somehow lapping? Insane.

I think cnc probably drives a lot of people in that direction. Woodworkers are surprisingly resistant to the idea of precision but from my perspective it makes things much quicker. In the machine shop dialing in a machine and using accurate setups means reliable results which means a better product faster. Same applies here, I hate throwing hours away fitting especially so when accurate setups mean I don’t have to.

Ive not yet had accuracy slow me down. I test fit one part of a run, the rest I don’t touch until assembly.

Ive

[Mark Bolton]

No disagreement. But the level of precision it speaks to is that of one person making a part on one side of the planet in fixed setups that must perfectly mate with a part made across town or across the planet. It's great to shoot for the moon but when the end product is coming from completely in-house and had to interface with nothing but you. It gets a bit over the top.

Couldn't agree more that accuracy is always a win. But applying the YouTube home machinist turned aerospace philosophy to making a finger jointed box or cutting board gets a bit whacky... fast.

On the other hand it makes a bunch of money for some folks so I guess it works.

[Peter Kuhlman]

I like using the blocks as my eyesight is whacky from a muscle disease. I can verify measurements by touch quickly vs using a ruler and squinting. Doesn’t work for everything but sure helps me. As was said the blocks are great for router bit height settings. I have the brass bars as well as the Lee Valley ones. Both see a fair amount of use.

[Mike Cutler]

Can I ask a dumb, off topic question?
What is the no-kidding benefit of a set of set-up blocks (either home made or store bought)? I use a ruler and havent noticed any problem. Maybe Ive been missing something very useful?

Thank you.
Fred

Not a dumb question at all.
Primarily they would be used for machine setup.
If you were making multiple pieces, during multiple sequenced operations, maintains accuracy, or repeatability, can be critical.
The species of wood can have an impact also. Soft American hardwoods are much more forgiving than the tropical hardwoods that are above 2000 on the Janka scale. Some of those woods are like machining soft aluminum. There is very little forgiveness in grain compression.

[Frederick Skelly]

Thanks guys!

[Jim Becker]

No disagreement. But the level of precision it speaks to is that of one person making a part on one side of the planet in fixed setups that must perfectly mate with a part made across town or across the planet. It's great to shoot for the moon but when the end product is coming from completely in-house and had to interface with nothing but you. It gets a bit over the top.

I think it comes down to the individual worker. I do agree with Brian that getting the machine setup really accurate can have a positive impact on the quality and precision of joinery...and that's been reinforced to me because I've had the opportunity to see and touch Brian's work. I had a client come by awhile ago with some CNC work who was referred to me by Brian. When I saw the pieces that the client brought with him to explain what he wanted me to do, I immediately recognized Brian's work for the existing mortise and tenons. It's that noticeable. I've become a lot more careful in my own setups now that I've been occasionally hanging with Brian...it's a good habit.

That all said, for most folks, a reasonable assortment of setup blocks can be handy to have in the shop but even though I like "really nice things", I'd never consider opting for the $400+ version mentioned in the OP, at least for my shop operation!

[Bernie Kopfer]

I got an email from Woodpeckers offering a deluxe set of 42 setup blocks for $419.99. Huh? What am I missing here? I use a set I made from some old white oak that have worked great for many
years.

What you will be missing is a lot of money!

[lowell holmes]

See this link

https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/hand-tools/marking-and-measuring/45089-veritas-set-up-blocks

[Ben Rivel]

Huh, interesting thread. Woodpeckers and overpriced boutique tools aside, I can honestly say so far I have yet to feel a need for setup blocks with respect to woodworking. I honestly can’t think of where they’d actually be more useful than the normal tool bag of options most woodworkers probably already have several of.

[David Buchhauser]

Huh, interesting thread. Woodpeckers and overpriced boutique tools aside, I can honestly say so far I have yet to feel a need for setup blocks with respect to woodworking. I honestly can’t think of where they’d actually be more useful than the normal tool bag of options most woodworkers probably already have several of.

Ben - for the most part I agree with you. I know that some of the very high end wood workers work to vary close tolerances to facilitate the fitment of mating parts. I am not one of them. I use gauge blocks for machining steel/aluminum parts - but for me that is a whole other ball game.
David

[Brian Holcombe]

I don’t use them very often for woodworking, but when you need one they’re nice to have.

95% of the mortises I cut are square, but that last 5% require either time to be spent making jigs, a lot of hand work or both. Finally I have decided to take a machinist approach and add a mini pallet and sine plate (which is adjusted with setup blocks) to my mortiser.

I completed a compound splay leg table recently and the mortises were hugely time consuming. I’d rather them accurately cutout in a few hours of careful planning and cutout.

Option B is to make a wedge for every job, which just seems like a waste of time.

[Greg Parrish]

I don’t have them but like the looks of them compared to the little brass set I have from Rockler. The size appeals to me as the brass ones are very small. But I won’t be buying them at that price either. The Veritas set looks like a nice alternative.

[Darcy Warner]

I have a set of Brown and Sharp set up blocks. I use them all the time, but I paid maybe 50 bucks for them.