# Best Homemade Tools >  2 piece milling vice

## Stevohdee

hey fellow shed dwellers,

I saw one of these online while searching for vice styles, had to have one. 

Main body: mild steel
Jaws: 01 tool steel
Thread: 12mm stainless bolt









The black handle is from a gas strut. While on the pushbike ride a few years back came across a cardboard box, found 50 brand new gas struts inside so balanced precariously on one leg and riding one handed got them home, wasn't gunna leave them to get car.

Have since used a few for handles on several pieces, the rods have a tough case hardened finish with an 8mm thread.

cheers stevoh

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almarghi (Oct 24, 2018),

bigtrev8xl (Jul 8, 2018),

bruce.desertrat (Jul 4, 2018),

Canyonman44 (Aug 12, 2020),

Eaglewood (Oct 24, 2018),

freddo4 (Aug 12, 2020),

high-side (Oct 25, 2018),

hook86 (Oct 24, 2018),

jackhoying (Oct 25, 2018),

JoeH (Jul 3, 2018),

Jon (Jul 2, 2018),

olderdan (Jul 4, 2018),

philipUsesWood&Brass (Jul 4, 2018),

rendoman (Jul 2, 2018),

rossbotics (Jul 3, 2018),

Seedtick (Jul 2, 2018),

Sleykin (Jul 2, 2018),

UncleBob (Oct 24, 2018),

volodar (Oct 24, 2018)

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## Drew1966

Very nice Stevohdee, thank you.

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Stevohdee (Jul 2, 2018)

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## PJs

Super clean build Steveohdee, and gas cylinders are another recycle in common. I like that you can put almost any size into it and hold it well, and have often thought of this kind of vice but concerned about keeping the jaws parallel because of the slop in the T-nuts. I guess you could tram the jaws each time it's set up for the size work to hold. Do you have another way or is it even important?

Thanks for sharing a fine build with us.
PJ

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## Stevohdee

> Super clean build Steveohdee, and gas cylinders are another recycle in common. I like that you can put almost any size into it and hold it well, and have often thought of this kind of vice but concerned 
> about keeping the jaws parallel because of the slop in the T-nuts. I guess you could tram the jaws each time it's set up for the size work to hold. Do you have another way or is it even important?
> 
> Thanks for sharing a fine build with us.
> PJ



Thaks pj, 
to set vice up i just square both sides with set square against mill table then tighten down, no need to tram.
Cheers stevoh

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hook86 (Oct 24, 2018),

PJs (Jul 5, 2018)

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## ncollar

For some square is not good enough. I picked up one of the pieces of a two piece manufactured vise like that and was going to make the solid end of the combo. I do not see any reason that would change very much if everything is hardened. 
Very nice and clean job. I sure it will serve you well.
Nelson

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PJs (Jul 5, 2018)

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## Stevohdee

> For some square is not good enough. I picked up one of the pieces of a two piece manufactured vise like that and was going to make the solid end of the combo. I do not see any reason that would change very much if everything is hardened. 
> Very nice and clean job. I sure it will serve you well.
> Nelson



Thanks nelson, tramming will confirm that the ol' eyes are still working ok and you havent missed a gap between the table and workpiece. I did tram a couple of times when i first made it and found was out by a country mile once so I used a torch and magnifyer, yep, I'm getting old. So your right, tramming should be done regardless if you wanna make sure
Cheers stevoh

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PJs (Jul 5, 2018)

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## JoeH

Thank you for posting this. I had been thinking of building something similar but had not worked out a good way to capture the drive screw. Very cool.

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## Stevohdee

> Thank you for posting this. I had been thinking of building something similar but had not worked out a good way to capture the drive screw. Very cool.



Thanks joe, glad it helped

Cheers stevoh

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## DIYer

Thanks Stevohdee! We've added your Mill Vise to our Vises category,
as well as to your builder page: Stevohdee's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:















Mill Vise
 by Stevohdee

tags:
vise

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## olderdan

Nice work and very useful, I made a small version for my lathe cross slide only to find I could not use it as it locked the slide due to distortion.
Unlike a stand alone clamp it transfers the clamp force to the bed, fine on a robust machine.
Oh well at least the long T nuts are still to be used. Great find on the gas struts.

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PJs (Jul 5, 2018)

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## Stevohdee

> Nice work and very useful, I made a small version for my lathe cross slide only to find I could not use it as it locked the slide due to distortion.
> Unlike a stand alone clamp it transfers the clamp force to the bed, fine on a robust machine.
> Oh well at least the long T nuts are still to be used. Great find on the gas struts.
> 
> Attachment 24596



Thanks olderdan, we all get failures sometimes and end up with stuff we made that somewhere down the track can use for something else. I have a box in my shed called the "what was it thinking?" box. 
Cheers

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