Groove in machine vice jaws

[CMS]

On some of the milling machine vices I've looked at, there's a groove in one of the jaws. Might a dummy ask what's the use for the groove???

 

[Tin Falcon]

the groove is to hold round stock. A horizontal groove keeps the stock horizontal.
tin

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Some vises have, or also have, a vertical groove for the same reasons. Handy for standing a small crankshaft up to drill a pin hole.

I think of them as a built-in small V-block.

 

[CMS]

Good answers guys, but I don't think they're the ones I'm looking for. I know of the V grooves that are in some drillpress type vices that are on the face of the jaws. Guess I should've referred to this as a square slot, and in pictures on large heavy-duty mill vices, it will run horizontally across the top of the jaw. A Kurt D688 has this type of jaw, per the MSC flier.

 

[cfellows]

Are you referring to a shelf used to set thin stock on for milling?

Chuck

 

[rklopp]

That groove is for work stops.

 

[BobWarfield]

That groove is for a moveable vise stop:

http://tinyurl.com/yjvkv33

Cheers,

BW

 

[CMS]

Thanks, guess I see where that could be handy.