Drilling Vise improvements question

[WolfieParticipant @wolfie]

Now I’ve finished my clamping set I want to improve my drilling vise as per an article in MEW 99 (p23).

 

Now I’ve checked it on my surface plate (a very thick piece of glass!!) and its out both on its base and on its top sliding surface.

 

So my question is this. What do I use as the datum? Where do I start?

 

And smacked wrist for MEW spelling it ‘vice’ all through the article!

[WolfieParticipant @wolfie]

[Anonymous]

Hmmm, if the vise was bad enough to warrant an article on how to improve it, then may be vice was the correct description.

Andrew

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

no expert but my guess
jaws parrallel to each other and square to clamp screw all perp. to slide of jaws.
Check/ fixfirst then at least vise holds well.

Use angle blocks clamped to mill bed..then clamp vise to angle block. Thus under side can be trued.Square to jaws..so jaw face perp.

Then square off top to use as datum.

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Hi Wolfie

What is wrong with calling it a vice.

Do a google search for machine vice.

Most suppliers call it vice.

regards David

 

 

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

You have been reading too many American books and web sites Wolfie, English spelling is Vice.

 

J

[WolfieParticipant @wolfie]

Hmm interesting. I was taught vise by my granddad as vice means something totally different. And he was a Birmingham engineer as was his father.

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

“Alabama?” lol

[Gray62Participant @gray62]

In American English, the spelling is vise, in British English there is no vise, the correct spelling for the tool is vice.

Vice is also an immoral practice, a moral failing, a foible, or an undesirable habit and in British English shares the spelling with that of the clamping device.

Here endeth the English lesson

The word originates from around 1300–50; Middle English vis < Old French: screw < Latin vītis vine (the spiral form of a vine gives sense to the Old French transliteration to screw)

[Harold Hall 1Participant @haroldhall1]

Are you Wolfie still intending to use it as a drilling only vice? If though you expect to use it for milling then look at MEW issue 23 which includes adding a longer moving jaw.

I agree with JasonU above. Fix a block of metal to the machine table and clamp the vice, using its own clamping jaws, to the block. You should attempt to remove the minimum so check that the base is reasonably parallel with the machine table.

Across the vice is easy, just slightly loosen the vice and tap the higher side down with a soft hammer. If out along the length you will have to place a shim under one edge of the block.

Don’t expect perfection, but aim to get within 0.1mm before skimming the base.

I will answer your PM’s later this evening, sorry for the delay

Harold

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

As to spelling.
I care more for meaning than spelling.
With a side of taxomonany…

[WolfieParticipant @wolfie]

Yes I do plan to use it for milling, but my stash of MEW only goes back to issue 89

[WolfieParticipant @wolfie]

Ok done this and well pleased with it. I think I’ll get another one to do Harold’s milling vice alteration to although I put a much bigger and more robust plate underneath the sliding jaw on this one to stop it riding up on tightening so it might be OK.

 

One question, I wanted to replace the screw part with a new one but I can’t work out the thread. It doesn’t appear to be metric or whitworth. Every other thread on this vice is M5. Ideas?

 

 

 

 

Edited By Wolfie on 20/01/2012 18:54:09

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

clamp screws…avoiding the V word..are usaly acme thread..the thread form is rectangular unlike the vee form in iso or whitworth…I have seen heavily truncated ISO threads used in “asian” built stuff.

[WolfieParticipant @wolfie]

Whats an acme thread??

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

yet another tnread form…there are lots… Three “metric”
huge number of ” imperial” bsw bsf unf unc lorenstoff….sorry best to say lots.
You will be unlikly to meet many more than two metric (course and fine) ba, whitworth and prob the me (model engineers) threads…DONOT AIM FOR COMPLETENESS that way lies madness..
Any way back to the vice..measure pitch measure core diameter of hole that will give someone here a chance to make sugestion as to what you are looking at…thread form(angle) will also help.

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

just thought.
If you are remaking clamp screw..you can choose a thread you have gear to make.. ‘just ‘ bore out existing tnread and start again…maybe with bush tapped to size to suit..finer threads give greater grip but are more likely to strip under load……multi start threads anyone?

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Wolfie

 

It may be a silly question but why do you feel the need to replace the screw on your vice?

 

 

[WolfieParticipant @wolfie]

Its mainly because the part that goes into the jaw has been holding the vice closed on the grub screw not the metal itself and is damaged, its quite soft metal. Actually I have cleaned it up and opened the gap somewhat and replaced the grub screw so it doesn’t do that any more. So I can leave it as it is.

 

Just out of curiosity though I’ve measured up the thread which appears to be 8 1/2 TPI !! (Possibly a Whit 8TPI but difficult to tell as tips have been squared off)

 

External dia = .530″ (13.6mm)

 

and core as best as I can measure it is .430″ (10.8mm)

 

pitch is approx 3mm

 

Closest I’ve found in my Zeus is a metric coarse thread but its pretty tenuous.

Edited By Wolfie on 21/01/2012 18:25:01

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Hi Wolfie

 

You say :- ” difficult to tell as tips have been squared off” – I think they are meant to be like that! It is a square form thread, used to transmit power – look at the leadscrew on your lathe. Just what thread it is though heaven knows – maybe “Eastern Cheapo Vice Form “?

 

Do not despair however – precision items they are not but they are still useful with a bit of fettlin’. I ‘ve had one on my drilling machine for some years and I have a tilting one which I have used on the mill on occasion. Good idea to save up for a “proper” milling vice as your next workshop build item though.

 

Good luck to you – it’s very encouraging to see your progress charted in these posts..

 

I too started as a raw amateur but had the advantage of many years of access to evening classes – now sadly no longer available. (I’m still pretty amateur by the way)

 

Regards

Norman

Edited By NJH on 21/01/2012 19:20:47

[Author]

Posts