#$^^%&^ Vise

[LCHIEN]

Like i mentioned in a post the other day I had this SHop Fox D2525 9" Quick release woodworking vise for a few years. Apparently the same as the Grizzly 9851

The other day I was just messing around so I made some wood faces to go between the jaws, they had threaded holes and flat head screws for mounting them. I measured the location of one hole and then the distance between the holes. I cut, then drilled the faces using my drill press fence only to find the holes weren't the same height so my faces tilted and one end was 1/16th inch above the top of the vise and the other end was 1/16th below the end of the vise.

Well, today I started out making a shim block to go between the mounting plate and the underside of the benchtop - it has four holes, two of them slotted.
Would you believe i made one, to find it didn't fit, made another thinking I drilled wrong only to find it still didn't fit because the holes aren't symmetrical in any directions? Some are 1/4" away from being symmetrical. I guess they eyeball the locations and drill them. I'm halfway thru drilling the third set now... Just got too tired to go on.

Sheesh.

[atgcpaul]

I'm wondering if they're not symmetrical by design. By offsetting the holes, when you screw the vise onto the bench, there's less chance that the wood would crack since the holes aren't lined up. Just a guess

[cabinetman]

With the wood for the jaw faces, it would have been easier to just cut them to size, insert them, and close the jaws. Then mark the back of the jaws onto the wood...no measuring. If you are 1/16" off with their positioning, wouldn't rotating them 180 degrees put the low hole higher, and the high hole lower?

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[Pappy]

If you are 1/16" off with their positioning, wouldn't rotating them 180 degrees put the low hole higher, and the high hole lower?

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If the holes are parallel to the edge of the faces they would still be off the same way.

[LCHIEN]

If the holes are parallel to the edge of the faces they would still be off the same way.

eggzactly. the holes are not parallel to tops of the vise faces, I drilled my wood faces with the holes exactly parallel to the top.

if it rains again tonite I will make some magnetically attached faces after I finish the 3rd shim...

In the Amazon review for this vise I noticed one reviewer had the same problem. "A decent wood vise but there are some points to consider. The vise came with threaded holes to attach you own wood blocks - however the holes do not align from one jaw to the other, so you need to drill the holes for your wood blocks before you attach the vise to your work table - or you need to make a template for each jaw. "

I don't think the offset holes is to prevent splitting, they're an 1/8 of an inch off over 7+ inches, A split could move up or down that much, Not enough to notice when eyeballing it casually, I just think its a - well heck, I just don't understand unless they just eyeball the location when they drill it. Look at the pic below... you can see the hole int he front jaw, left boss is not centered and is higher than the center. The one on the right seems to be centered...

[cabinetman]

If the holes are parallel to the edge of the faces they would still be off the same way.

That would be true if he drilled the holes parallel to the edge(s). He didn't say that. Here's what he said:

I measured the location of one hole and then the distance between the holes.

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[Stytooner]

Welcome to the world of mass production, China style.
Several saws I make guards for are done apparently the same way. They just drill the holes in the cast iron parts by eye. As long as they do it within tolerances, it is okay for their hardware. Not okay when making precision parts to fit them with no play later.
A dimple in the mold would be all that is needed to get the holes drilled later in the right spot. Much better than by eye.
Even long time workers doing the same job for years can have off days. This an imperfections in castings make tolerances much less accurate from part to part.

Magnetic jaws are the ticket I think.
I have several for different vises I use and they work great.

[cabinetman]

Magnetic jaws are the ticket I think.

Double sided tape, hot glue, or contact cement will also work. No holes.

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[LCHIEN]

That would be true if he drilled the holes parallel to the edge(s). He didn't say that. Here's what he said:


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pappy correctly inferred that I drilled the holes parallel to the edge.

[Stytooner]

Double sided tape, hot glue, or contact cement will also work. No holes.

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I swap out a lot of jaws on several different vises. Magnets are the best for this. A woodworking vise like we are discussing though would not need different type jaws as often.
Double stick tape would work great.

[JR]

I have a hybrid installation of screws and carpet tape. Why hybrid? The reason is lost to history (I don't remember).

Anyway, double stick tape works well, but not perfectly. If your face wood extends beyond the jaws of the vise and you clamp an odd shaped piece in the extended face area, the wood can lever loose.

It's a relatively minor/obscure problem, but just thought I'd mention it.

JR