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2-lugged vice in X-slotted drill press table?

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marcusj19/04/2010 16:10:22
27 forum posts
Sorry to ask a stupid question, but...
 
...I have a nice Chronos Neal vice that I'd like to use in my drill press.  However, the table on my drill press has an X-pattern of slots. The vice just has two lugs with cutouts for 2 fixed bolt-down locations.
 
I'm either missing something, or I'm going to have to make sub table that has parallel slots for setting the vice Y position in relation to the drill axis?  Or I could use clamps onto the web of the vice from the X-pattern slots but that seems a bit naff... (a fiddle)?
 

Edited By marcusj on 19/04/2010 16:12:55

Owen19/04/2010 18:46:56
26 forum posts
On my drill press the table is free to rotate by releasing a tightening bolt underneath. I then turned the square table so that the slots run in left right  front back pattern instead of an X and then fitted a cross slide table, a little fiddling to get it truly lined up.
Ian S C20/04/2010 02:06:33
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7468 forum posts
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On a drill press it wouldn't matter if the vice is clamped on at the diagonal. Ian S C
Owen20/04/2010 04:25:56
26 forum posts
Thats how mine was before I got the cross slide(on a diagonal) however it was always in the wrong place so I got the cross slide, now I can put the vice wherever on it or just clamp the work to the table and adjust the cross slide as desired. I haven't had it off in years. the cross slide wouldn't work on the diagonal as the long side fouled the drill press post.
marcusj20/04/2010 08:33:58
27 forum posts
Thanks for all the tips.  I tried turning the table on its axis already.  Sure, this then provides a pair of lateral (X) and a pair of (in-line, in Y) slots.  So that's some progress. 
 
I could then mount the vice 'sideways' so that the jaws are in line in Y and rotate the whole table around the pillar to get the drill axis above the right spot in the work.  Not ideal but at least not impossible. It's not ideal because the drill axis would describe an arc over the work clamped in the vice as I'm trying to line it up by rotating the table around the pillar, which is awkward.  Also not ideal because on my 'cheap' drill press there's a certain amount of play in the table's collar around the pillar and tightening it up to start drilling causes a certain amount of movement of the table relative to the drill axis.
 
I could also add packing work in the vice to  get the desired drilling centre under the drill axis, but that is probably the most inconvenient option of all.
 
Using milling-style clamps to clamp onto the web of the vice would allow a certain amount of wiggle room for aligning the work under the drill axis, and perhaps if I make some dedicated clamps this would be the best option.
 

Steve Garnett20/04/2010 09:16:41
837 forum posts
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Posted by marcusj on 20/04/2010 08:33:58:
 
Using milling-style clamps to clamp onto the web of the vice would allow a certain amount of wiggle room for aligning the work under the drill axis, and perhaps if I make some dedicated clamps this would be the best option.
 

 If you have access to a mill, then an even better option would be to remove the webs completely and mill a slot down each side of the vice, and use clamps into the slots. The one I did this (not a Chronos Neal, admittedly) to has been way easier to position on a drill press since then.

Edited By Steve Garnett on 20/04/2010 09:20:51

marcusj20/04/2010 14:24:03
27 forum posts
Posted by Steve Garnett on 20/04/2010 09:16:41:

 If you have access to a mill, then an even better option would be to remove the webs completely and mill a slot down each side of the vice, and use clamps into the slots. The one I did this (not a Chronos Neal, admittedly) to has been way easier to position on a drill press since then.

Nice idea.  An Amadeal AMA25LV mill is 'in the post' from UK to Spain but the vice has tapered webs so there wouldn't be a whole load of material from which to machine slots into the vice. But re-reading your suggestion, I think I now understand - completely remove the webs and then add a 'lip' / horizontal slot into / onto which a non-captive (i.e. completely separate) clamp holds onto.
 

Edited By marcusj on 20/04/2010 14:28:33

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