A hand vise to hold sheet metal when drilling

TOOLNUT

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This is really a handy way to hold sheet metal when drilling holes on the drill press..
The pictures should be self explanatory but here are some sizes.
1/4 " cap screws, two cut off to suit and one more with a welded tee handle for tightening.
The tool handle is made of 1/4 " cold rolled stock, ( thinner is not so good but a little thicker would be ok ), whatever size is available to you. It must be thick enough for strength and for threads in the two tapped holes.The local hardware or farm supply store probably has flat pieces suitable for this. It can be straight, ( 1" or so wide ), and all the same size or wider, (2") at the end as in the pictures. Pretty much dictated by your desires and the eguipment and material at hand.

When using it, insert the sheet metal and finger tighten the two holding screws up snug, and then tighten the tee handled screw which uses the leverage for holding. Hand tight should be plenty here . Check out the grip it has and and give it a try.

It is also a good idea to have a piece of wood under the sheet metal to keep the drill from grabbing when it breaks through.
Also.....be a safe as you can..sheet metal is very dangerous when it is moving , UNCONTROLLED

Jerry
 
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