milling vice

[firebird]

Hi

I needed a vice that would allow me to place work pieces flat on the mill table then clamp up tight. I'm sure most of you have something similar but I've not seen it posted so thought I would show how I did it. It took me a little over an hour to make and is designed to fit my X3 mill. First job was to cut 3 lengths of steel 7/8 square 6 3/8 long.

Drill 3 holes in the front fixed jaw to match the 3 T slots in the table.

Drill the same 3 holes in the back fixed jaw then turn through 90 degrees and drill 2 8.5mm holes.

Then tap out to10mm X 1.5.

The 2 fixed jaws bolted to the table with the loose moveable jaw at the side. " long 10mm bolts have been fitted. The 2 I have used are ford cylinder head bolts.

Holding a piece of flat bar with the loose jaw.

The 2 fixed jaws moved closer together using 2 adjacent T slots.

Setting up the fixed jaw square across the table.

Both jaws fitted across the table with the loose jaw in position.

How wide do you want it???

Holding a piece of flat plate.

The fixed jaws moved so that they use the front 2 T slots allowing the vice to overhang the front of the table. The 2 empty stud holes can now be used to bolt on additional clamping.

Holding awkward shapes is not a problem. The fixed jaws will turn slightly and the two bolts can be adjusted to suit.

The new vice compared to my existing vice.

Cheers

Rich

 

[Lew Hartswick]

An intresting project but I don't see what it buys over a set of hold-down clamps. It's easy enough to
move a clamp if it gets in the way.
...lew...

 

[Tin Falcon]

Isnt it great how adaptive machining can be.
Here is a similar Idea
http://npmccabe.tripod.com/minivise.htm
Tin

 

[ScottM]

Rich,

That looks like a great idea, it gives you access to the entire top of the part unlike hold down clamps.

If you counter bore the holes used to fasten it to the table you could use socket head cap screws.

- Scott

 

[John S]

Rich,
Not wanting to put my H&S hat on [ actually don't have one ] but in the second to last pic put a back stop of some description in, even if it's only a bolt in the tee slot to stop the angled piece flirting out.

Next dodge is to also drill your loose piece to tale tel bolts and the fixed jaw then also needs side tapped holes.

This way you can secure the loose piece [ which then won't be loose ] and use the two identical end pieces with 2 new loose pieces to hold two parts so you can swap between them - if that makes sense.

I do the same with a fixed piece and two of these.

http://www.chronos.ltd.uk/acatalog/sv62xtra.jpg

.

 

[wareagle]

That's a good idea and a great little project! Easy, cheap, and effective. This would be a good way for someone to get started on the mill if they had a funding shortage that prevented buying a vise. And also for those who have the large pieces being machined, especially in multiples.

Another use of this would be for a repetitive set up situation. One or both of the fixed jaws could be used as a fence for locating multiple pieces. Fashion up a couple of stops and you are set for repetitious work!

I do have a question on this: When you clamp something with this vise, does the work piece try to lift from the table?

 

[firebird]

Hi

Iv'e been meaning to make something like this for a long time but never got round to doing it, always managed to hold the workpiece somehow. Over on my small boiler topic I'm doing the plate work for the boiler housing and have just yesterday made the 2 sliding baffles. Trying to hold long strips of material in the vice involved the use of steel bars etc. Trying to balance them all and get them level and tighten the vice all at once was a bit of a juggling act. To that end I decided to set to and make the vice this morning. I haven't used it yet but I'm sure it will be used a lot. The photos were just to show how versatile it could be. In practice additional stops and clamps may be needed, as John has pointed out stops on irregular shaped pieces will be needed. As time goes on improvements and mods will be carried out as nec. The main thing is it cost note and with the 6 3/8 wide jaws will be a usefull bit of kit in my arsenal.

Cheers

Rich

 

[CrewCab]

Well I think it's a dam fine idea as well ............ another job on the list.

Cheers Rich

CC

 

[Paolo]

Yes Rich...my list is a little bit more long...now...!!! :big: :big:

 

[jack404]

another job that will jump the que

good one rich

beats my "low profile vice" by 2 "

cheers and thanks mate!

jack

 

[Macca]

Good work Rich,
I don't have a mill (yet!), but I can see how useful something like this would be. You wouldn't want to try and drill something though! Perhaps you could machine the blocks to an 'L' shape, to raise the workpiece of the table? Wouldn't work for larger pieces without additional support though.

 

[itowbig]

so many things to build where to start.
good idea there thanks

 

[Tin Falcon]

Does anyone use these little clamps for thin material Not sure what they are called but have seen sketches and have a set that came with a tool box I bought.BTW these are used in pairs the angle cases downward force as well as side force.
Tin

 

[ChooChooMike]

I've been looking at similar vises and forgot about the

http://npmccabe.tripod.com/minivise.htm

one. Simple and effective !!

Great job on yours Rich !

 

[gilessim]

Has anyone come across this make of vice?, this was given to me a while ago, it's Italian, 60mm wide and incredibly accurate!, it's pretty much brand new and came in a nice wooden box, the other day I was in a tool store buying a milling cutter and they had a 100mm version of mine and I was stunned to hear that it cost 700 euros!!, it has a certificate with it that says it's made to 0.003mm tolerances!, I don't think I would have paid that much for it but it was a nice gift, as I'm sure the guy who gave it to me didn't know what it cost!

Giles

 

[joeby]

It looks a lot like a hydraulic vise. The ones I've used were switchable between hydraulic and "manual" clamp. They are very good vises, but if it is a hydraulic, you have to be careful of damaging small parts.

Kevin

 

[gilessim]

I just checked out Herman Schmitt's site, wow!, maybe I should sell mine!, I'd gathered that it wasn't supposed to be done up too tight!, I hope I don't mess up the threads but it is good for holding small stuff

what sort of grinding applications would they be used for?

Giles

 

[gilessim]

here's the company that made the vice http://www.cuter.it

Giles