Hand Knob for Mill Vise.

[miker]

Inspired by an article in MEW #167 by Mr Paul Hogarth.

Often I try to nip the vise up with out having to use the big Crank Handle. It hurts my fingers!

This is just a disc of Aluminium Bored to fit the round section behind the square section
used by the crank handle.

The knurled disc being tapped M6 for a couple of grub screws.

In use

Crank Handle fits on completely as normal.

The Knob can obviously be removed if a large workpiece would interfere.


Rgds

 

[tel]

Not a bad idea at all -one more for the 'pending' tray

 

[bearcar1]

I'm likin' it. Sure beats killing your fingers when attempting to tighten up the vise using the square drive stub. It never seems I am able to get enough pressure with my fingers to get the vice jaws tight enough and the handle gets too cumbersome a lot of times. Using this mod will greatly simplify and eliminate that problem by allowing one to get a much more solid grip on the stub, giving better control and getting more torque where it's needed. Why didn't I think of this sooner? DOH! ;D Thanks Miker.

BC1
Jim

 

[seagar]

Another good idea I,m going to have to make.with all the good ideas to improve my workshop, when am I going to get time to build an engine? ;D

 

[mklotz]

My vise is aligned with the x-axis rather than the y. As a result the crank handle can't be swung through a complete revolution.

One of the first things I made after mounting the vise was a "speeder" almost identical to what you show. I can roll my palm over it to close the vise to the point where the crank only needs to be turned through a few degrees to lock everything down tight.

 

[arnoldb]

Michael, another great tip - Thanks! :bow:

My apologies for a bit of a hijack :-[

Marv, you're confusing me - which is easily done :big:. I thought a vise aligned on X would be aligned with it's jaws parallel to the X (left/right) travel of the mill ??? - yet from your description I get the idea that your vise is aligned with the jaws parallel to Y travel... - do you have any particular reason for this? I can envisage a couple of scenarios where this might be beneficial - but at the sacrifice of travel.

Regards, Arnold

 

[miker]

Thanks for the kind words.

One thing that isn't shown in the pictures is that the side facing
away from the camera is bored out to clear the next circular
bit of the vise. This allows the knob/handle to be a bit wider and more comfortable.

Marv, do you align your vise that way so that the cuttng forces are directed toward the fixed
jaw? I have seen that done on a Horizontal mill and it seems to make sense.

 

[mklotz]

Marv, do you align your vise that way so that the cuttng forces are directed toward the fixed
jaw? I have seen that done on a Horizontal mill and it seems to make sense.

That's part of it but there are two other reasons. Aligning with x frees up the front of the mill table so I can install my 2" dial indicator (ersatz DRO) there. Finally, space is at a real premium in the Garaj Mahal. If I were to let the vise stick out on the x-axis, I would inevitably bump my car door into it when I exit the car.