FishingMan
Well-known member
Please show your custom modified vise grips. Im looking for some ideas.Thanks
Show your custom vise grips.
- Thread starter FishingMan
- Start date
matt_i
Well-known member
One of my favorite tools is to weld a 1/2" rod inline with the fixed jaw, and put a drilled section of solid round on the rod, 17/32" clearance hole thru the solid. Weld a solid hard-stop at the far end of the 1/2" rod and a T-handle or a round ring.
Now you have a vise grip slide hammer. Its very useful for pulling things like dowel pins from blind holes thru anything else that needs separation by pulling.
Now you have a vise grip slide hammer. Its very useful for pulling things like dowel pins from blind holes thru anything else that needs separation by pulling.
Shootinok
Well-known member
We're gonna need a picture of that Matt i.
Subscribing to this thread ...
Been thinking about this also.
Subscribing to this thread ...
Been thinking about this also.
matt_i
Well-known member
Ok, will get some 
Not that much magic here, 1018 CRS rod 1/2" diameter. Find a slug of round stock (in this I trimmed about 3/4" to 1" off to be the hard-stop). Using the lathe, I drilled the slide-weight 17/32" ID. Drilled the hard stop 1/2" ID. Faced all 4 ends, slight roundover with file. Insert the cross-pin to keep the slide weight from wedging on the handle, I think this could just be a built-up "bump" of filler material as well. I forget where the ring came from, a "T" handle is also a good design and might be more comfortable....but the ring has some advantages when hanging it up. File or belt sand the plating off of the vise grip, fit the long narrow angle of the 1/2" rod to the back of the V-G. Align with fixed jaw as possible and weld it up. Main safety precaution is not to get fingers pinched between the slide weight and hard stop as an immediate blood blister will result...not that I would know anything about this Bigger weights make for a more aggressive tool but also one that's clumsier to use.
Not that much magic here, 1018 CRS rod 1/2" diameter. Find a slug of round stock (in this I trimmed about 3/4" to 1" off to be the hard-stop). Using the lathe, I drilled the slide-weight 17/32" ID. Drilled the hard stop 1/2" ID. Faced all 4 ends, slight roundover with file. Insert the cross-pin to keep the slide weight from wedging on the handle, I think this could just be a built-up "bump" of filler material as well. I forget where the ring came from, a "T" handle is also a good design and might be more comfortable....but the ring has some advantages when hanging it up. File or belt sand the plating off of the vise grip, fit the long narrow angle of the 1/2" rod to the back of the V-G. Align with fixed jaw as possible and weld it up. Main safety precaution is not to get fingers pinched between the slide weight and hard stop as an immediate blood blister will result...not that I would know anything about this
Bigger weights make for a more aggressive tool but also one that's clumsier to use.
Last edited:
geartow
Well-known member
OP
FishingMan
Well-known member
Thats slick Matt. How much you want to make me one minus the vise grips? I dont have a lathe yet.
MaverickDMD
Well-known member
That's an ingenious idea Matt. The one gear tow shows in the link is good too in that it adapts to any vice grip. (I suppose one could use Matt's device to remove the broken bolt in the vice grip handle caused by the one geartow posted.)
Thanks for the ideas both of you.
Thanks for the ideas both of you.
IMCA38
Well-known member
Here are a couple that I have. Both acquired from auctions. The C clamp with the large apparatus is for punching holes in metal wall studs. This belonged to an electrician. Greenlee and others make tools that do the same thing.
The "duckbills" came from an auction for a guy who did welding/blacksmith work. I'm sure he had some purpose in mind when he whipped them up. I thought they looked interesting and I got them cheap!
The "duckbills" came from an auction for a guy who did welding/blacksmith work. I'm sure he had some purpose in mind when he whipped them up. I thought they looked interesting and I got them cheap!
Attachments
matt_i
Well-known member
Another use for a vise grips is to make a "pinch off pliers" which is a necessity when working on air-operated equipment (mostly in a manufacturing plant) when its not always easy to shut off the entire air to the process (this could drop other parts, etc), or you have a hose that's suddenly blown off its end, whipping around, etc (you haven't lived until you've seen what a 3/4" dia air hose ~ 10ft long can do blasting 100psi air out of the free end...lets just say you can't hear yourself think and also its more dangerous than a whip....)
I digress, but position some round stock pieces, lets just say 1/4" dia in the jaws, clamp the ODs together. This could either be perpendicular to the jaws in a "T" configuration or inline with the jaws just gripping the tips. Now weld them to the jaws (tig is ideal). Using the screw adjuster, you adjust the clearance so the tube (either rubber-ish hose or a thin wall polyethylene tube) is pinched flat and the air is shut down, without completely damaging the wall. There's sort of a feel to this but as long as one doesn't have to use gorilla grip on 2 hands its typically OK.
Have to get some pics on that as well. Not sure its that useful in a home shop though as the air systems are typically pretty small and have a lot of hard lines.
I digress, but position some round stock pieces, lets just say 1/4" dia in the jaws, clamp the ODs together. This could either be perpendicular to the jaws in a "T" configuration or inline with the jaws just gripping the tips. Now weld them to the jaws (tig is ideal). Using the screw adjuster, you adjust the clearance so the tube (either rubber-ish hose or a thin wall polyethylene tube) is pinched flat and the air is shut down, without completely damaging the wall. There's sort of a feel to this but as long as one doesn't have to use gorilla grip on 2 hands its typically OK.
Have to get some pics on that as well. Not sure its that useful in a home shop though as the air systems are typically pretty small and have a lot of hard lines.
Farmall450
Well-known member
Or just weld a piece of threaded rod that is the same pitch as slide hammers (most 5/8-14). Or the fancy linked adapter above, although I doubt it is as strong pulling from those threads.
mbshop
Well-known member
Saw one on youtube. Guy basically welded some strap and nuts and threaded rod on a vice grip. Thus making the vise grip clampable to a table and such. I like the idea.
77Mini
Well-known member
I have a set of those (3 sizes) for my slide hammer. Seems like a handy conversion.
rpenterics
Well-known member
another option - the Slammer Hammer - http://www.toolcoonline.com/
WWheeler
Well-known member
Old post of mine on another thread ...
I yank nails out of reclaimed pallets with vise grips on my slide hammer. Stubborn cotter pins too. I didn't homemake it or weld anything though. I use the adapter that came with my 10-way slide hammer set. OTC sells them separately as a "Grip Wrench Adapter".
One thing though, if you do make something like it, you will want to use old USA Peterson Dewitt vise grips. The new China ones won't work. They just pop open.