Machine Vice

[NickG]

I really need to get my vice sorted - but that's boring and I am keen to get stuck in to my loco project. Does anybody know if this sort of vice is any good? Will it tie me over until I get the proper one sorted?

http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Workholding/Machine-Vices

100mm Quick Vice

Code Size
(Jaw Width) Jaw Depth Jaw opening Base Size Height Price
130-040-00600 100mm 21mm 80mm 200x100mm 64mm £32.95

[Bogstandard]

Nick,

I can't comment, except stay well away from the very bottom one. They really are a load of crap, and in fact, I would class them as unfit for use on a milling machine.


Bogs

[Stilldrillin]

Nick,
I got one of those vices "free" with my mill.

Does all I ask of it, now......

http://madmodder.net/index.php?topic=848.0

David D

[NickG]

Bogs,

Cheers for that because I was considering that one - but just the look of it put me off and I decided if I was going to spend that much I would spend a few more quid on a vertex one.

David, it looks ok on the outside but as you found out, it looks like some of these products are designed with 'bullsh*t baffles brains' in mind!  might take more work to fix that one that it will to fix mine!

Cheers guys.

Nick

[Bogstandard]

Nick,

The vice I mentioned doesn't show any problems until you come to use parallels or anything less than about ¹/₄" thick. Directly at the base of the fixed jaw, where your parallel sits on, isn't machined, just a rough cast groove about ¹/₄" wide and maybe ¹/₈" deep.


John

[spuddevans]

100mm Quick Vice

Code Size
(Jaw Width) Jaw Depth Jaw opening Base Size Height Price
130-040-00600 100mm 21mm 80mm 200x100mm 64mm £32.95

This one??


I have this one, and have found it to be ok, but mine has a few limitations that can get old really quick. The biggest thing that bugs me is that, on mine, the screw part does not have the adjustment range to give a full range of clamping, I end up having to use little packing pieces. The other problem ( which may well be related to the 1st ) is that the little trough that the quick release mech' fits into fills up pretty quick with swarf, jamming up the mech and filling up the slots making clamping impossible until you clean the needed slot.

I have yet to break it down and give it a good clean up and see where it can be improved, so it may be a diamond in the (very) rough.


Tim

[kwackers]

I have a 4" vertex and a 4" "precision tool vice" (at the top of the page).
I really like the tool vice, although it's a bit more fiddly than the vertex but both are good vices.

[NickG]

Kwackers,

I had a small version of the tool vice years ago when I had a sherline and it was superb, as you say, fiddly but the design is superb-  how do you fasten them down though?

I think I've just thought of an easy, quick way to temporarily fix my vice so will have a look tonight.

Thanks,

Nick

[NickG]

Thanks for the info Tim - I think I'll leave it for now and see if I can sort mine first.

Nick

[kwackers]

NickG.

There's probably a 'proper' way to do it, but if there is I don't know...

What I do is simply use the 'nose' of the clamps you commonly find in clamping kits to insert into the cut out at the end. (I notice though looking at the pics that the small vice doesn't appear to have that).
I have in idle moments admired the holes in the side, undoubtedly that's the clue to fixing them down properly but I've never investigated further...

[NickG]

Yeah that's what I was thinking but it doesn't sound ideal!

The holes are to take the bar out so you can open the jaws further but I guess you could make something up to clamp utilising them.

Nick

[No1_sonuk]

What I do is simply use the 'nose' of the clamps you commonly find in clamping kits to insert into the cut out at the end. (I notice though looking at the pics that the small vice doesn't appear to have that).
I have in idle moments admired the holes in the side, undoubtedly that's the clue to fixing them down properly but I've never investigated further...

This was linked to from an ebay item from Arc Euro:
http://www.littlemachineshop.com/Projects/ViseClamps.php
Pins to go in the side...

My problem with my vice (the "screwless" type) is that it often moves the jaw AWAY from my part as I tighten it!