Vee Jaws

[lcorley]

When I use a v-block to hold round things in the vise, there's only one groove. I think that if you groove both jaws, then you'll have an issue with the grooves not lining up.

regards,
Leon

 

[David S]

All my machinist's vise have a horizontal and vertical V groove in the fixed yaw only.

David

 

[Bill C.]

I just ordered a 6" X 2" X 2" T slot quick change Monster Jaws and some low profile cap head screws to go with it, for my Kurt D688 (getting it in a couple days). My intent is to make a set of Vee jaws for holding round stock, horizontally and vertically. Just like the typical ones you see for sale, but I want to make my own. The Monster jaws are so reasonable, it didn't make a lot of sense to pick up raw stock.
My question is, what is the preferred way of cutting the 45 degree Vs in the jaw? Should I use a 45 degree cutter? Should I tilt the head to 45 and just use and end mill? Is there a most sensible way to make the cut with the jaws installed in the trammed vise?

Unless you have plans to use the 45 degree cutter besides making these "V" slots I would tilt the head.
If I was going to make a set I would drill and ream two dowel holes both slip fit near the bottom of the jaws, say 3/8" or 1/2" diameter. I would use three inch dowel pins while bolting the movable jaw to the vise after mounting the fixed jaw. That way they act as a movable fixture. Be sure to remove the dowel pins before using.

Good luck with your project and post some finished photos.

 

[sanddan]

I just did this a week ago. I first scribed the V I wanted and then band sawed the excess material leaving about .050" to the line. I tilted the jaw in the vise and using a .750" endmill machined out the rest of the material. I didn't reposition the jaw but made both cuts with one setup.

You can see where one jaw was end milled and the other was side milled by the different looking surface finish.



The second monster jaw will get a V cut with a greater angle than 90 to accommodate larger diameter parts.

 

[Jonathans]

I will post some pics, but it might be a little while as I am in the process of cleaning out fossilized grease and scooge from my Millrite.
I'm deliberating as to whether I should paint it prior to reassembly as I don't plan to have it apart again for a very long while!
While I was planning to take almost everyones suggestion to tilt the milling head, Jims suggesting a carbide router bit intrigued me.
I cut all sorts of aluminum on the table saw, so why not a carbide router bit? Well, I am not much of a theoryist, so I ordered
a Whiteside 90 degree 1 1/2" V groove bit and will try it out. If it works (taking shallow bites) the one bit will handle any size
"V" I would want.
Sanddan, thanks for the reminder to cut must of the material away with a saw prior to milling. I often forget to do that and spend way too much time on a project.
I'll let you know how that turns out! Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[Jonathans]

I just did this a week ago. I first scribed the V I wanted and then band sawed the excess material leaving about .050" to the line. I tilted the jaw in the vise and using a .750" endmill machined out the rest of the material. I didn't reposition the jaw but made both cuts with one setup.View attachment 113266

You can see where one jaw was end milled and the other was side milled by the different looking surface finish.

View attachment 113267

The second monster jaw will get a V cut with a greater angle than 90 to accommodate larger diameter parts.

Sanddan, so if I understand correctly, the new jaw is at a 45 degree angle in the vise and one surface was finished with the side of the endmill, and the other surface finished with the end of the endmill. Right?

 

[sanddan]

Sanddan, so if I understand correctly, the new jaw is at a 45 degree angle in the vise and one surface was finished with the side of the endmill, and the other surface finished with the end of the endmill. Right?

+1.

I made sure the depth of the V was within the cutting ability of my endmill so one setup would work. I needed this for machining the base plate for the wilton mini bullet vise.