Drill Press Vice Suggestions

[spotco2]

Drill Press Vise Suggestions

Somehow I managed 46 years without owning a drill press but picked up a nice older Delta Rockwell a couple of weeks ago.

It will just be general purpose use with whatever material needs a hole in it. I would like to add a vise to it but while there seem to be a lot of options most appear to be very similar. I'm just not sure what I might need to be able to work safely.

I'm also not against buying an older or used vise on ebay but am not sure what brands to look at, stay away from or if it even makes a difference. Also what about mounting hardware? Anything better than something else in your opinion?

Thanks in advance for any and all comments or suggestions.

 

[rsanter]

Just about anything older American that appears to be in decent shape will do you well

Other than that I'm sure I have a couple imports I could sell you

 

[matt_i]

My favorite DP vises are Kurt 6" milling vises or their no-name knockoffs. The oldest models were D60s then D675s then D688s and there's an even newer model. Can be completely crusty and the body wrecked from abuse and they will function nicely on a drill press. You can make parallels from garden variety cold-rolled 1018 flatbar steel which are perfectly accurate for drill press work.

There's also a whole era of vises previous to that...like Bridgeport-branded milling vises which don't have the anti-lift sliding jaw. Those are also very good, they don't cost much because of their lack of precision.

 

[ClappedOutBport]

My favorite DP vises are Kurt 6" milling vises or their no-name knockoffs. The oldest models were D60s then D675s then D688s and there's an even newer model. Can be completely crusty and the body wrecked from abuse and they will function nicely on a drill press. You can make parallels from garden variety cold-rolled 1018 flatbar steel which are perfectly accurate for drill press work.

There's also a whole era of vises previous to that...like Bridgeport-branded milling vises which don't have the anti-lift sliding jaw. Those are also very good, they don't cost much because of their lack of precision.

A bit overkill for a 14" drill press, assuming that's what it is. A camlock like this is perfect for drill press use, but a bit pricey: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007XXHXC/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Tinner]

A bit overkill for a 14" drill press, assuming that's what it is. A camlock like this is perfect for drill press use, but a bit pricey: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007XXHXC/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Those are good vises. We have several at work and I have one at home. They work well and last.

 

[shawhite]

Their really isn’t a once vise fits all for a drill press. A lot of times I will grab for my float-loc others times the Heinrich 8in will get used. Then other times a set of hold downs bolted to the table. Every situation is different. Personally I would skip the Wilton cam lock which is a Heinrich clone usually made in China. The Heinrich and lassy can lock vises are usually easy to find used for a fraction of the new price.

 

[sz0k30]

For home use all you want or need is one like I have. Cheap, adjustable and holds whatever you want.

 

[ClappedOutBport]

Their really isn’t a once vise fits all for a drill press. A lot of times I will grab for my float-loc others times the Heinrich 8in will get used. Then other times a set of hold downs bolted to the table. Every situation is different. Personally I would skip the Wilton cam lock which is a Heinrich clone usually made in China. The Heinrich and lassy can lock vises are usually easy to find used for a fraction of the new price.

Float-locs are nice. That is another one I was trying to think of. I'd still like to find me one of those someday. I would skip the Wilton too. It was just a quick example. I couldn't remember the real brand (Heinrich) and that was just the first thing that came up. I suppose I should be more careful as people may take my examples as suggestions.

 

[ez-duzit]

Wilton makes an excellent drill press vice. I have their 8", which is very heavy, but gets used almost daily. Good to have a small one too, like a 4" or 6"

 

[rmack898]

Grizzly has a South Bend branded drill press vise that made in Taiwan that is really a nice tool. I have 2 of them and might buy another.

https://www.grizzly.com/products/South-Bend-4-Precision-Drill-Press-Vise/SB1215

 

[Davefr]

It's personal preference, but for me this style is the most useful. You can use it on 5 of it's 6 machined faces and I love the vertical and horizontal V-slots.

 

[Packard V8]

For home use all you want or need is one like I have. Cheap, adjustable and holds whatever you want.

To each his own. I tried the Chicom version and didn't like anything about it. Sent it on down the road at the first opportunity.

