Thread: Engineers Vice Issue

Oldneweng
Obviously the jaws are not parallel at lock up.
Your premise on fixing the problem,seems good. We did this in the engineering class at school when setting up the fabricated steel vices, but theres no reason it won't work on cast iron.
The solution will be to remove the hardened jaws and place something to close upon ( MAYBE A BIT OF HARDWOOD) well below the jaw area.
The jaws would need to be open just a touch more than they are, when normally locked up.
The passes can be made on each hard jaw opening and will present parallel surfaces to place your hardened jaws back into.

Grahame

Hi Dean,
I did exactly as Grahame described above to the vice i got with my mill. It was out of parallel both in width and height. The only thing i might add is to try to take any play out of the moveable jaw first.

Originally Posted by Ueee

Hi Dean,
I did exactly as Grahame described above to the vice i got with my mill. It was out of parallel both in width and height. The only thing i might add is to try to take any play out of the moveable jaw first.

Thanks Grahame and Ewan for this info. Ewan this is just an engineers vice, maybe I should have called it a bench vice. Just checked H & F for terminology and guess what I found
New
Offset Steel Vice

100mm
Please Note: Jaws are Slightly Misaligned, Sold as is
Available From:
Sydney, Brisbane

$55.00 INC

Anyway if I confused you I apologise. I was actually surprised at how little movement it had. I have seen them with a lot of sideways slop. I will do as suggested.

Dean

I have a 4 inch vice that was similarly afflicted.
I improved it by removing one of the jaws and grinding the back of it on a belt grinding attachment with a flat platen.
Good enough for this vice.

Jordan

You made it clear to start with.....my head just ran off with the idea it was a machine vise

I would still do the same though, minus the taking the play out of the slide.

I bought the same 6" vice when Supercheap Auto were flogging them for $50. Same problem. I'll try Jordan's fix as I don't have a proper mill.

I wish I had paid $50 for mine. One of the problems with living in the bush. As mentioned in another thread, I was in Melbourne on Monday last week. H&F had a sale that ended on the Sunday of course.

I had thought of sanding the jaw originally. This was after I checked everthing and filed the jaw openings just to make sure there were no high spots.

Dean

Originally Posted by Oldneweng

I wish I had paid $50 for mine. One of the problems with living in the bush. As mentioned in another thread, I was in Melbourne on Monday last week. H&F had a sale that ended on the Sunday of course.

I had thought of sanding the jaw originally. This was after I checked everthing and filed the jaw openings just to make sure there were no high spots.

Dean

A quick bush fix (since you live in the bush)

Pack one end of the jaw with washers or what ever is suitable- until both jaws will meet parallel.

Grahame

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

A quick bush fix (since you live in the bush)

Pack one end of the jaw with washers or what ever is suitable- until both jaws will meet parallel.

Grahame

Its not quite that bad. I actually put several pieces of paper under one end some time ago just to check what would happen and this resolved most of the issue for a short time. I could use shim but I would prefer to fix it properly. I don't know what effect having the jaw sitting on a point at each end would do to tha jaw. I was concerned it would bend. I do this vice up very tight at times, even use an extension (I know I know) lol. Generally for holding round pipes to undo fittings etc. Bush type things lol. Got to do everything yourself. Cost a big bill just to get the plumber to visit.

I used the vice this morning to hold a flat plate (chainsaw bar from stick saw) I was undoing 4mm screws to lube cable drive. The bar pivoted with the pressure. I had a look at the vice. The base is a machined circle. Bolt mounts probably extending out from this circle. There is no machined surface on the fixed section to allow lining it up on the mill table so my plan is to extend the vice well out, clamp a bit of hardwood in it and run the dial indicator along the way at the top of the moving section clamp into position and then set up as per Grahame's post.

Another thing I need to think about making or buying! An indicator mount to fit in the mill chuck. Must research this. At least there is no shortage of hardwood in the bush! SWMBO read out an ad for an artist easel that was home made from "Quality Pine". Not sure what that is.

Dean

A quick question related to aligning the vice. How do people generally hold the indicator for this purpose? In the chuck or mounted on the head or other? I did a search but obviously used the wrong search terms. I did however come up with some great threads about milling machines and their use including setting things up and aligning them but no mention of where and how to mount an indicator. No piccies either. One thread that was of great interest was about setting the table of a mill square again after it has been pivotted. I was very interested in this because my new mill will have this feature.

Dean

You can mount your indicator in the spindle,on the vertical/horizontal spindle,off the column of the mill,any where that is fixed and wont move when your traverse the vice.

Hi Dean,
For me it depends on the indicator, if its a DI then i use a mag base and put it on the column or side of the head, if its a DTI i put it in the chuck of the mill.

Thanks for that info. Guess I should wait until I get the mill before I decide too much. Got an email today saying that there is one available and put aside for me.

Also wishing to pick up a table saw but got an email today saying it should arrive Thursday but " As it is not "our"
semi though there is always the chance that something will go wrong in transit."

Here's hoping I wont need to make yet anothe trip.

Dean