Swivel head vice threads

[Grahame Collins]

Hi all,
I am making a swivel head vice as pictured.

It is to a stage where pieces of plate and pipe have been cut and partially assembled. It is awaiting a thread and nut to complete it..
It is an ongoing work in practice but slowed to a halt since my surgery. During my convalescence, I am hunting out the 10mm x 500 or so, threaded rod & nut, needed to complete the project.

I am clueless as to what threaded rod is best suited, an Acme or a square thread.
I googled some Aussie sites but they are short on info to enable selection.

Any recommendations on what to buy and the best source to buy it from?

Thanks

Grahame

Gun makers vice.jpg

[caskwarrior]

Square thread is going to be the strongest for a given diameter, I don't know of an easy cheap place to get it other than car scissor jacks. Acme is sourcabe from a number of places in the US or I think small bearings Australia has some but are not cheap.

[DSEL74]

Maybe you can get the thread from an Accro prop?

[shedhappens]

Grahame 10mm seems a bit small to me, at the base of the thread it will be close to 8mm.
At about 500 long i reckon it will have quite a bit of torsional spring in it.
What material were you thinking of using?
cheers, shed

[BobL]

I agree 8 mm is going to be pretty springy.

Ebay has 12mm SS ACME threaded rod 500mm long with a longish brass nut with collar and screw holes in it for ~$30.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/12mm-T12...cFhQ:rk:3:pf:1

[Grahame Collins]

Thanks guys,

While it is a vice. the intended purpose does not require great strength.

To explain further, the whole purpose of the vice unit is to hold awkwardly shaped items securely for light work like inletting or engraving.

Possibly a Muzzleloader rifle ( with an ancillary stand and black powder horns ( cow horns.)

I saw some heavy cell rubber at Clark Rubber about 12mm thick which I can glue in the wooden jaws.

There was no drawing, I just used the pic and guesstimated the dimensions. Stuffed up on the thread I guess?

BobL this looks like it will more than suit. The 12mm will still fit within the intended area and you cannot moan about the price.

Thanks, guys. I will post the build in project forum.

Grahame

[DSEL74]

I wonder what you will get? The title says “steel screw and brass nut” the description “stainless steel screw and copper nut”.

The nut being copper rather than brass is highly unlikely but the screw could be either.

[Com_VC]

Here is an Australian based option as well if you need it a bit quicker.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TRPZ12X3...jS~:rk:43:pf:0

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/CLEARANC...GiFt:rk:3:pf:0

[BobL]

Thanks guys,

While it is a vice. the intended purpose does not require great strength.

To explain further, the whole purpose of the vice unit is to hold awkwardly shaped items securely for light work like inletting or engraving.

Possibly a Muzzleloader rifle ( with an ancillary stand and black powder horns ( cow horns.)

I saw some heavy cell rubber at Clark Rubber about 12mm thick which I can glue in the wooden jaws.

Rather than rubber which can mark workpieces I recommend 3mm thick rawhide or thick suede leather
I have this on my WW vices and a light turn of the handle provides fantastic grip and does not mark the work.
I also have a set of removable jaws for my regular vice and its great for holding soft metals like brass and Al.

[BobL]

I wonder what you will get? The title says “steel screw and brass nut” the description “stainless steel screw and copper nut”.

The nut being copper rather than brass is highly unlikely but the screw could be either.

My son bought a set for his 3D printer and the nut was indeed brass.

[BaronJ]

Hi Grahame,

You could always pinch one of the screws from a workbench !

[Michael G]

ACME and square profile threads are usually used for strength over a normal thread. If the loads you apply are only going to be light, why not just grab a bit of all-thread and use that? You can always replace with an ACME later if it fails for some reason.

Michael

[Com_VC]

Won't it be a bit slower if you use all thread as it is usually a lot finer thread. I notice it a lot at work as a lot of the clamps are all thread and the better ones use acme, it is a lot quicker.

[pippin88]

In Australia you may find trapezoidal thread rather than ACME.

[Grahame Collins]

ACME and square profile threads are usually used for strength over a normal thread. If the loads you apply are only going to be light, why not just grab a bit of all-thread and use that? You can always replace with an ACME later if it fails for some reason.

Michael

Michael,
I used all thread in the past.

A year 11 project at high school was a 4" vice modeled along the lines of the Dawn fabricated unit. It sported an all thread screw.

It took forever to open and close. For that reason, I wanted to avoid allthread.

I ordered the 12mmm diam screw that BobL posted not yet having seen the post of cheaper one available here in Oz.

Normally a vice screw uses a captive but floating nut. I am having reservations about the Acme nut being ridgidly mounted.

I have to devise a method of making it float.

We will just have to wait and see.

I noticed the cheap acme nuts on the oz site are seconds being slightly off center.

Thanks for the input fellas.

Grahame