Small Parts Finger Plate

[Brendon]

This is a small brass finger plate I made recently for holding small parts. Handy little tool for drilling, sanding etc.
It measures 2 1/2" x 2" x 5/16" thick.
It is ground dead flat top and bottom and the sides are all ground square. It can be held manually at drill press or sander or clamped into a vise or even clamped down onto a mill table with small finger clamps. A fun tool...
Here is a picture of the tool being used at the drill press, holding a small bar. In this case the finger plate would be held literally by the fingers but I have kept my hand out of the picture for clarity.

The possibilities of this little tool are endless. It can be used for drilling small parts of odd shape at the drill press as we have seen. It can itself be held in a vise if required. Sanding and shaping of small parts at a sanding belt is also possible. Filing by hand or at a filing machine, if you have one, is another possibility. One could even us it at the scroll saw to keep the fingers away from the work.
There is no set size for a finger plate and you can customize your own to suit what you do. Clock-makers, model-makers and anyone dealing with small parts, whether they be of metal, wood or plastic, will find this tool indispensable.

[Jon]

Nice work! Good to see you back in action. For those who haven't previously seen Brendon's work, he's a 6-time Homemade Tool of the Week winner, with these tools:

Marking Gauge by Brendon

tags: marking, gauge, dovetail

Dovetailing Bench by Brendon

tags: vise, workbench, dovetail

Slot Mortising Machine by Brendon

tags: mortiser

Woodworking Center by Brendon

tags: cabinet, table saw, router table, fence

Ultimate Hand Plane Storage by Brendon

tags: shelf, plane

Radial Arm Saw Table by Brendon

tags: saw, table

[Brendon]

Thanks Jon,
For your kind comments.
Yeah! I was out of it for a while due to ill health. Trying to get back in now but not allowed to lift anything heavy.
Thus, the small tools project. It's nice to be back in the shop though...
Brendon

[Ed Weldon]

Brendon – Thanks for sharing your finger plate. Kudos on the quality of your machining work. I also want to compliment you on the versatility of your design.
The one thing I'd like to know is the approximate size you built it and what types of "small parts" jobs you have successfully used it on so far.
Not that size needs to be any special amount. I see your design being successful for a variety of sizes from 1" square (for a Unimat or jewelers lathe) up to anything you can lift on to a machining table or fixture. As well other materials that may be appropriate for your needs.
I would even consider 3d printing of smaller versions out of the common PLA plastic they use especially if your work is more "eye ball" than precision measurements. 3d printing enables you to customize the groove or some other "nest" for the part being machined, or otherwise reshaped. Add metal thread inserts or bottom side nests for hex nuts if threading the weak material is a problem.
Ed Weldon, Los Gatos, CA

[Brendon]

Hi Ed,
Thanks for your comment and yes to everything you suggest.
My plate is 2.5" x 2" but any size is possible. I haven't really used it yet as I have just finished making it. But the possibilities are endless
with this thing.
A finger plate dos not even have to be square necessarily; it could be any shape that suits your requirements.
Have fun making one.
Cheers
Brendon

[DIYer]

Thanks Brendon! We've added your Small Parts Finger Plate to our Workholding category,
as well as to your builder page: Brendon's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Small Parts Finger Plate by Brendon

tags: clamp

[Brendon]

That's great guys,
Thanks
Brendon

[intjonmiller]

Nice! It looks a lot like the one by Clickspring:

[Brendon]

Hey!
Thanks for your comment. I take it as a compliment. Yeah! mine is a little similar I suppose but Clickspring's version has a more elaborate shaped clamping finger, a "V" slot at the back rather than my "U" slot and he incorporates drill guide bushings. I did study his (and others) before settling on my own design. My version also has a small clamping slot on each side which I don't see in his. Clickspring makes really nice stuff though and makes fantastically clear videos. I often log onto his site; really cool.
Thanks again for your interest.
Brendon

[intjonmiller]

Yeah, I noticed the clamping slot as the most obvious difference. I think I'll have to incorporate that when I make one. I'm wanting to do the handheld vise thing first, but really I don't have time for anything...