Polishing a turd or fettling a HF X-Y vise

[John Hasler]

I made brass gibs for my Grizzly table (which I'm still fettling). I didn't like the idea of the grub screws chewing into the brass so I made steel backing plates from hacksaw blade and rounded off the ends of the screws. To keep the gibs from sliding out I made retainers that screw onto the castings. The steel backing should also distribute the force of the screws over the length of the gibs. The retainers may also eventually serve to support way wipers.

 

[mattthemuppet2]

hmm, some good ideas there John. I was planning on retaining the top gib by a bolt into the casting, but I can't think of a safe )) way of making a slot to allow adjustment, so that one will get the divots too. All the screws will be ground round at the ends with my bench grinder, so that should reduce brass chewing somewhat. Felts for the ways would be cool, as would little concertina covers for the screws, but at the end of the day I should start using it to make things other than things for it

Altogether I've had my lathe for 2 yrs and this for nearly a year and I haven't even started cutting metal for the bike light I've been planning for just as long! Hopefully though by the time I do I won't be making as many screw ups

 

[John Hasler]

Here's the assembly:


And the parts:


The fender washers are for the other gib. They're what I would have used here had I not broken off a 6-32 tap in the only spot the screw could go. The steel backing plate is hacksaw blade and the clips are plumbing strap.

 

[mattthemuppet2]

that's looking really good John, nice work! So you're only using 1 gib screw, but the steel plate spreads the forces along the whole gib? I could do that for the bottom gib, but the top gib gets exposed by moving the top slide, so the more support the better. How did you cut the angle on the sides? I had a hell of a time doing that on my DP..

 

[John Hasler]

that's looking really good John, nice work! So you're only using 1 gib screw, but the steel plate spreads the forces along the whole gib?

No, I'm using three screws.

I could do that for the bottom gib, but the top gib gets exposed by moving the top slide, so the more support the better. How did you cut the angle on the sides? I had a hell of a time doing that on my DP..

I cut a board at 30 degrees with my bandsaw and clamped the brass between the pieces, secured with double-sided tape. Then I cut the angle with an end mill.

 

[mattthemuppet2]

that's a neat way to do it John, better than mine at least!

This is the jig I made to mill the screw holes


gib no. 2 nice'n'shiny


turns out I didn't quite cut the angle right, nevermind






each gib now has 5 adjustment screws to even out the pressure and to support the top gib when the top slide is cranked to either extreme


works an absolute dream, noticeably smoother and tighter than before. Funny thing was, I went to grind the ends of the gib screws to fit the gibs properly and realised that I'd already packed my grinder. That'll have to wait until I get to WA.

Only other things left to do are attach the digital calipers to each axis and the quill and make a drill depth stop. Some kind of find feed would be neat too, but that'll have to wait

 

[jeff_g1137]

Hi
Great work:man:

I am looking at the sealey vice, hope i do not have to do all the work you have.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/230920759500?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT


jeff

 

[mattthemuppet2]

Thanks Jeff! I didn't really have to do any of this if it was just for drilling, but the moods have helped greatly for the light duty milling I've done/ plan to do

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks Jeff! I didn't really have to do any of this if it was just for drilling, but the moods have helped greatly for the light duty milling I've done/ plan to do

 

[jeff_g1137]

Hi
I just revisited the thread, getting prepared for the work I may have to do,
it’s just the time, it looks a good vice when done.

Jeff

 

[mattthemuppet2]

still polishing

Just finished adding digital readouts to the vise and the quill. Bit of a fiddle, especially the quill as I didn't want to drill into the drill press, but seriously worth it. As soon as I'd done the quill, I used it to mill some flats into a DIY slitting saw arbor to tighten up the nut. Worked out perfectly!



After quite a bit of use, I'm getting used to it's limitations and foibles (many). It's weird in that it seems pre-worn in the center of the Y axis, as it binds up at either extreme and is loose in the center, so I have to be really aware of adjusting the gib lock nut depending on where the vise is on the Y. Perhaps one day when I want to learn to scrape it'll make a good learning project!