In the introduction to the series, MEW Issue 108, I explained that the small size of the vertical slide and its limited number of tee slots made positioning parts for machining quite difficult in many situations. Also, as most small vices had little or no scope for varying the position on the work table, the problem was still present when attempting to use a vice for holding the workpiece. In this article, an economy drilling vice, available from J & L Industrial Supply (Ref. 1), is modified to get somewhere near the provisions of a toolmakers vice. Their offerings are available in four sizes being 1 1/2 in. to 4in. jaw widths. The one modified in this article, Photo 1, is the 2 1/2 in. size, priced at around £14. The same or very similar vices are available from other suppliers. The modification consists of re-machining the essential surfaces, machining fixing grooves and fitting a much longer jaw keep plate to minimise jaw lift. The longer keep plate will give much the same result as a longer moving jaw casting.
展开▼
