I am looking for an inexpensive replacement crank for a 6" machinist vise that I just picked up. It's British made and uses a 5/8" square drive. Barring an inexpensive crank, I was wondering if there is anyone making a 5/8" 4-pt socket with a 1/2" drive as an alternative.
Machinist vise crank or 5/8" square socket
- Thread starter Griffenn
- Start date
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Griffenn: can you post up a few pictures of your vise and maybe we can help you better? there are a few guys and gals on this forum that know a thing or two about an English made vise as you might have read already and pictures always help.
also if you can post any name or writing on the vise that might give us a better idea if it's not a homemade vise.
i see this is your first post so welcome to our forum and if you need a little help with the picture posting just ask and I (we) will be happy to help because pictures of tools and garages is our version of ****.
cheers
also if you can post any name or writing on the vise that might give us a better idea if it's not a homemade vise.
i see this is your first post so welcome to our forum and if you need a little help with the picture posting just ask and I (we) will be happy to help because pictures of tools and garages is our version of ****.
cheers
bob15
Well-known member
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Griffenn: if a socket is all you really need then depending on your garage sales in your area a lot of old socket sets had them and Ebay is probably full of them. i'd prefer a cast iron crank like this one i had on a Drill press vise i sold to another member. Ebay might even have some of these handles up for auction if you like them.
good luck and still would love to see pictures of your vise (vice) if you have time to post some.
good luck and still would love to see pictures of your vise (vice) if you have time to post some.
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rsanter
Well-known member
Several options.
Look for a local used machine tool seller and he likly has spare ones he can sell
Ebay
Buy the socket. Weld a bar and handle on it and you have made your own
Bob
Look for a local used machine tool seller and he likly has spare ones he can sell
Ebay
Buy the socket. Weld a bar and handle on it and you have made your own
Bob
I just use a 3/4" 12 point box wrench on mine. I just measured across the flats and it is actually 0.648 of an inch, so a bit bigger than 5/8s. I get the vise plenty tight with that too. To tell you the truth I wouldn't even want one of those crank handles for it. It wouldn't fit in the drawer I keep tools in too good. The box wrench is the same size as a lot of the T table hold down hardware too though. So I've no problems keeping it with my mill.
Check ebay or the like for crank handle.
Buy or make a spinner type handle, they are quite handy although a bit rare in the older square drive. Easy to make out of aluminum. Use the smallest drill bit you have to drill out the corners and then drill out the bulk of the center with a slightly under 5/8" drill bit. Use a file to carefully clean up the corner transitions.
Larry linked one of a number of companies that produce crank handles. I think even mcmaster and enco sell them too.
Buy or make a spinner type handle, they are quite handy although a bit rare in the older square drive. Easy to make out of aluminum. Use the smallest drill bit you have to drill out the corners and then drill out the bulk of the center with a slightly under 5/8" drill bit. Use a file to carefully clean up the corner transitions.
Larry linked one of a number of companies that produce crank handles. I think even mcmaster and enco sell them too.