2 piece vise for desktop mill? Jaw lift?

[Jim27]

Have a small servo products mill. Roughly 6" x 3" travel. Have fastened some jobs directly to table but thinking of a small 2 piece vise, probably 3" wide. Table is 12" x 5". For some wood routing I made a rough 2 piece vise where the moveable jaw had holes for hold down bolts to the table t slots. Then behind that a piece with a horizontal threaded hole for the clamping force. No guide rods between the two pieces. Worked fine. I haven't seen any 2 piece vises with hold downs for the moveable jaw but have read that jaw lift can be an issue so thinking I may put that in when I build one. Wondering if I am overthinking this or the best route to go. I may just buy one if I could find a reasonable quality, reasonable priced one this size.

Similar Threads:

• Kurt Vise - 8 inch wide - 12 inch jaw to jaw - $750
• reverse jaw vise
• Need Help!- KERT VISE JAW
• 2 Jaw moveable JAW Vise
• Countering Part Lift On Sliding Jaw Chuck

[mactec54]

Have a small servo products mill. Roughly 6" x 3" travel. Have fastened some jobs directly to table but thinking of a small 2 piece vise, probably 3" wide. Table is 12" x 5". For some wood routing I made a rough 2 piece vise where the moveable jaw had holes for hold down bolts to the table t slots. Then behind that a piece with a horizontal threaded hole for the clamping force. No guide rods between the two pieces. Worked fine. I haven't seen any 2 piece vises with hold downs for the moveable jaw but have read that jaw lift can be an issue so thinking I may put that in when I build one. Wondering if I am overthinking this or the best route to go. I may just buy one if I could find a reasonable quality, reasonable priced one this size.

If you make your vice Jaw something like this, you won't have jaw or work lift.

[Jim27]

Haven't seen those big enough to be called a vice. I suppose I could use a fixed jaw and 2 toe clamps for the moveable jaw although then it wouldn't be possible to put the part on parallels to get above the jaw. Might as well do toe clamps all the way around if going that route. Do they make toe clips big enough to go directly on the T slots (mine are 3/8") or do I need a fixture plate?

[mactec54]

Haven't seen those big enough to be called a vice. I suppose I could use a fixed jaw and 2 toe clamps for the moveable jaw although then it wouldn't be possible to put the part on parallels to get above the jaw. Might as well do toe clamps all the way around if going that route. Do they make toe clips big enough to go directly on the T slots (mine are 3/8") or do I need a fixture plate?

That is how they are normally used with a fixed Plate / jaw on ( 1 ) or ( 2 ) edges

This was just an idea that you could make one any length you want, just like a vice, you can also make the jaw any height you want, there are lots of different designs for toe type clamping, you have to get creative.