# Drill Press Vise



## mickri (Oct 6, 2020)

Awhile back I bought a substantial Stanley drill press vise as a replacement for the piece of junk HF vise I have.




It is a pain to use because I have to mickey mouse clamp it to the table.  About the only thing I like about the HF vise are the slots along each side of the vise to mount the vise to the table.  Otherwise it is junk.  I would like to create the same feature on the Stanley.   I have some angle iron that I could mill a slot in.  But how do I attach it to the vise.  I keep going back and forth between trying to weld it to the vise or to drill and tap the vise to mount the angle iron.  There may be other options that I have not thought.

Suggestions please.


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## matthewsx (Oct 6, 2020)

It looks like it has notches built in for clamping it down. However, my theory with vises on a drill press is that they should be heavy enough to not need clamping.


John


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## mikey (Oct 6, 2020)

I mounted my Palmgren drill press vise on a Phase II X-Y table. Best thing I ever did for the drill press. As John said, I would use the clamping recesses to mount it.


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## mickri (Oct 6, 2020)

It is definitely heavy enough to not need clamping some of the time.  Trying to use the recesses doesn't work real well because the slots on the table are a "X".  No matter how I position the vise it never seems to be centered under the quill.  So I end up having to use spacers to get things centered under the quill.  Mostly I just give up and use the HF vise because it is so easy to get in position.


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## brino (Oct 6, 2020)

Do you have a clamping set that will fit the drill-press table t-slots?
like this:



Luckily, I have the same t-slots in my mill and drill-press tables. It was not planned, but sure is convenient.
I can use the longer clamps for difficult set-ups.

However, I normally just bolt down one maybe 3-4 inch tall vertical post I made on the lathe.
Just something to stop the work-piece or vise from spinning if the drill catches.
I start drilling with the work-piece or vise against that post.

I would not weld to that vise.
Drill and tap is the way to go.

-brino


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## C-Bag (Oct 6, 2020)

DP vises are something I struggled with and semi ignored for most of my life. Few places I worked had a DP vise so I just got used to doing without which wasn’t too bad until I started doing small stuff. I have an old tilting Palmgren I took the tilt base off of and ended up with something a lot like your Stanley. It’s best utility is it can hold stuff on its side. But clamping was a mess because it was always in the wrong place. I finally mounted up a HF XY vise that I had one prismatic jaw for and that was a giant leap fwd. greatly reduced wrestling frustration. The latest version is a Palmgren xy RT with a speed vise. i think that once I get the jaws sorted this just can’t get any better. I had the old Palmgren vise on there for a while but besides mounting it the messing with the screw was a pain. The speed vise was only $20 or $30 in a yard sale.


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## Ken from ontario (Oct 6, 2020)

I have the same type table on my drill press with "X" shaped slots , there are times I can only clamp one side of the vise to the table but luckily my DP vise(Röhm 7201) has two long mounting slots on either sides which makes it easier to clamp the vise almost anywhere on the table.
I like your idea of attaching two pieces of angle iron on the sides of the vise but if the fasteners are in the way or cause unforeseen problems, I would consider mounting the vise on a steel plate,  large enough to mill two long slots on either sides for clamping. that would be my second choice though.
Let us know what you come up with .


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## Ken from ontario (Oct 6, 2020)

Here's another way of dealing with a DP vise that might give you an idea on how to make it work with your vise:


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## MrWhoopee (Oct 6, 2020)

I can't remember the last time I clamped the vise down on a DP. It sort of negates the quick and dirty benefit of a DP. If I need that kind of security, I have a mill.


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## mickri (Oct 6, 2020)

The table doesn't have T slots.  The slots go through the table.





My HF vise has long slots like the Rohm vise Ken posted.  Really easy to use.  I want to create something similar for the Stanley.  Part of the problem may be that the vise is too big for the table.

I haven't bought or made a clamping set yet because I have not needed one so far.  I only buy stuff when I need something for a project.

I think that I will clamp the angle iron to the table but not to the vise so I can slide the vise in or out to get things centered.  Ken I was typing this when you posted the video of exactly what I was thinking about.  I am going to try this.


