Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

machinist - [machinist] Unknown Table Vise (two piece mill table vice)

machinist@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Machinist

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Lawrence London <lfljvenaura@gmail.com>
  • To: machinist@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [machinist] Unknown Table Vise (two piece mill table vice)
  • Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2014 20:46:25 -0500

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/unknown-table-vise-279587/

  1. 02-04-2014, 05:45 PM #1
    Putch's Avatar
    Putch is online now Hot Rolled
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Butler, PA
    Posts
    773

    Default Unknown Table Vise

    I've been wanting one of these for a while and what do you know I end up finding one on a disheveled tool cart at work today!

    It's a perfect fit to be used with the X axis of a Bridgeport table - jaws and overall width is 9", and there's keys in the bottom which suggest this is the position the vise is intended for. Guess I could pop the keys out and mount it the other way if I wanted. Something weird is the keys are only 14mm instead of 5/8" in the table, guess I could make step keys.

    Anyone know of a maker?

    Putch

    unnamed.jpgunnamed-1.jpg

    P.S. - what is the rack on the bottom for? I thought maybe moving in increments along another rack which sat in the t-slot?
  2. 02-04-2014, 06:06 PM #2
    sfriedberg is offline Titanium
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Oregon, USA
    Posts
    2,015

    Default

    The rack on the bottom is intended to engage with a rack that sits inside the T-slot. If you tighten these table vises too much, you can spring the mill table (temporarily) which makes for tight X-axis motion at best, and potentially a bunch of other problems. The rack (which is optional) is intended to take the tightening strain rather than the mill table. Once the part is clamped between the vise jaws, the 2nd jaw is secured to the mill table.
    Last edited by sfriedberg; 02-04-2014 at 06:07 PM. Reason: fix typo
  3. 02-04-2014, 06:10 PM #3
    L Vanice is online now Diamond
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Fort Wayne, IN
    Posts
    8,017

    Default

    I have one still new in the box that I bought from Enco about 30 years ago. Looked handy, but have not yet actually needed it. I think the box is marked from the maker "Free Vise," meaning the jaws are free to be bolted anywhere on the mill table. No rack on mine, as far as I recall. My mill has 7/16" slots, kind of close to 11 mm.

    Larry
  4. 02-04-2014, 06:20 PM #4
    S_W_Bausch is online now Diamond
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
    Posts
    5,125

    Default

    Nomenclature is "2 piece Milling Vise", at least on ebay and Grizzly.com

    Two piece mill vises - what is the ultimate ?

    You might rename this thread (or start another) as "Identify this 2 piece miling vise".
  5. 02-04-2014, 08:06 PM #5
    Putch's Avatar
    Putch is online now Hot Rolled
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Butler, PA
    Posts
    773

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by sfriedberg View Post
    The rack on the bottom is intended to engage with a rack that sits inside the T-slot. If you tighten these table vises too much, you can spring the mill table (temporarily) which makes for tight X-axis motion at best, and potentially a bunch of other problems. The rack (which is optional) is intended to take the tightening strain rather than the mill table. Once the part is clamped between the vise jaws, the 2nd jaw is secured to the mill table.
    Thanks Friedberg - I knew someone would post something useful! About springing the table - I've noticed when using toe clamps and fastening parts to the table that it can become real tough to move the x axis - I guess this is because of over tightening and I'm springing the table?



  • [machinist] Unknown Table Vise (two piece mill table vice), Lawrence London, 02/04/2014

Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page