A vise is an essential tool in precision machining. To make sure that your workpiece remains safe while being milled, you need to choose the correct size vise. Three types of vises are commonly used in CNC milling The machinist vise (also known as the CNC vise) and the vise for toolmakers (also known as the toolmaker vise).
Machinist Vise
Popular due to its ability to be used in a variety of ways, the machinist's vis is a multi-purpose tool. The vise features an flanged bottom, which gives greater stability and facilitates an easier clamping of the machine vice. It is great but it takes up an excessive amount of space. High quality machinist vises have "lock-down" features. This means the jaw is not able to move when the screw is tightened.
CNC Vise
The CNC vise tackles the challenges of a machine vise by offering an even smaller design, but with all the solid holding characteristics of an machinist's vise. With its smaller stance, you can use multiple vises simultaneously , but with a limited amount of space. Machine Vise are precisely ground on multiple sides so that they can be used sideways as well as horizontally. The absence of the Flange makes the process of securing them to tables slightly more challenging, but that can be addressed with specially designed table clamps included with the mc power vise. CNC Vises are also able to be secured.
Toolmaker Vise
Toolmaker vises are typically smaller and more affordable than full-length screws. They are easier to use because of the multistep locking system. Vises for toolmakers are most well-liked when work needs to be moved from one machine to the next. You can leave the work in a tiny toolmaker vise and transfer it to a different machine without causing any damage to the workpiece, including to a drill press, mill, surface grinder or to larger machinist vise. The lock-down design prevents the jaws from lifting. But, vises for toolmakers do not typically come with accessories like replaceable jaws or work stops.
The History of Workholding
The development of trial and error, and creativity are the mainstays of modern workholding. The idea of clamping workpieces has been around for centuries, with early models depicted in Egyptian tombs. Their method of clamping consisted of the wrapping of a robe around a piece of workpiece, and after that, a stick was inserted that was then bent to hold the piece in place.
Fortunately the screw was invented and eventually resulted in the development of the modern vise in mid-1700s. Early wooden screw vises were improved by using precision-ground designs in metal, and later came the idea of locking down vises, to, again improve their accuracy. The jaws around the workpiece could lift slightly when the screw was turned to the opposite direction. This was due to the fact that the screw was not directly applying force to the movable jaw. Lockdown vises are equipped with a joint mechanism within and underneath the jaw, which transformed the force generated by the screw into forward and downward forces that the jaw. This holds the jaw down and in line with the base even if the work is raised and supported by the top of the jaws.
Workholding is constantly being reevaluated by the makers and doers in machining, so this is not the final word on vises. However, it is an interesting review of how the vice on your bench came about.