How is a machine vice fastened?
In order to be able to carry out drilling and milling work safely, machine vices should be attached to the machine table.
In general, all machine vices are already designed for clamping, for example via slotted holes or lateral grooves.
Our guide shows you how to properly attach your machine vice to a machine table using the slotted holes or the groove.
Fastening via slotted holes
Checklist
What is needed?
You will need the following tools to assemble a machine vice with slotted holes:
- 2 x hammerhead screws*
- 2 x washers
- 2 x nuts
- Guide blocks for alignment if necessary
All the items listed are already included in the scope of delivery for our rotating pull-down vices with jaw widths of 80 mm, 99 mm and 129 mm.
*For other vice models, you can use 2 T-slot blocks and suitable screws.
Step 1
Fit the guide blocks to the underside of the vice.
Step 2
Place the machine vice on the machine table.
Then insert the two hammerhead screws into the groove of the work table from both sides. Guide the screws through the groove until the screws are in the slotted holes on both sides.
Info: When installing with T-slot blocks, guide them into the groove until the blocks are "under" the slotted holes.
Step 3
In the next step, place washers and nuts on the hammer-head screws in the slotted holes and tighten them hand-tight (Fig. 1).
Info: When fastening with T-slot blocks, instead screw a screw with washer into the thread of the T-slot blocks until the screw head finally rests on the slotted hole.
The machine vice should now be aligned using a dial gauge and stand.
You are welcome to use our step-by-step instructions and the video guide for this.
Once the vice is aligned, you can finally tighten the nuts or screws to fully secure the machine vice (Fig. 2).
Tips & tricks
- Rotating vices can also be attached to the worktable without the turntable (Fig. 1).
This results in a greater working height on the machine table. - A vice can also be mounted on the worktable of a drill stand by clamping it using slotted holes.
Important: However, make sure to use flat T-slot blocks (Fig. 2).
Regular T-slot blocks are too high for the groove of a drill stand and would protrude above the level of the worktable.
Fastening via lateral groove
Checklist
What is needed?
You will need the following tools to clamp a machine vice with a lateral groove:
- 1 x clamping claw set
- 2 x screws, corresponding to the thread of the T-slot blocks
- 2 x washers
Step 1
Place the machine vice on the work table.
Then select suitable clamping claws and attach them to the machine vice so that the counter supports end in the side grooves of the vice. The holes of the horizontal clamping claw should also be located above the groove of the machine table (Fig. 1).
Also ensure that the counter supports of the clamping claws are parallel to the machine table (Fig. 2).
Step 2
In the next step, slide the T-slot blocks into the groove of the machine table from both sides (Fig. 1).
The T-slot blocks are correctly positioned when their threads are directly under the holes in the upper clamping claws (Fig. 2).
Step 3
To fix the clamping claws, select screws with the appropriate thread and corresponding to the height of the clamping claws.
Screw the screws together with a washer into the thread of the T-slot blocks and tighten them hand-tight (Fig. 1).
Alternatively, you can also use threaded rods and collar nuts to mount the clamping claws. These are included with all paulimot clamping claw sets.
The machine vice should then be aligned using a dial gauge and tripod.
You are welcome to use our step-by-step instructions and the video guide for this.
Once the vice is aligned, you can finally tighten the screws to fully secure the machine vice to the work table (Fig. 2).
Tips & tricks
To determine the correct clamping claw size, first determine the width of the groove on your machine table.
Depending on the groove size of the table, you can then select the appropriate clamping claw set (same groove width in mm).
Important: The T-slot blocks should always be slightly smaller than the groove of the machine table so that they can move freely.
Align the machine vice correctly
- Attach the dial gauge to the machine using a stand.
- Align the dial gauge with the fixed jaw of the vice and set it to 0.
- Move the X-axis along the jaw length.
- Observe the dial gauge in the meantime and read off the deviation if necessary.
- If the pointer of the dial gauge deflects extremely into the positive or negative range, loosen the nuts slightly and align the vice in the corresponding direction, e.g. by lightly tapping it with a soft-face mallet. The following applies here: the deviating value should be reduced by half the value of the total deviation by aligning the vice.
- Then set the dial gauge back to 0. Trace the jaw length again via the X-axis and check whether the vice is now aligned parallel to the machine. This is the case if the dial gauge pointer remains continuously at 0 when the jaw length is travelled (slight deviations are possible).
Tools for working with machine vices
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