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## gr8legs (Oct 6, 2020)

I am surprised nobody has mentioned the Vise Grip drill press clamp device.

I have one on the table all the time, only removing it (one wingnut) when I need the full flat table area. Routine is to position the work under the spinning drill bit, find the center punched location by 'feel', then position the clamp and adjust to hold the work down and avoid slicing my hand if the workpiece gets jammed. Easy peasy. These clamps are about $15 on eBay -  Search for 'drill press vise grip clamp'

Came with a pad to avoid marring the workpiece, or use without on stuff that isn't critical.



Using an auxiliary vise (such as for round stock) you can clamp the vise to the table with the Vise Grip device.

Worth its weight in platinum IMO.

Stu


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## C-Bag (Oct 6, 2020)

I know HF isn’t your cup o tea Chuck, but if you want it I’ll donate my HF xy vise to your cause next time you’re over here. i think you’ll be surprised how handy it is. I’d still be using it if my brother hadn’t given me that XY RT. I’m not going to be using the xy vise anymore.


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## NC Rick (Oct 6, 2020)

I am of the camp who thinks the type of drill press vice you have is the best.  Flat edges allows it to be flipped on its sides and I almost always drill with as much float as I can get on a drill press.  With good float a drill will "find" a center punch mark and drills will always follow existing holes so more float, more better. Making helicopters out of sheet metal?  Don't use a vise for that, clamp to a board or something. Drilling big holes in steel?  Use a mill or something quite strong, we don't want our intestines wrapped up in anything on the drill press.  
you could convert that vise into something like a "Float Lock" vise with a little ingenuity, that may be a good answer for you.  I have thought of that also.


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## Norseman C.B. (Oct 7, 2020)

I have been looking at making a float lock vice like the the one Mr. Pete 222 has on his you tube site
seems to be a handy thing fer the drill press.....


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## mickri (Oct 7, 2020)

Tony I don't have a problem with most HF stuff.  I have bought lots of stuff from them and their stuff mostly works ok for me.  This drill press vise is an exception.  The big problems are it is too small to hold stuff and it doesn't seem to stay tight.  It loosens up.

I was over to the coast last weekend for my granddaughter's 7th birthday party.  I am hoping to be back over in 3 weeks.  I just might take you up on your offer.


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## C-Bag (Oct 7, 2020)

mickri said:


> Tony I don't have a problem with most HF stuff.  I have bought lots of stuff from them and their stuff mostly works ok for me.  This drill press vise is an exception.  The big problems are it is too small to hold stuff and it doesn't seem to stay tight.  It loosens up.
> 
> I was over to the coast last weekend for my granddaughter's 7th birthday party.  I am hoping to be back over in 3 weeks.  I just might take you up on your offer.


It’ll be here Chuck. Let me know. I’ll even drop it off in faraway Morro Bay


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## Choiliefan (Oct 7, 2020)

My favorite is the Cardinal Speed Vise.  They're low in profile and the base is comparatively wide, giving solid contact with the DP or mill table.
I have the 3" and 6" models which didn't cost much when bought used.
Wow, their quite pricy new however: https://www.mscdirect.com/industrialtools/steel-drill-press-vise.html


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## mickri (Oct 9, 2020)

Finished up the guide rails this morning.  Made the rails out of an old bed frame.  Don't know what it was made out of but it was really hard.  Didn't want to drill or machine.  Used a cut off disc in my high speed grinder to cut the slots and finished them on the mill.  Another project done and crossed off the list.


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## Ken from ontario (Oct 9, 2020)

looks  solid and repeatable set up.
 How did you attach the rails to the vise?


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## mickri (Oct 9, 2020)

I didn't attach the rails to the vise.  If I have to really hold it in place so the vise can't move I plan to use a C clamp to squeeze the rails against the vise.  I am also thinking about different ways I can use the clamping slots in the vise to hold the vise in place.  I'll see how what I've got works and go from there.


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## NortonDommi (Oct 9, 2020)

There is nothing to say you couldn't have rotated the vise 45 degrees and used a couple of 'Z' shaped clamps to hold it.  Your solution is pretty neat though and could have some real advantages for some operations.


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