Best drill vise?

[Toolhorder]

I have a table top vise I think it's a delta. I need to drill holes for a few projects and I need to hold my work steady while I'm drilling. I never used this drill press it was given to me by a family member. What's the best vise for a drill press?

 

[CNGsaves]

Palmgren is good brand you can start searching on your local CL.
Keys words like . . . Machinist vise/vice . . . .or Milling vise/vice. Good luck.

 

[Toolhorder]

Does it need to be expensive or can I get one Home Depot or something?

 

[bleacht]

I bought a 4inch Irwin vise from Lowes for about $20 and it does the job just fine. I don't know what you are drilling but I needed something to hold bolts and nuts to drill holes for safety wire and it's worked well for the last year I've had it.

 

[MilwaukeeFish]

Does it need to be expensive or can I get one Home Depot or something?

I don't think price is the real question. I get what you are saying though.

What matters is do you want something rock solid with no play in it so your workpiece doesn't move and are you willing to pay for that? -or- Is some play in the vise acceptable? ...And based on the stability of the vise along with the frequency of how often you'll need to use it, can you be a little thrifty and still be happy with the results?

Answer that and you can then decide whether you need to prioritize money over quality or vice versa.

 

[Toolhorder]

I don't think price is the real question. I get what you are saying though.

What matters is do you want something rock solid with no play in it so your workpiece doesn't move and are you willing to pay for that? -or- Is some play in the vise acceptable? ...And based on the stability of the vise along with the frequency of how often you'll need to use it, can you be a little thrifty and still be happy with the results?

Answer that and you can then decide whether you need to prioritize money over quality or vice versa.

First project is some caster plates I'm welding to the legs of my welding table. I'm planning on drilling 4 holes in each plate. Should be ok with a bit of play

 

[valentine]

My drill press vise is a cheap Craftsman that I got in the closeout section of our local Sears. I paid around $5 for it and although it's not a brag worthy tool, it really has served me well and it would certainly have cost more than what I paid if the box it came in wasn't so damaged. It isn't sturdy enough for industrial use but for hobby and homeowner use it's been great. Two thumbs up.

-Valentine

 

[zkling]

Depends on what you are drilling and the type of table your drill press has.
The basic machinist style (all sides flat, no mounting ears on the side) drill press vises are nice for smaller items and round stock with a V groove. Float lock style are nice for plates and larger pieces. So are large vise grips. A fence works well for longer pieces, no clamping needed, just hold it against the fence to catch the reaction force.

The bigger the drill bit the stronger the vise you will need, especially on smaller pieces. In short, you will need multiple methods. Also realize it is not alwys a good idea to clamp the work down. A good center punch and allowing the piece to float under the drill is favorable in some cases.

 

[PCO6]

I have a few drill press vices but most of the time I use a simple fence that I made. I use various types of clamps to secure the material to the fence and it works well. The fence makes it very easy to drill numerous holes in a straight line.

View media item 34302
View media item 34303

 

[larry_g]

Cheap, quick, easy use a C-clamp to clamp the part to the table. Rotate the table around the post as necessary for alignment.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Richard D]

I have a few drill press vices but most of the time I use a simple fence that I made. I use various types of clamps to secure the material to the fence and it works well. The fence makes it very easy to drill numerous holes in a straight line.

View media item 34302

What is the clamp on the right side, first picture.

 

[PCO6]

What is the clamp on the right side, first picture.

It's from a set of machine clamps. Very handy to have.

 

[drivesitfar]

ALL: here's a few of my favorite Drill press vises in no particular order.

 

[LordPsychon]

I like the idea of the X-Y axis vices but I have no practical use for them. I use my drill press for woodworking not metalworking.

 

[A E Numan]

What ever you do don't drill any holes in the drill press table - Or in the vise !

 

[exmaxima1]

Cardinal Speed Vise

 

[jlenander]

Check out the H/V Heinrich vises and the Float Locks.

IMHO, they're the best for drill press work.

 

[404]

Start off with this:

http://www.harborfreight.com/9-inch-drill-press-locking-clamp-36221.html

Put a scrap of 3/4 plywood or similar on the table to avoid risk of drilling into it.

