light duty metal working vise

[Judson Green]

I'm looking for a light duty metal working vise. Was liking this one due to its thin jaws and low price. Like yesterday I needed to file down a 5/16" cutter on both sides (drift); was sticking in the dado after about two passes.

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[Lonnie Gallaher]

That looks like a great light duty vise. Mount it on a piece of wood so you can clamp it in your bench vise.

[Jim Koepke]

Mount it on a piece of wood so you can clamp it in your bench vise.

That worked great for me until my big honker was mounted:

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Too bad you are so far away. Either of my spares would cost more to ship than they are worth.

The one you are looking at looks like it might be good for a lot of metal work.

As far as the dado blade goes it should be only a few thousandths wider than the plane body. It should also have edges beveled so they are smaller at the back of the blade.

jtk

I never mind my wife getting the last word. In fact, I'm delighted when she gets to it! --Walter Matthau

[Judson Green]

That worked great for me until my big honker was mounted:

290532

Too bad you are so far away. Either of my spares would cost more to ship than they are worth.

The one you are looking at looks like it might be good for a lot of metal work.

As far as the dado blade goes it should be only a few thousandths wider than the plane body. It should also have edges beveled so they are smaller at the back of the blade.

jtk

I never mind my wife getting the last word. In fact, I'm delighted when she gets to it! --Walter Matthau




That was exactly the problem. Indeed a big honking vise you've got there.

Was thinking I might mount it on a ¾" something with a cleat on the bottom of it to clamp in my bench vise, but I don't know I may just make a smallish bench for it, a bench grinder and other dirty stuff.

Thanks guys

[Jim Koepke]

Indeed a big honking vise you've got there.

Funny that one time when the wife and I were down in Portland shopping there was one of the same make and age with jaws a couple inches wider. It left me with vise jaw envy.

jtk

[george wilson]

Be aware that that vise's swivel action does not tighten up until you tighten the jaws. It can be a bit distracting.

[Judson Green]

Be aware that that vise's swivel action does not tighten up until you tighten the jaws. It can be a bit distracting.

Thanks for pointing that out, George. One of the concerns that I have about that vise is that it may not get tight enough on the swivel part when clamping something, especially with a lighter thing that you don't want dented being clamped. Perhaps I could drill in for a pin to have a fixed position or two.

[Shawn Pixley]

I have a post vise for smithing and a metal working vise for lighter work. The swivel action can be a bit distracting and have unfortunate slips at times. I got some magnetic soft jaws where overtightening can be a problem. I am building some smooth faced metal jaws (copper?) for non marring needs. I will try to establish a removeable pin to fix the 90 degree swivel. You should find a lot of use for that vise. Between LOML & I, we have 5-6 vises and 4 anvils and inumerable hardie / stake tools. Some are finely dressed and used for only hot or soft metal work. The are a couple that are dressed less finely where coarse work can be performed without getting yelled at (me or her). It is good to have a spouse who supports and uses tools.

[Winton Applegate]

Some general metal worker dude thoughts about vises :

Cultivate them and visit them often; when times are tough they may be the only friends who stand by you.
. . . what ? . . . oh not those kind of vises ? . . .
sorry . . .

I kept looking at that post mount pivoting vise when it first came out decades ago but always seemed to see things about it that wouldn’t work for me.

The top of the jaws should be at the same level as your elbow when you are standing.
I am not a fan of vises that pivot; they slip around when you are trying to bend or loosen stuck stuff.
You may find that metal filings in your woodworking vise jaws and ways are unwelcome. (don’t clamp your metal working vise in your wood working vise (also it may be much too high if you do that)).

My two favorites are :
Mount the vise on a pedestal, preferably heavy steel, in the middle of the room or away form the wall and bench at least. That way you can walk around the work as you file or shape the work and not have to reposition it in the vise jaws so often. Lag the base of the pedestal into the floor with concrete anchors what have you.
Secondly for vertical clamping mount another vise on the side of what have you.
These vises (http://www.amazon.com/Wilton-11744-4-Inch-Profile-Drill/dp/B009E0EBDO/ref=pd_sim_sbs_indust_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1S8ZW7VZ5Q1JVRZ1PS09) are inexpensive and versatile and you can put them on your drill press (that is what they are for). You can find less expensive versions than this but I am too lazy to find one. AVOID HARBOR FREIGHT unless you want it to wear out fast.

If all that mounting flange is in your way of filing stuff etc. hack saw some of it out of the way. My vises like this do not have so much base flange in the way.


http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy298/noydb1/IMG_0388_zps8cc65552.jpg (http://s801.photobucket.com/user/noydb1/media/IMG_0388_zps8cc65552.jpg.html)

In the photo is also what I call my TIG table. It allows me to raise and lower small work as high as I would ever want to so I can walk around it while TIG welding, Or lower it and sit if that is better. It also makes a fine support for long or awkward work that is clamped in the vise a bench slave of sorts and leaves the bench free for better uses. Anchor or leave moveable as needed. A power ratchet/nut driver gets things out of the flush floor anchors fast if you need the floor space for large projects. I can still mount vises into pre drilled holes in the welding table.

Also consider getting or making some copper or aluminum jaws (aluminum angle like the lengths you can buy at Home Depot works pretty well. These protect the finish of steel work that you clamp in the vise. The super aggressive serrated jaws many vises come with have no place in my shop. Any thing I clamp in the vise I am trying to improve not hopelessly gouge and tear up.

My latest small vise and review (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FACM2M2/ref=oh_details_o01_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) on Amazon. Since the price was waaaaaay too good to be true I expected some BS. This kind of precision vise can cost hundreds of dollars.

PS: I have many, many vises. So many I clamp them under and onto the legs of my welding table for ballast and haul out the one that I need. Often I need more than one or two while I am working on a project. Can’t have too many benches or vises.

http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy298/noydb1/IMG_1532_zps933c083e.jpg (http://s801.photobucket.com/user/noydb1/media/IMG_1532_zps933c083e.jpg.html)

PPS: the vise on the pedestal in the first photo was my Dad’s from out of the pee pot work shop (see metal rusting thread). I took the vise with me when the house was sold but left the pee pot. I thought that was fair.

[Shawn Pixley]

Jim,

That really is a very nice vise.

[Judson Green]

So, now ya ain't pot to pee in! Sorry, couldn't help myself.

Yeah, not to keen on metal filings in the woodworking bench, but unfortunately that's the only vise I've got at the moment.

Lots of helpful tips, thanks Winton.

[Judson Green]

Thanks Shawn I think I'll spring for it.