# Cheap, simple vise stop that can be tucked out-of-the-way



## DaRiddler (Aug 17, 2013)

I should probably be embarrassed to post such simple stuff.  But embarrassment hasn't slowed me down this far in life, and I don't expect that'll change:thinking: . . .

There are times when the very small vise stops that clamp to the fixed jaw of a vise don't do the job.  For such times I made a stop that is sort of a mix of ones I've seen online.  It's the best investment of a couple lengths of 3/4" rod, 1/4" rod, some 3/8-16 cap head screws, and a 10-32 cap head screw that I've encountered yet.  And it is adjustable to fit a wide range of situations, I think you'd agree.

It's pretty self-explanatory.  The first 2 pics show it in use, looking from the left end of the mill table to the right end, and from the back.  The next 2 pics show it exploded, with some of the parts rotated between the 2 pics.  Lastly, the stop can be flipped up, back, and down out of the way behind the vise when it's not being used.

One thing I may do is to make some large knurled knobs and press them onto the two cap head screws that one adjusts in use of the stop.  That way I can adjust it entirely by hand i.e., no Allen wrenches needed.

If you have improvements you can suggest, feel free to toss 'em up.


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## brasssmanget (Aug 17, 2013)

Looks nice and I like it! Knurled knobs would also be better for light work, but I'd stay with some sort of lock down tight feature if possible, just in case??

Thanks for posting this project - one more for my books. :thinking:


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## Jordan (Aug 17, 2013)

Yours is more versatile than the one sold by CDCO. But for 3 bucks they are a neat well made little accessory.
I also find it good to use on my shaper, clamped to the horizontal way to precisely limit travel.

Jordan


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## pineyfolks (Aug 17, 2013)

Good work. Not every job can you have the stop at top of the vise jaw. You have enough adjustment to go most anywhere you need to.


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## Hawkeye (Aug 18, 2013)

Nice stop. If you drill through-holes in your knurled grips, you can reach in to the cap screws if you need to tighten, or more likely, loosen the adjustments with an Allen wrench.


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## DAN_IN_MN (Aug 18, 2013)

Hawkeye said:


> Nice stop. If you drill through-holes in your knurled grips, you can reach in to the cap screws if you need to tighten, or more likely, loosen the adjustments with an Allen wrench.



Great idea!  You beat me to it!


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## DaRiddler (Aug 22, 2013)

OK, I've taken some of the advice given above regarding knurled knobs . . . Decide what size knobs you want and find a rod of that size.  Knurl a bit of it, then drill a center hole that is just undersized compared to the head of the cap head screw you're wanting to press it onto.  In this case, I drilled the hole for the smaller screw twice as deep then drilled the hole for the larger screw as deep as the thickness of the knob you want.  Part it off at one thickness (for the larger screw) and at a double thickness (for the smaller screw).  Press each top onto the corresponding screw (I used my mill vise to press them on) and voila! you have hand-tightenable screws.  And as mentioned earlier in this thread, if you wish/need to tighten or untighten more than the bare hand can do, you can still use an Allen wrench, as the top to the cap head screw is accessible through the center hole.


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## Harvey Melvin Richards (Aug 22, 2013)

I made a similar vise stop years ago, and I've found that most of the time, it hasn't been as convenient as I had hoped. Perhaps it's because of the variety of items that I machine. 

I use a table mounted stop most of the time, and the easier it is to adjust, the more I use it. Also, if it isn't secure and repeatable, it's not worth using. I prefer to use adjustable handles because I can easily tighten them and loosen them without searching for the correct Allen wrench. All of this is just my personal experience.

Three of my stops, the one on the left I heavily modified, the middle I inherited, and I made the one on the right, my least favorite. I also like different diameters on the ends of the stop rods, so they can be flipped for various part thicknesses.


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## PurpLev (Aug 22, 2013)

very nice!


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## marlow3a (Aug 23, 2013)

Harvey Melvin Richards said:


> I made a similar vise stop years ago, and I've found that most of the time, it hasn't been as convenient as I had hoped. Perhaps it's because of the variety of items that I machine.
> 
> I use a table mounted stop most of the time, and the easier it is to adjust, the more I use it. Also, if it isn't secure and repeatable, it's not worth using. I prefer to use adjustable handles because I can easily tighten them and loosen them without searching for the correct Allen wrench. All of this is just my personal experience.
> 
> Three of my stops, the one on the left I heavily modified, the middle I inherited, and I made the one on the right, my least favorite. I also like different diameters on the ends of the stop rods, so they can be flipped for various part thicknesses.



I really like the one on the left. Thanks for sharing.


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## Seaco (Aug 25, 2013)

This is my version can be fitted anywhere!


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## DaRiddler (Aug 26, 2013)

Say, I sort of like that! Looks bullet-proof to me. Looks as if it could flip back away from the action when not needed, and it could be raised to vertical to simulate the leftmost of the three in the picture above. Nice.


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## lrsglory (Aug 28, 2013)

Made this set of vise stops, real versatal and ridged. Hope this helps.


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