Agree, that small Wilton-style is the one I use most often, albiet on a rotating base which pivots in the center hole in the table to allow the workpiece to be positioned under the drill and then quick-clamped in place.

jack vines

 

[steaks&anvils]

When I had a drill press, I just used it for home owner stuff. I got the cheap harbor freight one and a vise grip clamp thing. Both worked fine for me.

I liked that I could change out the vise jaws for soft jaws. I made wooden, plastic (soft, like Teflon or nylon) and copper ones. For the copper ones, all I did was use copper pipe that I flattened. I drilled grooves in the plastic/wooden jaws to hold rod or pipe, vertical and horizontal grooves.

The vise grip clamper thing was very handy. I did need to add a big washer to the underside of my drill table, the slots were bigger than the tightener ring. The washer centered it perfectly. My wife at the time suggested I add felt to the bottom of it too, to keep it from marring the surface.

I then mounted the other vise on a board, leaving enough around the edges (inch or so) to clamp to. Using the vise grip clamper, I could clamp the vise quickly and adjust it easily.

All this worked great for "general purpose use with whatever material needs a hole in it".

 

[liliysdad]

I have a small, old, no name 3" vise I use occasionally, but my go to is the Cardinal 6B SpeedVise I picked up at a garage sale a little while back. After using that, I dont think I could ever go back to a cheap vise.

 

[dr_clyde]

Cardinal Speedvise is my favorite drill press vise by far.

 

[tool_scrounge]

So many options....

Welch Cam-lock drill press clamp.

Great to clamp large stuff on its own OR to clamp the drill press vise down. Very fast operation compared to vise grip based clamps. It just slides up and down on the drill press post. When clamped it wedges in place temporarily on the post.

Sadly it has not been made in years. This is my spare new in box one.

I get a kick out if it being licensed from Northrop.

 

[tool_scrounge]

Heinrich drill press vises are also pretty nice...

 

[shawhite]

Lassy makes an amazing vise as well. Both the Heinrich and lassy have v blocks available and the Heinrich TS has flat sides so you can use the vise in multiple positions. The cardinals are pretty good as well. Heinrich also makes a vise similar to the float lock but with a cam type lock.

 

[Rabid Badger]

I have a Palmgren tilt vise. They offer good flexibility, allowing you to bolt it down, tilt, or you can remove to base and have a smaller vise that can be flipped on it's side.

 

[seber]

I have four different vises but 99% of the time the Cardinal speed vise is on the table.

 

[tool_scrounge]

I like Cardinal Speed Vises too, especially if they come with the optional hardened step jaws with a V-groove. Holding the part in the step jaws gives some space below the part and help prevent drilling of the vise. The only minor issue I have with the speed vises is the leadscrew pitch is a bit large so it is harder to tighten the vise quite as hard on the part as other vises with a fine pitch screw. But overall I like them and use them.

 

[nelstomlinson]

I have a 3" Heinrich I use at my little drill press. You don't usually need huge force, just a snug grip, and the Heinrich definitely fills the bill. It's fast to clamp, too.

 

[jayemm]

The small wilton machinists vise was sold by Cripe Distributing at one time.Don't know if they still have any.They were a bit pricey but way less than the industrial distributors were selling them for.

 

[Bill C]

So many options....

Welch Cam-lock drill press clamp.

Great to clamp large stuff on its own OR to clamp the drill press vise down. Very fast operation compared to vise grip based clamps. It just slides up and down on the drill press post. When clamped it wedges in place temporarily on the post.

Sadly it has not been made in years. This is my spare new in box one.

I get a kick out if it being licensed from Northrop.

It’s BACK! And still made in the USA! I bought one a while back and use just as you describe. Sometimes I clamp my vise down with it, or sometimes I secure the actual part with it. Tons of clamping force and very easy adjust.

The design has been picked up by wise-men trading co.
It is available on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/143543005418
Or direct from their website: https://wisementrading.com/tools-and-industrial/drill-press-clamps/

 

[bczygan]

Whatever vise or other hold down methods you choose, install a compound slide table (Or XY Table) under it and add X and Y digital readouts.

