Vise Jaws

[Adam McLaughlin]

Hey Guys,

Where are you guys sourcing your blank vise jaws? I need a set of blank jaws that I can drill to fit my vise. The local vendor says that they are on a 4-5 week wait to get a set of replacement jaws for my Columbian D45 which are coming from WMH tool group, the people whom source Wilton / Columbian etc.

Any ideas?

Adam

 

[bmwpower]

ebay? Enco? Grainger?

 

[dxdexter]

If you find them, good luck drilling holes. I bought a set for my Record vise many years ago and the holes didn't line up properly. They were harder than the hinges of hell and undrillable.

 

[Adam McLaughlin]

Harder than the hinges of hell... I gotta remember that one, right next to "Steel so hard that cat's nails can't scratch it"

Adam

 

[Elroy]

Make some.

Aluminum, Copper, Brass or Hard Rock Maple are all good

Elroy actually prefers the wood jaws as they conform to curved surfaces and don't leave "diamond knurl" marks. Elroy came to the conclusion to ditch the original jaws about 25 years ago when a motor came apart and there were "vise" marks in the face of the connecting rods. Elroy decided right then and there he would never inflect such damage on his parts.

Sure they might only last a month or so but they are easy to make. Especially with transfer punches and they're cheap. Elroy makes them up in batches.

If your particular vise has "keyed" jaws, this may not be that viable of an options but still worth considering.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Hey Guys,

Where are you guys sourcing your blank vise jaws? I need a set of blank jaws that I can drill to fit my vise. The local vendor says that they are on a 4-5 week wait to get a set of replacement jaws for my Columbian D45 which are coming from WMH tool group, the people whom source Wilton / Columbian etc.

Any ideas?

Adam

Yup, pay the man and wait if they are the right inserts for the vise.

 

[-B-]

I picked up a set of urethane knurled magnetic jaws at the local Woodcraft store they work well. First thing I do to a new to me vise is turn the jaws around so the smooth side is out then true them up as best i can to be parallel.

 

[Adam McLaughlin]

Make some.

Aluminum, Copper, Brass or Hard Rock Maple are all good

Elroy actually prefers the wood jaws as they conform to curved surfaces and don't leave "diamond knurl" marks. Elroy came to the conclusion to ditch the original jaws about 25 years ago when a motor came apart and there were "vise" marks in the face of the connecting rods. Elroy decided right then and there he would never inflect such damage on his parts.

Sure they might only last a month or so but they are easy to make. Especially with transfer punches and they're cheap. Elroy makes them up in batches.

If your particular vise has "keyed" jaws, this may not be that viable of an options but still worth considering.

Hummm... Elroy, you've just given me a great idea! Why not get a piece of copper flat bar, or brass flat bar and then cut it to shape, and then drill the holes where they need to be? That's a great idea.

The previous owner of this vise already drilled the jaw insert mounting holes all of the way through the vise "arms", so swapping out jaw inserts should be as easy as pie.

Hummm... You are a smart Kentuckian, Elroy. Make my parents proud.

Adam

 

[Junkman]

Elroy been around the block a time or two.........

 

[Elroy]

Elroy been around the block a time or two.........

Coming from the Philosopher Emeritus, Elroy considers that a very gracious complement. Thank you.

 

[Vinko]

There were some 6" Wilton USA-made copper ones on Ebay -- several in fact. I bought a pair. Then I checked back, and there was one left. A week ago. Not the type you need to drill though...

 

[Adam McLaughlin]

I think what I am going to do is to run to Reliable in the morning and snag some Aluminum bar stock, drill it up and then go to Maselli's for some Bronze stock to do the same. Hummm... Darn good idea. I might get tomorrow off if the weather continues to rain. I normally climb towers for my day job and weather makes everyone scared, so they usually back out easily.

That's a good solution for my "bar style" vise jaws like on my Rock Islands and later Columbians, still not sure what to do about my "T" shaped earlier Columbian like the one on my main bench right now.

Adam

 

[gorilla]

I machine my vice jaws out of aluminum for soft jaws or 02 tool steel for hard jaws. The hard jaws are heat treated and tempered with a torch in automotive drain oil and then surface ground to be smooth and parallel. Wilton jaws are $35.00 a pair on the open market, a stick of 02 tool steel is about $20.00 from McMaster and will make two sets of jaws. It's nice to know that some one else in SR reads this web sight.

 

[eschoendorff]

Make some.

Aluminum, Copper, Brass or Hard Rock Maple are all good

Elroy actually prefers the wood jaws as they conform to curved surfaces and don't leave "diamond knurl" marks. Elroy came to the conclusion to ditch the original jaws about 25 years ago when a motor came apart and there were "vise" marks in the face of the connecting rods. Elroy decided right then and there he would never inflect such damage on his parts.

Sure they might only last a month or so but they are easy to make. Especially with transfer punches and they're cheap. Elroy makes them up in batches.

If your particular vise has "keyed" jaws, this may not be that viable of an options but still worth considering.

What he said.... unless you can find some already made for CHEEP!

 

[Elroy]

As a follow up to this old thread, Elroy tenders these hard wood vise jaw inserts for your enjoyment:

It also helps to have the appropriate size transfer screws. In this case 5/16-18. Start off by cutting some hard wood blanks.

Install the transfer screws in all (4) locations

Line up the blocks and close the vise solid to mark the hole locations on the back side of the blocks.

Pilot drill through the block from the back side

Flip over and counter bore for the screws heads using the pilot drill to pick up on. Counter bore for the heads first going deep enough to cover the screw heads. Drill the clearance hole for the screw shank last

Install and enjoy.

 

[VegasBruce]

Elroy, those are sweet

 

[Elroy]

They are excellent for delicate work where the parts could be easily marred. Elroy trusts that it's apparent these are not for heavy clamping situations.

 

[Joe69]

Not for welding or torching applications, eh Elroy.

Joe

 

[Adam McLaughlin]

Is that Rock Maple?

Where did you find it? I wasn't able to source that locally.

Adam

 

[Monte]

nice job !

 

[cdent]

You can also make slip over soft faces out of many things. A little button magnet can keep it in place if needed. Careful with imbedded grit in any soft jaw face. Call a woodworker in the phone book and see if you can get scraps, possibly for free.

 

[Griff93]

That's really cool. I need to get some more of those thread in blind transfer punches. I bought an m8x1.25 to see if I like them cause I have a bunch of M8 weld nuts. It's amazing how much little things like that make building things enjoyable instead of frustrating.

 

[bmwpower]

I know we're talking about wood, but is there any way to easily make the knurling on metal jaws without a huge milling setup?

 

[jteck75]

If you can find a couple pieces of delrin,they make killer jaws that won't mar your work.

 

[bmwpower]

If you can find a couple pieces of delrin,they make killer jaws that won't mar your work.

I would think delrin would slip....self lubricating.
...but never tried it.

 

[jteck75]

I've got a set on my vise at home,if you get the rock hard black delrin,they probably would slip,but the softer white stuff does great.

 

[Nealcrenshaw]

Thats an great idea Elroy.

 

[slotmachines]

It's amazing how much little things like that make building things enjoyable instead of frustrating.