MetalworkingFun Forum

Ever notice there are those times when your vise needs to open up just a little bit more?  I saw this on the homemade tools site yesterday.  I think I may build one for the above stated reason.

Another one for the project list. I think I'd use that quite a bit. One thought, though. I think I'd like to have at least one hold-down bolt closer to the jaws. I can see them lifting a bit when you tighten the vise.

(02-18-2018, 11:17 AM)Hawkeye Wrote: [ -> ]Another one for the project list. I think I'd use that quite a bit. One thought, though. I think I'd like to have at least one hold-down bolt closer to the jaws. I can see them lifting a bit when you tighten the vise.

This is another style of free vice that would solve the jaw lift issue. Much more substantial but could be scaled down as required.:
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/machine-free...SwsBtaDQ1H

I've also thought about perhaps butchering one of the import quick release toolmakers vices for the moveable side, but haven't looked in any detail to see whether its actually practical. They can be had pretty cheap and would save a fair bit of construction work.

Steve

Thats a neat design I haven't seen before.

Getting both jaws indicated could be a bit of a bitch.

I have a Lietz horizontal universal mill - a wondrous piece of machinery, although I use about 5% of it's amazing capability.  Among other features, it also has a vertical head and the mass to make it three times as rigid as my similar-sized Taiwan vertical mill.  BUT it doesn't have a quill which, for my purposes, limits it's function to a horizontal mill.

"Not that there's anything wrong with that"(if you older members recall the Jerry Seinfeld line).  I can place rough stock on the table, set the stops, engage the power feed and go do something else while the stock is being squared precisely and with a near-ground finish.  The four inch wide, high-helix slab cutter makes short work of squaring and finish-dimensioning mild steel work.

(FWIW, all of the dials on this beautiful German-made machine are graduated in .0005 increments.  And the precision lives up to the promise.)

[attachment=15570]

Usually there is a milling vise with an angle base mounted to the table, as shown (very faintly) in the above photo. But the vise is limited to about 3-1/2 inches of jaw opening - not useful for long stock.  I don't recall where I obtained this vise, had it for a long time - and several people have asked - but it is ideal for working long stock on either vertical or horizontal mills.

[attachment=15571]

It's hard to make out the details from the photo but the design eliminates jaw lifting, instead the movable jaw actually presses  down on the work as it is tightened.  As in a normal mill or shaper vise, only the fixed jaw needs to be indicated square to table or spindle.

I don't use this very often but when it is needed, nothing else will do 

<sigh> A Leitz universal mill, <sigh> the rest of us mere mortals, have to deal will older American or import machines, you have to suffer with a Leitz. <sigh> The living hell you must endure.




I guess I’m going to have to break down and buy that Melba or that Mikron universal mill, after all.....


the existing Rockwell, Jet mills, along with the Infamous Franken-Mill, will no longer be acceptable.

back to the original thread

I have one of the 2 piece, mill table vise, similar to the shown by RandyC, will echo his comments, not used very often, but a certain times a great asset to have.

Jack, I'm in the process of modifying my will, I'm leaving the Lietz to you. Oh, and do you recall where you found your vise ? Coupla' friends would like to know -

I neglected to look at the link that Steve posted last night:  https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/machine-free...SwsBtaDQ1H

This is very similar to the one that I own.  Like mine, the above has a ramp that causes the moveable jaw to exert a downward pressure on the work.  I started to convert Australian $ to US $ until I saw that he doesn't ship to the U.S. anyway.  Probably wise since mine weigh almost 40 pounds total !!!