Vise pivoting ever so slightly

[branimal]

When I put the vise in the position I want and crank down the pivot arm there is a little play - say 4-6 degrees. It throws off my cuts.

How can I resolve this?


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[Alchymist]

It's possible that the hole in the base that the pivot screw passes through has too much clearance, and allows the vise to swing slightly pivoting on the lockdown screw. You can bush the screw if needed:

 

[branimal]

Ok I'll take it apart and check it for play. Thanks


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[notlob]

In general, a vise with 2 swivel locks will be more stable, with respect to rotation, than a vise with one.

 

[G-ManBart]

When I put the vise in the position I want and crank down the pivot arm there is a little play - say 4-6 degrees. It throws off my cuts.

How can I resolve this?

What kind of vise? When you say pivot arm, do you mean the swivel lock(s)?

 

[branimal]

What kind of vise? When you say pivot arm, do you mean the swivel lock(s)?

Yeah I'm referring to the swivel lock.


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[branimal]

It's possible that the hole in the base that the pivot screw passes through has too much clearance, and allows the vise to swing slightly pivoting on the lockdown screw. You can bush the screw if needed:

Where can I get a bushing? Home Depot?


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[Alchymist]

Where can I get a bushing? Home Depot?


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I made mine from heavy sheet metal.

 

[Brad54]

In general, a vise with 2 swivel locks will be more stable, with respect to rotation, than a vise with one.

This.
My big Reed (almost 100 pounds) used to do that, and it drove me nuts. You'd clamp down the swivel lock, start working with the vise and find out that the teeth in the lock hadn't meshed and fully seated when you clamped it down, and now they weren't tight and the vise was moving a little.

I bought a second factory swivel lock for the other side (it had the boss there with a cap installed over the hole). Once I had dual swivel locks, it was always solid.

-Brad

 

[G-ManBart]

Yeah I'm referring to the swivel lock.


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What kind of vise?

Nobody can really give you a helpful reply without knowing that since there are so many different kind of swivel bases.

 

[Shiftless]

Yep, show us a pic and you will get a good answer. Lots of vise experience here at GJ.

In the meantime, many guys so rarely need a swivel base that they instead choose a non-swiveling model. Bolt down a good ol' vintage fixed base vise similar to the one in my avatar and your problem is solved.

 

[branimal]

It's an old fuller 4" vise.

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[Shiftless]

Let me just say that your Fuller is a light duty vise. You could theoretically drill a hole in the mounting plate and add another hold down bolt, but if I were you, I would look for an old vise of higher quality if you need to do serious work. Drilling on the Fuller could easily crack the thing making it unusable.

Looks like you are cutting maybe 1 1/2 inch or bigger steel pipe. You would be best served by a vise like this one. If you keep your eyes open you can find them cheap, I bought this one for $15

 

[Bronson]

I have this same vise, inherited it.
I was watching Bonanza just a few minutes ago and playing with the vise , trying to figure out how to tune it.
Subscribed.

 

[branimal]

Definitely don't want to lock the vise in one position, I have a small work space and need to adjust the vise accordingly.

I'm gonna take it apart and see what's going on.


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[Shiftless]

I have this same vise, inherited it.
I was watching Bonanza just a few minutes ago and playing with the vise , trying to figure out how to tune it.
Subscribed.

What kind of tuning are you talking about? Disassemble, clean, lubricate, reassemble, use. Right? (paint optional)