Squaring Rough Stock

This article offers a basic tutorial on how to square six sides of rough stock. It is necessary to have square edges so that when the mill or lathe is zeroed off an edge, the dimensions will still be accurate.

Steps to squaring rough stock
1. Install facing mill in milling machine

2. Place stock in vise on parallels and face top surface (#1)

3. Deburr and place machined surface (#1) against back jaw in vise. Machine top surface (#2).

•Surface #2 is now perpendicular to face #1

4. Deburr and place surface #2 on parallels with surface #1 against back jaw of vise. Machine top surface (#3) to the correct dimension between #2 and #3.

•Surface #2 and #3 are parallel and both are perpendicular to surface #1

5. Deburr and place surface #1 on parallels with either #2 or #3 against back jaw and properly seat stock in vise. Machine top surface (#4) to the correct dimension between #4 and #1.

•Surface #4 and #1 are now parallel and perpendicular to parallel surfaces #2 and #3.

6. Deburr and reset stock in step 5's configuration; stock seated with a machined face seated on the parallels, and machined faces clamped in the vise with one of the remaining un-machined faces protruding from the side of the vise. Change the mill tool to an end mill and use the side of the end mill to face surface #5.

•Surface #5 is perpendicular to surfaces #1, #2, #3, and #4.

7. Deburr and place surface #5 on parallels and seat properly. Replace end mill with original facing mill and machine top surface (#6) to correct dimension between #5 and #6.

Now, you have a block in which the sides are perpendicular to each of its neighbors and parallel to the opposite sides.