Vise: Soft Jaws?
- Thread starter Beowulf
- Start date
I have a pretty small vise compared to most on here. ~3.5 or 4" old columbian IIRC. But hey it works.
Yea, soft jaws are just that, typically in efforts to not mar the work. The softness of the jaws is usually dependent on the work piece you will be holding. I've seen anything from copper to plastic, rubber, leather, aluminum, wood, foam, tape.
I have a few sets that I milled out of an old plastic cutting board (HDPE IIRC), some have magnets epoxied to the back side, some have countersunk through holes. A few sets made out of wood blocks, actually just milled 2x4's. But my most used ones are strips of pretty hard (sorry don't know durometer of them) orange rubber that i pulled off the bottom of a floor buffer. It was the base guard to prevent scratching the walls. These are what I typically use for the delicate stuff. Ex. rile actions, even clamping stocks. Things that are finished and cannot be scratched while holding them. They are soft and sticky to really hold the work, yet will not leave any evidence that the item has been clamped.
I'm sure you will get some better advice from the vise experts on here, but just my 2¢
Yea, soft jaws are just that, typically in efforts to not mar the work. The softness of the jaws is usually dependent on the work piece you will be holding. I've seen anything from copper to plastic, rubber, leather, aluminum, wood, foam, tape.
I have a few sets that I milled out of an old plastic cutting board (HDPE IIRC), some have magnets epoxied to the back side, some have countersunk through holes. A few sets made out of wood blocks, actually just milled 2x4's. But my most used ones are strips of pretty hard (sorry don't know durometer of them) orange rubber that i pulled off the bottom of a floor buffer. It was the base guard to prevent scratching the walls. These are what I typically use for the delicate stuff. Ex. rile actions, even clamping stocks. Things that are finished and cannot be scratched while holding them. They are soft and sticky to really hold the work, yet will not leave any evidence that the item has been clamped.
I'm sure you will get some better advice from the vise experts on here, but just my 2¢
My vise had a sharp deep cut cross hatch pattern that really gripped but it chewed the heck out of things so I opted for aluminum bar stock counter sunk replacements. They are absolutely flat with no teeth but I have yet to have anything pop out of them. That did it for me, between the 2 sets I now have I haven't had a need for anything else. I'd certainly consider other options if the need arises.
Mohawk Dave
Well-known member
I have the $8 rubber set from Lowes (yardsale for a buck) and I use those MORE than any vise with just metal jaws. But as of late I am always restoring, so hash marks are a no go.
I use copper soft jaw covers on my Wilton C1 which is my main working vise. The covers I use are put on so they are stiff but can pop off if I want to use the serrated jaws.
Sent From Snap On Headquarters deep in China.
Sent From Snap On Headquarters deep in China.
dr_clyde
Well-known member
I just machined copper jaws from bar stock. They work great. Plus, they act as a heat sink or a backer for welding small stainless stuff.
I just cut two pieces of aluminum structural angle (structural angle has a sharp 90 degree inside corner angle to it and uniform thickness throughout instead of the more rounded off and slightly tapered inside angle on regular angle stock) the same length as the vise jaws and I just set them on the vise jaws when needed. I will eventually attach a magnet or something to the aluminum jaw inserts to hold them on better, but it has not become a priority yet. As a result they fall off every so often when trying to load something into the vise and clamp it down, but it is not really a big deal. They have never slipped or been an issue after the item in the vise was fully clamped and being worked on.