# Bench vise mods - differential screw jaws and indexing handle



## keeena (Mar 17, 2021)

A couple of quick mods:

I made some aluminum soft jaws for one of my bench vises and tried Robin's method of using differential screws. I liked the idea of getting rid of the bolt head area on the jaws. The design uses clamping screws which have different handed threads on each end to pull the jaws into the vise body. I used #10-32 x 0.84" long screws (McMaster).  You do also have to make threaded inserts for the vise to size down to the #10 screw. You can view his YouTube build video here.





I also wanted to make a centering vise handle. I like the handle centered b/c it stays balanced and usually use it that way. But sometimes the handle sticking up gets in the way of the workpiece. I used to move the rubber bumpers on the handle, but they are pretty tight and annoying to adjust. So all I did was add a ball detent and recess in the handle. I realize this weakens the handle a bit. If I were to do this properly, I think I'd just dimple one spot in the center of the handle as well as run a shallow longitudinal slot to keep the handle from rotating (thus the ball would always locate in the center dimple). The single dimple wouldn't hurt the handle strength nearly as much as the radial recess I made. Curious what folks think about this one. Anyway, I love the mod and figured I'd share. I've never seen this type of detent on a vise handle before...maybe for good reason?


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## brino (Mar 17, 2021)

Those new aluminum jaws look very useful....and very nice!

I doubt that you have weekend the handle much. If that breaks then it likely due to a cheater pipe, and the vise nut is already in danger.

Perhaps a saddle-shaped brass pad under a spring and set-screw could provide enough friction on the handle such that it didn't flop around.

-brino


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## keeena (Mar 17, 2021)

brino said:


> I doubt that you have weekend the handle much. If that breaks then it likely due to a cheater pipe, and the vise nut is already in danger.


That's a good way to justify my questionable design! 

A friction slider is a good idea too; that's what my arbor press uses to hold the ram up.


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