Vice jaw material

[Spark plug]

well my vice is in desperate need of some love and affection. I need to make some new jaws but what should they be made from? Was thinking something along the lines of EN16t?

 

[BrokenBiker]

I used 0-1 tool steel on mine, hardened then tempered to a light straw colour, also made some out of normal mild steel and some out of aluminium, the hardened ones were everyday jaws, the mild steel were used when I was bashing on it and the Ali ones were used if I had a lengthy project that needed soft jaws as I hate jaw protectors

 

[Spark plug]

Never thort of 0-1 thort that may have been over kill but they would defenatly last.

 

[BrokenBiker]

Never thort of 0-1 thort that may have been over kill but they would defenatly last.

I had it left over from a job lot of off cuts I borrowed from work. Also had some d2 but that really would have been overkill, so would the stellite but I didn't have enough of either and didn't fancy trying to drill them by hand either

 

[Screwdriver]

Depends what work you need to hold in it. I nearly always need to find a pair of soft jaws to avoid marking work so maybe just bite the bullet and knock some up out of Aluminium or Copper...

S.

 

[Pete.]

I guy I knew used to keep a long chunk of aluminium extrusion near his milling machine for disposable soft jaws. He never used to bother dialling in his vice he would get it near enough then mill the Jaws to the width and depth he needed so it was trammed in perfectly. When the jaws were machined down too far he'd cut another pair and start again.

 

[Spark plug]

The steel jaws will be used for general stuff, I use 2 prices of aluminium angle as soft jaws when required.

 

[pedrobedro]

Mild steel drilled and tapped is plenty hard enough for anything I need. They've been in there years and still not damaged them. I've got to make some new soft jaws when I find some aluminium suitable to bend some up.

 

[BrokenBiker]

Mild steel drilled and tapped is plenty hard enough for anything I need. They've been in there years and still not damaged them. I've got to make some new soft jaws when I find some aluminium suitable to bend some up.

I only used my mild steel jaws when I was hitting things to bend them or flatten them etc, never really damaged them but did gouge them a bit on top

 

[Spark plug]

Mild is cheep enough to change every now an then, just it will be the changing part that's the probloem

 

[BrokenBiker]

Mild is cheep enough to change every now an then, just it will be the changing part that's the probloem

Make a few sets up at a time then just have to unbolt the old and bolt in the new

 

[Kent]

I considered fitting one out with copper once but never a tool grade steel

Why copper? Welding parts held in vise

 

[Spark plug]

Right I have a plan,

I've been in the bath and achieved two things:

1. I no longer smell like a pig farmers right foot.
2. I have a cunning plan (I think)

• Fit dowels pins to the vice in place of the original fixing bolts
• Drill 2 new flat bottom holes between the dowel holes, for each jaw to accept some of those fancy dangle neodymium magnets someone was talking about the other day.

Now I can make a selection of interchangeable jaws, some mild steel smooth jaws, aluminium soft jaws (with steel inserts), some very hard created jaws (for those jobs you have to swear at)

But the possibilities are endless you could have a jaw with a "V" grove along its length for holding round bar, bolts erc when cutting with a hacksaw etc.

Any thorts? The only concern I have is if the magnets are too strong and fillings stick too the working surface.

 

[BrokenBiker]

Right I have a plan,

I've been in the bath and achieved two things:

1. I no longer smell like a pig farmers right foot.
2. I have a cunning plan (I think)

• Fit dowels pins to the vice in place of the original fixing bolts
• Drill 2 new flat bottom holes between the dowel holes, for each jaw to accept some of those fancy dangle neodymium magnets someone was talking about the other day.

Now I can make a selection of interchangeable jaws, some mild steel smooth jaws, aluminium soft jaws (with steel inserts), some very hard created jaws (for those jobs you have to swear at)

But the possibilities are endless you could have a jaw with a "V" grove along its length for holding round bar, bolts erc when cutting with a hacksaw etc.

Any thorts? The only concern I have is if the magnets are too strong and fillings stick too the working surface.

i had a diamond pattern on my hard jaws, used a file while the steel was annealed and it cut really easilly, then harden and temper and it was fine.

 

[Pete.]

i had a diamond pattern on my hard jaws, used a file while the steel was annealed and it cut really easilly, then harden and temper and it was fine.

I dislike the diamond pattern jaws, especially hardened. It's almost as if someone set out to design a jaw that would damage the workpiece.

 

[Spark plug]

I dislike the diamond pattern jaws, especially hardened. It's almost as if someone set out to design a jaw that would damage the workpiece.

I dislike them also but they are usefull when you sacrificing the work piece to save a shaft for instance.

 

[BrokenBiker]

I dislike the diamond pattern jaws, especially hardened. It's almost as if someone set out to design a jaw that would damage the workpiece.

get a really good grip on things that dont matter though. if i had anything that i couldnt damage i just swap to the ali jaws

 

[Kent]

Magnets? Bad idea imo will look like a darn hedgehog rapid as you suspect

Don't over think this one std jaws then safe jaws as overfit