Machinist Vise and Milling/Drilling Vise Stops

[jjr2001]

I made the one for the Wilton drill press vise a while back. The vise was modified with a much larger guide block to reduce lift.
The stop I made for that one worked fine on that vise but was too large for my 3" machinist vise that I use on the mill.
It worked but was a bit large for small parts.

I made a new one that just fits the machinist vise but is kinda small for the Wilton. That is ok.
We now have a set of two. The one for the machinist vise using a drill blank extension to allow
milling of small parts while being able to move the cutter almost to the top surface of the vise
and stay out of the cutters reach.

Cheers, JR

[DIYer]

Thanks jjr2001! We've added your Vise Stop to our Machining category,
as well as to your builder page: jjr2001's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Vise Stop by jjr2001

tags: vise, stop

[petertha]

I like your vise stop, especially the adjustable sliding clamp. Question - I'm looking at the slit that connects the two rod holes & assume it was milled? If so, did you mill it from both sides because it looks kind of deep for the diameter to be done from one side, but hard to tell just eyeballing the dimensions

[jjr2001]

For deep slots like this I find it best to first drill multiple holes through the entire slot. The holes are spaced very close together and the edges of the holes will actually overlap. It is then much less work for the mill to clear out the remaining metal. My mill is a small one so the drilling out as much metal as possible really speeds up the process and reduces the wear on the end mill. Once the holes are drilled the end mill is used by stepping down about .050" and clearing the slot. Passes are made until the slot is cleared but rough. Finish passes are then made full length on both sides of the slot.

Cheers, JR

[Toolmaker51]

In my book the best vise stops do not attach onto jaw itself...but into body of the non-moving side, just as jjr2001 describes.
I'll offer an easy work-around of slotting this variety of clamp.

a] Lightly sand or surface grind two plates of desired clamp size, a good proportion is width 3-5 times the rod diameter, with the pair twice rod diameter in thickness.
b] Drill and tap one side, clearance drill the other, this will provide clamping action via a screw. 1/4-20 or 28 is satisfactory.
c] Clamp both face to face in machine vise, with 2 thicknesses of paper in between.
e] Edge find for the middle, distance from end and spacing hole to hole. I like offsetting holes from center to make re-orientation easy.
f] Center, pilot, and drill [or ream] to size.
Bingo!

[tooly]

What is the thread size of your 3" machinist vise mounting points? I have similar vices but can not figure the size I have tried all my available threads nothing seems to fit.

[Toolmaker51]

"Mounting Points?", unsure whether the question is directed to jjr2001 or myself.

There is no way to predict size across brands, and so many look alike, branding vs manufacturer is a toss up.
Predominately, a steel body might carry fine threads, an iron casting is certain to be tapped coarse, as would be aluminum. This applies whether the threading is US imperial, British imperial/ whitworth (if its older), and most probable is metric. Few people have samples in each thread form, I'd take it to a fastener house.
Three simple alternatives; 1] converting to closest or next larger size, unless its a commercially made grinding vise; those are through hardened.
2] Design a clamp-on stop.
3] Build a table mounted stop. All things considered, these are the most universal.

[tooly]

"Mounting Points?", unsure whether the question is directed to jjr2001 or myself.

There is no way to predict size across brands, and so many look alike, branding vs manufacturer is a toss up.
Predominately, a steel body might carry fine threads, an iron casting is certain to be tapped coarse, as would be aluminum. This applies whether the threading is US imperial, British imperial/ whitworth (if its older), and most probable is metric. Few people have samples in each thread form, I'd take it to a fastener house.
Three simple alternatives; 1] converting to closest or next larger size, unless its a commercially made grinding vise; those are through hardened.
2] Design a clamp-on stop.
3] Build a table mounted stop. All things considered, these are the most universal.

Hi Toolmaker51 my Question was referred to jjr2001 he has the vices with hardened body, same has mine so not possible to alter threads, mine appear to be some odd ball type.

[Toolmaker51]

Regarding odd threads, when I run into that issue, I go through my metric screws as gauges - there are few intermediate sizes 5.0mm to 12mm or so that have finer than normal, but aren't "specials".
You might be able to cast a silicone sample that would help measuring the pitch, drill bits or gauge pins for the minor diameter. The silicone only needs to occupy one half the hole.

[jjr2001]

Hello Tooly and TM51,
I don't know what the threads were on the stock vise.
I have made my stop universal (for my shop) in that I fit it on several vises.

My stop rod is threaded 1/4-20 on one end and 5/16-24 on the other.
This arrangement fits all my vises.

I believe that I simply drilled out the original threads with a .201" drill bit
and then threaded it 1/4-20.

Anyhow that is how mine is setup.

Cheers, JR