Zeroclick Posted January 15, 2017 Share Posted January 15, 2017 Hi so I have been working on my post vise today and I have noticed that the jaws are textured. I was wondering what the best way to deal with this is. I have seen a couple of posts about using angle pieces but I would like to have it set so I don't have to insert anything into the jaws. Thanks, Zero Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRS Posted January 15, 2017 Share Posted January 15, 2017 I use angle iron with stops to the left and right to prevent them from sliding out and for soft jaws aluminium profile. Or you can cut some sheet metal, place it in the vice and hammer it all around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted January 15, 2017 Share Posted January 15, 2017 Measure a piece of copper pipe the width of the jaws plus a little. Slit the pipe the long way and hammer it out to flat. Put the two pieces of flat copper in the vise, align at the bottom of the jaw, clamp and then bend the top over the jaw. Tuck the sides up against the sides of the jaw. Copper is a soft material and will not mark your work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anachronist58 Posted January 15, 2017 Share Posted January 15, 2017 These are made pretty much to Glenn's spec, except for the latch bend, which goes over the top, instead of the sides, as a post vise would require. Easy to make, following Glenn's clear instructions. Use your smithing skills to obtain a firm yet removable fit. If you need wear resistance, (solder) some thin steel sheet between just the jaw faces and the copper. Robert Taylor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeroclick Posted January 15, 2017 Author Share Posted January 15, 2017 Thank you I will give it a go. I was a bit surprised to find it was textured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted January 15, 2017 Share Posted January 15, 2017 2 hours ago, Zeroclick said: Hi so I have been working on my post vise today and I have noticed that the jaws are textured. Look at wood working vise, the jaws are smooth so they do not mark the wood. A metal vise has texture for general purpose gripping and holding. For cold items in a metal vise, that you do not want to mark, use a radiator hose the width of the jaws and sliced the long way. It provides good gripping and holding with no marks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeroclick Posted January 15, 2017 Author Share Posted January 15, 2017 That makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anachronist58 Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 3 hours ago, KRS said: I use angle iron with stops to the left and right to prevent them from sliding out and for soft jaws aluminium profile. Or you can cut some sheet metal, place it in the vice and hammer it all around. KRS - do you have a picture of your set-up? Robert Taylor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 I have one postvise with *HEAVILY* textured jaws, they will deeply mark hot steel; so I made a set of angle iron covers. Otherwise I would have ground them smooth, As I have a number of postvises I left them in case I ever wanted to use them that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caintuckrifle Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 Grab some thin angle iron (old bed frames work well) clamp a couple length,s the width of the jaws, in the vise and hammer the rest down. Instant vise jaws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRS Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 On 16.1.2017 at 2:10 AM, Anachronist58 said: KRS - do you have a picture of your set-up? Robert Taylor Aluminium angle iron: 80kg leg vice with back support jaws ( got a bunch different jaws, those are new as I got the vice recently): Another style with a V-notch to hold Pipe, I swear its a set but I could not find the second one when I took the pictures today (bought) Phone pictures in a hurry, sorry bout that. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anachronist58 Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 Yep, a bit dark, but pictures help us see just how many >easy< ways there are to pad our jaws. Thanks for the pics! Robert Taylor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRS Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeroclick Posted January 18, 2017 Author Share Posted January 18, 2017 Thanks KRS those are really useful, hopefully I will get this sorted soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammerfall Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 Has anyone here ever surfaced the jaws of their vise? Like as in grinding them completely smooth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-1ToolSteel Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 People have done that, but it is easy to make inserts if they are still rough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anachronist58 Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 I would not smooth the jaws, as with most of my vises I like to have them smooth or serrated depending upon the the type of work being done. Just so easy to make slipemons. Robert Taylor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 Leave them as be.. With enough use they will become smooth.. They were all serrated when new.. some have a waffle pattern, some checkering and some with serrations.. The smoothness or lack of smoothness just shows the use/life of the vise.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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