 

[thebeekeeper1]

Start off with this:

http://www.harborfreight.com/9-inch-drill-press-locking-clamp-36221.html

Put a scrap of 3/4 plywood or similar on the table to avoid risk of drilling into it.

That thing looks GREAT! I will be making a trip to HF Saturday--so THANKS!!

 

[BD1]

Sometimes a clamp will work too.

 

[ttpete]

Sometimes a clamp will work too.

I have both, but the vise grip one sees more use. Most of what requires a vise gets done on the mill that always has one bolted down and trammed.

 

[404]

That thing looks GREAT! I will be making a trip to HF Saturday--so THANKS!!

You are very welcome.

One of the reviews at HF had a problem with clamping thin material. If your clamp has this issue, just put a piece of scrap wood between the clamp and the item you are working on.

 

[404]

http://www.hfqpdb.com/

Has the 20 off coupons.

 

[thebeekeeper1]

http://www.hfqpdb.com/

Has the 20 off coupons.

Ah, thanks! My wife and I both get the NRA magazines, so we have an abundance of the 20% off ones, but the 25%ers are hard to come by. I appreciate it!

 

[senlow]

Check out the H/V Heinrich vises and the Float Locks.

IMHO, they're the best for drill press work.

Heinrich is good stuff.

Of course, the OP doesn't really need a Heinrich vise for a little Delta bench top drill press. I would probably get a Palmgren vise for that drill press. Many are still made in USA.

 

[Toolhorder]

I couldn't find anything at Home Depot except a Chinese Bessey one. Whatever I'm sure it will work. Don't want to bolt it to the drill press plate. How can I make quick release bolts?

 

[bobdell]

I keep the vise grip type clamp on my drill press table all the time & clamp the vise down with it when needed.

 

[Adam.C]

Problems with cheap vises include:
1) Moving jaws that flex, don't stay parallel to the fixed jaw and work pieces end up moving, sometimes more when you clamp down harder. This probably the biggest seperator between a cheap bessey vise and a Palmgren, Kurt style etc.
2) faces, bases and jaws that are not square such that every hole you drill is at some angle to the table.

Its good to have a good vise. Check out the DP vises in Enco, MSC, McMaster, then find the same model used on CL for cheap.

 

[jlenander]

I agree. There is no need for a Heinrich. But, If you're persistent and a bit lucky, you can find a great deal on one. I found mine for less than most palmgrens cost.
I like my Heinrich more almost every time I use it.
The import "drill press vise" I started out with was pure aggravation.

 

[theknurl]

Check out the H/V Heinrich vises and the Float Locks.

IMHO, they're the best for drill press work.

+ 10 ......

I have 2 and love them

 

[Richard D]

It's from a set of machine clamps. Very handy to have.

es, I have those, I use them in my milling machine, fab table, etc. I was asking about tthe grey one in the picture, with the handle, on the home built fence.

 

[dr_clyde]

I'm a big fan of the Cardinal Speedvise. I would recommend finding a used one, they are unreasonably expensive new.

 

[PCO6]

es, I have those, I use them in my milling machine, fab table, etc. I was asking about tthe grey one in the picture, with the handle, on the home built fence.

Ooops. Sorry about that. It's a clamp that I repurposed from a desk lamp. I added a short piece of tube and use it as an end stop for drilling multiple holes in the same location. I don't use it for clamping anything to the fence.

 

[torqueman2002]

ALL: here's a few of my favorite Drill press vises in no particular order.

Funny, I have that exact vise in my garage - right down to the plywood base!

 

[Mark in Indiana]

I have a 4" Enco drill press vise with a tilt base, that I've had for over 25 years. I highly recommend one (whatever brand you choose) with a tilt base. It's also great for holding a workpiece at an angle on a bench. Otherwise, I also use c-clamps to hold down the workpieces.

 

['sallgood]

Here. Pick one.Or three.
Off to church.
https://www.grizzly.com/products/category/140140

 

[PT Doc]

Enco used to carry a really nice Palmgren 4" that was ground on 4 sides. After 30% off, it was just over $100. The best drill press vise I have used.