A machine vise is a clamping device used on a drill press or router. It has a flat bottom to fit securely into the machine bed and can hold work at various angles. Interchangeable jaws prevent damage to metals and finished surfaces. Multiple vises may be used for large parts, and some are magnetized.
A machine vise is a clamping device that is used on a drill press or router. Constructed with a flat bottom designed to fit securely into the machine bed, the machine vise is designed to sit securely in place on either machine bed. Offered in variations from a simple one-jaw flat vise used to hold a piece of material to be drilled or machined, to multi-jaw, more adjustable vise designs, vises are likened to an extra pair of hands by many machinists. Vices that are capable of holding work at various angles allow the machinist to make machining corrections while the machine is running. This allows the machinist to perform a wide range of drilling and machining tasks.
Unlike a traditional bench vise, the machine vise is used on your drill press or milling machine to hold a part that is being machined. The typical machine worktable contains various holes and slots to which the machine vise can be bolted, allowing the vise to be mounted in a wide variety of positions. Instead of a large handle to grip the jaws of the vise, like that used on a bench vise, the machine vise uses small cranks that are oriented to apply maximum clamping force without excessively rotating the handle. This is mainly due to the close proximity of the vice to the machine worktable.
Due in part to the many different metals that are machined for any purpose, the machine vise is commonly fitted with interchangeable jaws to allow most metals to be clamped in the vise without leaving damaging marks on the finish of the parts. Brass, aluminum and copper jaw inserts are available for most machine vice designs. These typically will not scratch or mar the finish of delicate metals or finished surfaces of steel components.
Many machinists will have a variety of vises at their disposal to allow for a wide range of clamping positions and arrangements. Often, a large part requires the use of two or more vises set in series to hold the part and prevent unnecessary movement during drilling or machining. Some versions of the machine vise are magnetized to help hold the workpiece while the vise is being adjusted. Some also have magnetized bases to secure the vice to the work surface without the aid of bolts.
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