Tormach "Grinder" Vises

I've made no secret that I use grinder vises or what is often called screwless vises more than a regular mill vise. A while back I found what I thought was a good deal on some five inch ones from Tormach, bought six of them, and gave you guys a heads up about it.

I like this style of vise because for the same base work envelope they take up less space than a mill vise. Yes, you can move the jaws on a mill vise to the outside, but they are still huge for their size. Yes, I know that maybe a grinder vise doesn't have the grip of a mill vise, but the only stock I've ever jerked out of a vise was because of me, not the vise, and I have jerked parts out of a mill vise for bad technique as well.

Back to the topic at hand. I finally opened up a couple of them in preparation for mounting a pair on one of the tiny mills. (Yes I plan to pin them like I did the pair on the Tormach mill.) I was figuring they would be about the same as the typical import grinder vise of which I have several. No. They are far better. Okay, I dom't know if they are accurate and square better, to the level of one made by Suburban Tool, but the design itself is better.

1. The cross pin and nut are one piece. All of my other grinder vises have a piece that engages the screw with a cross hole in it, and the pin that goes into the slots on the bottom goes through the hole with a set screw to hold it in place. I've actually thought of making a one piece part to replace it. The Tormach vise is made that way.

1. On most of these type vises there is a slot through the moving jaw with a hemisphere shaped countersink. Then the screw goes through a matching hemisphere shaped washer into the cross pin assembly. On these Tormach vises they bored a hole from left to right through the moving jaw, and placed a pin with a hole through it for the screw in the hole. When I first looked at it I thought, "Why in the heck di they put that big hole int he side of the jaw... OH! COOL!"

Simple, elegant, strong, and better machined, and Google's AI refused to believe they exist since they are no longer available. LOL.

Yes, also called a toolmakers vise sometimes, but a tool makers vise is also other types of vises sometimes. Yeah, Tormach still sells that smaller version.

(monetized video)

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I don't know what a "grinder" vise is. Is this the type (not size) you mean?

The "screwless" vise I machined for small stuff is nearly identical to that vise .

I remember you posting about it.

The thing about these is they are much nicer than I expected. I bought them to "destroy" them, but now that I see how nice they are I have had a hard time going forward with the destruction. The two I unpacked and cleaned up are still sitting on the bench were I photoed & videoed them.

I keep reminding myself everything is consumable if the net use pays for it, and I keep reminding myself I got a great price on these. I convinced myself to go back int he shop to start modifying them, and then I see them sitting on the bench and think, "They are to nice to destroy." Right now I am making a fixture plate to serve the purpose that inspired me to get a couple of them out of their box. LOL