Prismatic jaw for Panavise

**mklotz** · Dec 23, 2016, 02:21 PM

The Panavise is one of my most-used tools but its steel jaws cry out for some V-grooves for holding round stock. I made this little prismatic jaw...

with both horizontal and vertical V-grooves. The extra shallow ones are handy when gripping piano wire for bending or electrical wire for soldering.

The opposite side of jaw has alignment flanges to keep it from angling in the Panavise and a central 1/4" neodymium magnet cemented into a flat-bottom hole made with an endmill keeps the jaw from falling off the Panavise jaws.

And here it is in position, ready to go to work.

In this photo you can also see the extension handle I made for the Panavise positioning clamp. The original was too short and awkward to adjust in certain positions.

A note on those magnets...

I buy them from Michaels...

Shop for the ProMAG® Neodymium Magnets at Michaels

because they're exactly 1/4" diameter by 1/8" thick which means an endmill will produce exactly the hole needed to mount them flush in anything you're making. Also, they're super strong for their size.

Owning cheap plastic dial calipers, such as these...

https://www.amazon.com/Vernier-calip...c+dial+caliper

may seem odd for anyone used to precision work. Nevertheless they're great for measuring magnets if you don't want to risk your good calipers to a demagnetizer. Also, you can measure coin-sized batteries directly without fear of shorting them.

**Frank S** · Dec 23, 2016, 05:12 PM

I really like the grooved soft jaws nice touch
I have 2 or 3 sets of the plastic vernier calipers 1 I keep in my electrical bag. If you have ever had to measure the diameter of a cable lug in a 440v panel there are 2 things to keep in mind 1 only 1 hand inside at a time and 2 nothing in your hand that is not insulated very well it is often next to impossible to tell the difference in a 0000 or a 350MCM lug when you can barely see it the same goes for any of the smaller sizes as well but you never risk measuring with a metallic instrument.

**DIYer** · Dec 24, 2016, 04:20 AM

Thanks mklotz! We've added your Panavise Prismatic Jaw to our Vises category,
as well as to your builder page: mklotz's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Panavise Prismatic Jaw by mklotz

tags: vise, soft jaws

**pfredX1** · Dec 24, 2016, 08:59 PM

My first dial calipers was a Nylon one branded by General, made by KWB Switzerland. It still works too. I have a couple Panavises and I have made pairs of jaws for both of them. One pair is plastic, and one aluminum. I thought about cutting prisms in the jaws, but never did. You're right about the locking knob on Panavises. Sometimes it is hard to turn the things.