Low Profile Milling Vise

[Crusty]

I have limited headspace on my mini mill and the concept demonstrated by celsoari's vise seemed like an idea that would allow me to fit taller things onto my mill's table. Celsoari's Low Profile Milling Vise .

I just finished my interpretation sized to fit my smaller table and it works very well and should allow me to get things at least 1" taller clamped onto my table as well as very long things without reaching for the clamping kit. It's made from CRS and Thompson Quick Shaft (very useful stuff), and I made it with one central screw rather than the gang of screws in the video and it seems like it will hold workpieces more than rigidly enough for milling on them. The two end stops are bolted to the table using 3/8" socket head screws into tee nuts and the 1/2" jack screw drives the movable jaw using an open end wrench. The guide rods need to be a close fit in the end block so I used a piece of the same Thompson Quick Shaft to make a D reamer to produce precise, close fitting holes for the shafts to slide in.

I already like the vise and I especially love it when a plan comes together.



The collet block is there to demonstrate the clamping action. The end blocks can be set at any locations along my milling table's slots.

[DIYer]

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

Low Profile Milling Vise by Crusty

tags: vise, mill

[TrickieDickie]

I like it Crusty that would work fine on my mill

[Crusty]

It does on mine.

I'm now thinking about milling a small ledge into each jaw on the top surface so that I can easily hold down thinner panels too.

[tooly]

If you made that clamp reversible you could have your ledge on one side and regular on the other.

[rdarrylb]

Very nice! How about a vee notch in both jaws for holding round stock?

[Crusty]

It only needs one to hold round pieces and I can use a vee block.

You can certainly add one to yours if you want.

[Karl_H]

Here is a version suitable for small hobby machines

Start at 1:33