cheap DIY low profile "softjaws" vise for TAIG

[Smertrios]

The real vise will be 3 3" long bars of 1/2" square aluminum each with 2 holes drilled 2" apart for mounting to the table. Part #1 and part #2 are the fixed jaws, part #3 is the movable jaw that will be pushed by the screw(s) in part #2.

I'm not sure about using the surface of the table to slide the aluminum jaw on but I think with a little grease or even without it will work fine.

Any ideas?

[warpedmephisto]

Neat idea, but a few things concern me. You'll want to tram the squarness of the jaws to the table everytime you move them to get an accurate cut. Also, you're prone to scratching up or cutting into your table more since all of your part fixturing will be directly on the table, plus you might get some lifting when cranking down on the parts. Your best bet, in my opinion only, would be to either make or purchase a vice that mounted to the table. Or you could use the same idea you have, except use a plate of some scrap to protect your table.

[cartertool]

Originally Posted by Smertrios The real vise will be 3 3" long bars of 1/2" square aluminum each with 2 holes drilled 2" apart for mounting to the table. Part #1 and part #2 are the fixed jaws, part #3 is the movable jaw that will be pushed by the screw(s) in part #2. I'm not sure about using the surface of the table to slide the aluminum jaw on but I think with a little grease or even without it will work fine. Any ideas?

Better to build it onto a tooling plate, so that if you make a mistake and the z plunges below the table you won't have killed your mill (it happens - I had a customer saw his table in half almost)

I use edge clamps for work like this, with a bar at the other end. The edge clamps pull the work down as they clamp, and have a generally low profile (I think about .25")

But I have seen milling vises like this (a bit bigger though) and they work fine. Aluminum against the anodized table should slide fine.

[Smertrios]

Here is a pic of the vise holding a block of parafin wax. The movable jaw can be clamped down to the table just like the 2 other pieces.