Thread: Modular Vice Query

Bob have you pondered "machine free vices"? I have never used them but I think that they could be pretty useful at times.
The machine free vices for sale on ebay don't look to flash to me but I think a man of your talents could knock a couple or more up.
You could also make a 25mm or 30mm ground mounting plate with multiple rows of threaded holes and bolt that to your mill table.
cheers, shed

Originally Posted by shedhappens

Bob have you pondered "machine free vices"? I have never used them but I think that they could be pretty useful at times.
The machine free vices for sale on ebay don't look to flash to me but I think a man of your talents could knock a couple or more up.
You could also make a 25mm or 30mm ground mounting plate with multiple rows of threaded holes and bolt that to your mill table.
cheers, shed

J,

When I visited Fiora Machinery on Friday, Mick Fiora showed me the Vertex free vice he had. Unlike some of the very agriculturally inspired two piece vices I've seen online, the Vertex was better finished but there is always a but. The two vices ( because they are intended to be used as a pair) would use up a half of the little 13's 600mm long table. Also the Vertex jaws are set high. A home made version would need to have the jaw set as low as possible, inclined to a shallower angle and possibly fitted with a screw feed. The ground plate is a neat suggestion.

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The Vertex is nearly identical to the pair of vices Alan left with me yesterday.

BT

I might be barking up the wrong tree here, but here's This Old Tony's build of a two piece vice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UGY8iJH_aY

No, not the wrong tree Chris. I have watched Tony's clip. His 13 is the later version of my '62 13. I like what he does but bugger me he can talk!

Something along the lines of Tony's vice is probably where I'm heading given my concerns about material and hardening of a DIY modular type vice.

BT.

No worries Bob. I love ToT. If you want to see someone who can talk try Halligan142!

So, a fiddle I had and I admit to being impressed with the two piece or free vice. While it is a bit large for the little mill it worked effectively, albeit with some undersize hold down bolts. The vice uses 1/2" fixings, the 13, 10mm. The 25 degree ramp worked well, well enough to probably forgo the complexity of a screw tightened jaw.

Whether a pair are required or whether a single vice and a fixed end or stop would work, I don't yet know. More fiddling tomorrow.

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BT

There is also this type available. https://www.freertool.com/t500

Hi Bob, Guys,

I've seen that type of vise before and been bothered by the jaw hitting the table and pushing up.
In theory the jaw should prevent any lift of the workpiece.
You don't need a second vise, just something to act as a stop to push against.

The main drawback I can see with two piece vices is that they can really only be mounted along the mill table which means narrow work can only be held parallel to the Y axis.
This is not a big deal but most mills have more travel in the X axis than the Y so this might limit the length of work that can be easily machined.
Making a base as suggested by shed is a good idea which would provide a workaround for this.
Cheers,
Greg.

Hey BT.
Those Freertool T500's look nice. Very low height. Price is also right up there with all things Swiss.

Ken

John, Com, Greg and Ken,

Thanks for your comments and suggestions.

The Carvers do look neat but definitely something to search for second hand on good old eBay!!

CarverJPG.JPG

They don't look too complicated and could possibly be replicated but a simple two piece affair with the ability to be mounted on a sub plate as per Shed's idea is sounding achievable.

Ken mentioned Swiss. How's this morsel from Niki Spanntechnik. Currently on eBay US for 800 dollars. There is very little information regarding the Niki online but it appears that the black cylindrical screw jacks position the sliding centre jaw and then the jaws are screwed down.

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BT

I liked the look of the free vice in this video. Allows for much better cutter access to the edges. Can be scaled down I’m sure.
https://youtu.be/IR2p9ceg1bw

If you are really after something ultra low profile, there are these - https://www.miteebite.com/products/advant-edge-clamps/
I don't use them often as I like some solid material around my things to be clamped, but they do work. (as do other things in the Miteebite range)

I think I found mine on Ebay.

Michael

And if you would like to home brew your own, a fellow forum member, Metaler, aka Harold Hall, has a few similar designs in his book Model Engineers'Workshop Projects, number 39 in the Workshop Practice Series. If you circle around the page on this link Low Profile Worktable Clamps you will see them illustrated and the plans for a small version as well.

Here is probably the most elegant version of a two piece vice I have yet seen. I like the hinged jaw. Information regarding Ludwig Gack's K 150-A shaper is scarce, Hugh Sparks' site being the only source I have been able to find - https://www.csparks.com/Gack/index.xhtml


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