Here's how:
http://olliesworkshops.blogspot.com/2015/09/digital-readout-for-drill-press.html

Always overdo any project.........It's the GJ way!

Bill

 

[ez-duzit]

Whatever vise or other hold down methods you choose, install a compound slide table (Or XY Table) under it and add X and Y digital readouts...

That would be one of the most useless accessories for a drill press.

 

[shawhite]

That would be one of the most useless accessories for a drill press.

I would have to agree. If you want a mill buy a mill. I see no reason for an x-y table and DRO on a drill press. It would actually take you longer to move the x and y access to the location you want rather than just laying out your wholes and center punch and would get just as good of results this way. I think people do things for the cool factor and not the function factor.

 

[tool_scrounge]

It’s BACK! And still made in the USA! I bought one a while back and use just as you describe. Sometimes I clamp my vise down with it, or sometimes I secure the actual part with it. Tons of clamping force and very easy adjust.

The design has been picked up by wise-men trading co.
It is available on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/143543005418
Or direct from their website: https://wisementrading.com/tools-and-industrial/drill-press-clamps/

That is great to hear! I am glad the Welch drill press clamp is back in production.

 

[kenc184]

Having tried many options I wouldn't use anything other than a float-lock or in my case the Heinrich equivalent of the float lock. The ability to quickly center the workpiece where you want it,without needing a wrench to fiddle with hold down nuts/bolts on a conventional vise yet have it secured is IMO the only way to go.

 

[lafester]

Float locks are nice, wish I would have kept mine.
I find a simple clamp works best though for most situations.

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

At work I've used a number of drill press vises, but for home I bought this one https://www.busybeetools.com/products/pre-3way-drill-press-vise-b3318.html

I've found it to work well. It's made by Groz in India. Things have gone up in price, I paid half that.

I have an X Y table, while handy for positioning, unless it's expensive, you are buying 1/3 of a milling machine, dials are not much use.

 

[foghorn1966]

'll second the one that Downwindtracker2 mentioned,.
Mine is by ProPoint @ Princess Auto, but not in their catalogue any more.
I have seen them labeled on line with the brand name SOBA.
Action is smooth, slides tight & moveable jaw does not lift as you tighten things in the vise.

 

[vertguy]

It’s BACK! And still made in the USA! I bought one a while back and use just as you describe. Sometimes I clamp my vise down with it, or sometimes I secure the actual part with it. Tons of clamping force and very easy adjust.

The design has been picked up by wise-men trading co.
It is available on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/143543005418
Or direct from their website: https://wisementrading.com/tools-and-industrial/drill-press-clamps/

I found this same site after reading about the original version a couple posts back. And of course I blame GJ for helping me find yet another tool that I never realized I needed

 

[liliysdad]

I have tried a few version of cross slide vises on drill presses, from ultra cheap to ultra not, and never saw the point. They seem like a LOT more trouble than they are worth, and are slower than molasses.

 

[spotco2]

Thanks everyone

 

[NC Rick]

It's personal preference, but for me this style is the most useful. You can use it on 5 of it's 6 machined faces and I love the vertical and horizontal V-slots.

I agree with this! I have a couple Heinrich vices, love them but for all around use, the ability to move around the Vice is super important. With smaller holes, I want a small enough vise to float around so the punch mark or existing hole can move in line to the drill. I can't imagine using a 6" milling vise on my drill press.

 

[ez-duzit]

...I can't imagine using a 6" milling vise on my drill press.

For very small workpieces a large capacity vise is not needed. As the size of the workpiece increases so must the size of the vise. My 8" vise is used almost daily.

 

[NC Rick]

I'm pretty sure we are working on vastly different sized work. My 14" drill press would likely fall over if I took the 6" vise off my Bridgeport (weighing close to 80 lbs or so?) and put it on the drill press. I do have a 6 inch cam-lock Heinrich on the drill press now. That's maybe 8 lbs?

 

[ez-duzit]

My 8" Wilton drill press vise weighs 50 lbs.