Vice Tweaking

[jimzim75]

Hi All,
I have a positioning vice that was reluctantly moving to center itself under the microscope.
This I found truly annoying, so I did something about it. Taking apart the vice and having
work with dies before in tool and die. I realized that there was a spring problem. The trigger
release was just to firm. The answered to this is to shim the vice. I like answering a problem
with what I have at hand to fix it. So, I opted for paper shims rather that metal. You could
of course use metal and it would only be slightly more work. If I wanted to add a little more
thickness, it easy to put a piece of card stock in the printer and make another couple of shims.
It happen to work out for me with just two shims.
Talk to ya later,
Jim

 

[sam]

Thanks Jim. I've added your post to the tips archive. / Sam

 

[coincutter]

Maybe you can tell me what to do

My grs standard block will not stay tight
Everything pops out after a couple of minutes of impact
doesnt matter how hard you crank it down

it is weird

 

[Tira]

Coincutter, My magna block sometimes loosens up when I have large parts in it. I solve this by tightening the jaws with the key on one side and then turning it to tighten just a bit more on the other side (180 degrees on the other jaw). I don't know why this locks it in better, but it seems to work for me.

 

[jimzim75]

I would say, it's not so weird. I used the vibration to loosen stones that were in the seats
but needed to come out to be have the seat drilled a little deeper. Without throwing it into
the ultra sonic, you can use the hammer handpiece to get them out sometimes.

If I want things to stay tight in the jaws, I will nest them in paper. Depending on the shape,
electrician tape also works well. None metal lining absorbs the shock of hammering to
some extent. This is for a mechanical holding systems. The best is to put the object into
something like diamond cement or Thermo Loc from GRS. If what your holding will take heat.

Jim

 

[coincutter]

so - you think i should line it with leather? or lead?

 

[jimzim75]

I will try anthing once. As long as it doesn't hurt the machinery, or me.
The wife said, "Your not going sky diving with that home made shute". Hmmph, oh well.
Jim

ps, I use leather in the jaws all the time. It's just a big ring clamp.