Adjustable Vice Pillar Lift DIY Style.

[Mark 5]

Adjustable Vice Pillar Lift

I look at the “ show us you vice bench thread” and drool.

My situation is, I purchased a 3 bed property a while back with a fair size amount of gardens front and back.

As my physical health allows, I'm renovating, no external work shop or garage, that plan eventually is either block build or storage containers.

Meanwhile I desperately need a vice to be set up semi permanently on a rear concrete patio area.

I don't have the budget to buy an adjustable pillar vice, it's going to have to be on the cheap DIY but practical.

I have to sit and stand when working constantly, a B&D bench can only be used for so much, I require something more heavy duty I can sit or stand at.

Vice thread makes me want so much, been thinking about it.

My idea would be to purchase an Acrow prop' 0, mount the bottom to a 500x500x6mm steel plate for stability but bolted into concrete, the top plate the same dimensions, bolted through and mount a bench vice on that.

Would the 6mm thick steel plate take the rigours of a vice used not so much for weight, more for clamping and loosening things with a hammer, that type of thing.

Opinions please, would this work or is it to simple an idea?

Might make the top plate 1000mm (L) x500mm(W) x 6mm.

 

[gaz1]

actualy you can have what you want

portable vice stand or even a portable pillar drill stand you can also add adjustable height as well

portable vice stand - Google Search

www.google.com

 

[Agroshield]

My idea would be to purchase an Acrow prop' 0...

Might make the top plate 1000mm (L) x500mm(W) x 6mm.

Size 0 acrow is 1100mm minimum height when closed. Add the vice on top of that and the jaws might be too high.

Standard ad-vice for vice height is the top of the jaw level with your elbow.

Smaller/shorter things that look and function like acrows are called trench struts or trench props.

1000mm x 500mm balanced on top of a single prop is inadvisable.

The vice will not be very solid. There will be play and rotation between the inner and outer halves of the prop (reduced if you adjust the height so the pin is jammed up tight to the top of its slot).

 

[frank horton]

how about a steel tube from the scrap with a welded plate for fitting the vice, then weld to an old steel car rim bolted to the conc floor......cheap n chearful

 

[Mark 5]

actualy you can have what you want

portable vice stand or even a portable pillar drill stand you can also add adjustable height as well

portable vice stand - Google Search

www.google.com

Thanks, I had a look and it certainly gave me some ideas.

But I'm on a budget so have to make something up with what I have or can buy cheap and I have no access to welding equipment at the moment.

 

[gaz1]

a used arc welder with 10.00 pack of rods is ample enough to use to weld

ive had the practice to weld so can weld any thickness

so for me a used 10.00 arc welder is cheap enough to buy with a 10.00 pack of welding rods

is more than ample enough to make any frame or shape that you need

 

[Mark 5]

Size 0 acrow is 1100mm minimum height when closed. Add the vice on top of that and the jaws might be too high.

Standard ad-vice for vice height is the top of the jaw level with your elbow.

Smaller/shorter things that look and function like acrows are called trench struts or trench props.

1000mm x 500mm balanced on top of a single prop is inadvisable.

The vice will not be very solid. There will be play and rotation between the inner and outer halves of the prop (reduced if you adjust the height so the pin is jammed up tight to the top of its slot).

Thanks.

I looked at both an Acrow and a Trench Prop, I settled on the ackro because they had a flat top and some pre-holed, ( bolts through for the vice ), most of the trench props had a smaller dimension top plate, no holes and all corners turned up, at least the ones I viewed, so any plate on top wouldn't sit flat.

It hadn't occurred to me the height of the vice its self, thanks, so maybe a trench prop would be better and still adjustable, fix the base to tyre steel rim and a steel plate for the top, all of it bolted of course, never the intention to just have the top plate balance.

As I have no welding equipment at the mo' that will be a new hobby/adventure for me, I have to make do with the tools I have to make an adjustable stand up.

But yeah, maybe a trench prop' instead.

 

[Mark 5]

a used arc welder with 10.00 pack of rods is ample enough to use to weld

ive had the practice to weld so can weld any thickness

so for me a used 10.00 arc welder is cheap enough to buy with a 10.00 pack of welding rods

is more than ample enough to make any frame or shape that you need

Thanks Gaz, the budget simply isn't there for me at the moment, learning to weld, buying a welder is a must for me but not there just yet.

 

[Mark 5]

how about a steel tube from the scrap with a welded plate for fitting the vice, then weld to an old steel car rim bolted to the conc floor......cheap n chearful

Thanks, never thought of a steel rim, have 4-5 of those of those about, so great idea.

Had I looked harder there is already a recent thread on portable bench stands, found that this morning, some nice ideas but mine has to be relatively easily adjustable hence a Trench/Acrow Prop.

 

[Agroshield]

I looked at both an Acrow and a Trench Prop, I settled on the ackro because they had a flat top and some pre-holed, ( bolts through for the vice ), most of the trench props had a smaller dimension top plate, no holes and all corners turned up

I do not know how you will buy these, but the head of a acrow (flat top with holes) would fit the shorter body of a trench prop. All you might have to do is hacksaw a bit off the bottom of the acrow shaft. If not, a propane blowlamp, maybe even a good BBQ (or the gas hob) would get the corners of the trench prop head red hot and allow you to straighten them.

I hope the thread you found is Parm's one. There was lots of good advice there. Steel rim might still be possible as you could cast the acrow body into the middle of the rim with concrete. Also, it is possible to make some concrete weights to go on top of the rim to give the whole contraption some staying power while still being portable when required.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

I like the idea of an Acro albeit might need shortening

 

[Mark 5]

I do not know how you will buy these, but the head of a acrow (flat top with holes) would fit the shorter body of a trench prop. All you might have to do is hacksaw a bit off the bottom of the acrow shaft. If not, a propane blowlamp, maybe even a good BBQ (or the gas hob) would get the corners of the trench prop head red hot and allow you to straighten them.

I hope the thread you found is Parm's one. There was lots of good advice there. Steel rim might still be possible as you could cast the acrow body into the middle of the rim with concrete. Also, it is possible to make some concrete weights to go on top of the rim to give the whole contraption some staying power while still being portable when required.

Thanks.

I needed to check something this morning, whether ackro and trench prop threads were interchangeable, thought that was going to be an easy ask, many of the sellers of such products couldn't or wouldn't answer, mainly because they couldn't comment due to doing such a thing would make parts of their product untested.

Apparently they are, so great idea will take head and tube of an ackro, cut it to size, insert into body of trench prop' and either fill a steel rim or a lorry brake drum with concrete to act as base.

 

[gaz1]

you can use a hydraulic car jack to lift rather well

 

[Mark 5]

you can use a hydraulic car jack to lift rather well

I had thought about that Gaz, I have an old 2 ton trolly jack lying around and wondered if I could adapt it to to use as my by base and height adjustments but have opted for a prop and rim/drum but I'm sure it possible.