Types of vices are used to perform different operations such as planning, sawing, drilling, etc. Now you can see bench vice is one of the most essential pieces of equipment that must be seen in the workshop.
A bench vice doesn’t need to be attached to the workbench as long as the working surface is stable. It can be installed either directly on the surface or the side. The one installed directly to the top of a surface contains, enabling the vice to rotate as required. Due to the broad use of vices, today I will expose the different types of vice and their applications. Keep on reading!
What is a vice?
A vice is a mechanical device that is used in the engineering field to hold a workpiece rigid at a stationary position. It is used in different areas and fields such as woodworking, metalworking, mechanical engineering, etc. due to its wide applications. Vice is attached to the bench, hence named, bench vice or workbench vice. bench-vice is attached to a bench to be easily accessible and to give operators comfort while using the vice.
A vice is made of metal entirely, for this reason, linings in the jaws are made with wood or similar materials. This assists the integrity of the workpiece. Jaws are replaceable if worn out over time. Bench vices vary according to their application, strength, and durability i.e. medium-duty and heavy-duty vices are common for industrial use. Well, bench vices can function as an anvil.
Different Types of Vices
The various kinds of vices are woodworking vices, metalworking vices, heavy-duty vices, medium-duty bench vices, yoke vices, pipe vices, and chain vices.
Bench Vice
A bench vice, featuring a cast iron body and jaws, is an essential equipment in the workshop. It has two jaw plates installed on each jaw and is securely fastened to the bench with nuts and bolts. To improve grip, the jaw plates’ gripping surfaces are knurled. While the second jaw is moveable with the aid of a handle, the first jaw is attached to the body.
Because of their tapered forms and initial reads in, both jaws enable securely holding the workpiece. Using a handle to spin the moveable jaw, the work is inserted between the jaw plates and well tightened.
Bench vices come in a variety of styles, such as grey cast iron fixed jaws, grey cast iron moving jaws, tool steel jaw plates, mild steel spindle, mild steel handle, and a cast iron box nut. The vice should be positioned at elbow height for workers, or around one meter up from the factory floor. The vise that holds the long workpiece vertically has to be level and extend slightly over the edge of the workbench.
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Woodworking vice
A Vice used in this condition is in a woodworking shop. These types of vice consist of jaws, one helps to secure the workpiece and the second jaw moves against the other in order to hold the object firmly.
A screw mechanism allows the movement of the jaw. Woodwork vice is typically made of metal, wood, or plastic. Depending on the specific application.
Metalworking vice
These types of vice are also known as engineer’s vice or machinist vice. Instead of wood, it holds the metal piece in place in this situation. A metalworking vice is sometimes made of cast steel but mostly made of cast iron, making its channel bar steel. Cast iron is used because it is strong, rigid, and inexpensive.
Operations done with metalworking vice are usually cutting and filing. Jaws in this vice are often separated in the piece so that they can be replaceable. For delicate work, the jaws are covered with a soft layer such as aluminum, copper, wood, or plastic. This is done to protect the material.
Metalwork vice is often bolted on a workbench, with the face of the jaws jutting out a little over the front edge. The vices may also have small anvils behind the vice bodies. However, they are often available in swivel bases
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Heavy-duty vice
The heavy-duty bench vice is often made from iron in order to withstand heavy applications applied to it. Its parts include separated steel jaws, an ACME-threaded main screw, and a precision slide bar. Heavy-duty bench vices are available in the stationary stand or feature a 360-degree swivel. This vice is also referred to as a machinist’s vice.
Medium-duty bench vice
This vice is closely related to the one heavy-duty bench vice. It is made of iron and also gives the chance of replacing its steel top jaws. Some of these types of jaws also feature a 360-degree swivel and a built-in anvil.
Yoke vice
The yoke vice is known as a hinged vice or adjustable jaw vice, it uses a screw to clamp the pipe in place. A fixed V-shaped lower jaw and moveable upper jaw hold lengths of pipe firmly. These jaws are serrated for proper gripping of the object.
Pipe vice
The vice is used in plumbing jobs to hold pipes or secure tubing when cutting or threading. It is designed to hold pipes in small diameters as small as 3mm or as large as 200 mm. It may be fitted on a workbench or used with a mobile tripod stand.
The stand is generally used for projects to be performed outside the workshop, they are portable and easy to transport. It can also be combined in two or more for long lengths of pipe.
Chain vice
A chain vice uses a chain to secure the pipe. The pipe is held in a v-shaped by the chain clamping around the pipe tightly. This chain is made of high-tensile steel, making it work well with irregular-shaped pipes or other objects.
The chain vice tends to have a larger working range and capacity because the length of the chain limits the working range of the vice. The large clamping surface of the chain determines the entire circumference of the pipe can hold securely.
One of the greater disadvantages of this vice is that securing a pipe in place with a chain pipe vice takes more time than other vices. This is because the chain must be carefully threaded between the jaws of the tool to clamp the pipe firmly in place.
Machine Vice
A Machine Vice is a versatile tool used in fitting shops for various tasks like sharping, milling, drilling, and grinding. Made of grey cast iron, it features a fixed jaw machined at 90o and a movable jaw that moves backward and forward through a spindle. The vice can rotate at any angle (0 to 360 degrees) on its base, making it ideal for holding jobs during milling, drilling, and machining. Its size is measured by the jaws.
The universal machine vice is used in tool and die maker sections, with its jaw open parallel to the base and adjustable at any angle. The vertical machine vice allows for clamping on the table, while the drill machine vice grips pipes and cylindrical bars firmly for operations like cutting and threading.
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Leg Vice
Leg vice material is of forged steel. It can sustain blows and is used in a smithy shop. In a fitter shop, it works best for severe hammering, chipping, and cutting. The adjustable jaw is pushed by a flat spring that is positioned beneath both jaws. The handle of the spindle is longer than the bench vice, and the spindle features square-cut threads. Thus, it is used in hammering jobs.