Vice types

Some info :-

I often use what they call a "screwless vice" on my milling machine. it's got 2" wide jaws and is handy for smaller parts when my 4" abwood would be a bit unweildy. I got mine from J&L, it's one of the items that seems to crop up regularly in thier sales flyers. Being accurately ground it grips well. I've replaced the pin with a longer one that has a handle to get hold of on one end and a large taper to aid lining it up on the other end. Five minutes work, and has made it much easier to use. I've had it about 7 years now, and it has served me well -just had to replace the cap head that tightens it up when it wore out.

Regards

Kevin

Thanks for the comments, Kevin and Neil. I eventually got a 1" screwless one, which I'm very happy with it, although it moved tonight - maybe I need to review my clamping, although I was maybe taking a bit too much out of the clamps I was making out of steel. The clamps are for the 3" 'toolmakers' vice that I also got. The latter doesn't have a wedge-shaped bit to pull the moving jaw down - just a big lump of steel, held in place by another lump underneath, and I have to hope they made it all accurate enough to work properly. It certainly feels tight and has plenty of mass on my little mill - seems to be doing fine so far, holding its first job.

Thassa good idea (I've been using a magnetic thingy-picker-upper to pull the pin out, but I hate magnets in swarf central).

In article , Wally writes

When using a magnet in a swarf-infested area, but the magnet in a plastic bag. Pick the widget you need up (with its attendant swarf), then pull the bag off the magnet above a piece of paper.

The thing falls off, and so does all the swarf. Pick up the widget with your fingers and tip the swarf into the swarf-bucket.

Even better, put the magnet, in its bag, inside a plastic container: small margarine containers work well. This way you can sort out the stuff on the bottom of the container before removing the magnet so it drops off. Moreover, there is less chance of stuff ending up on the magnet. Clean the magnet with masking tape and/or Blue Tak.