While the Unimat vise has both horizontal and vertical V
grooves for holding round rods, this vise only has a hori-
zontal V groove. However, the three sides of the vise are
square, which allows the vise to be positioned on one side
to hold a round rod vertically.
The finished top surface of this vise has another advantage.
If you need to place a part in this vise in order to drill a hole
in it, and you need to ensure the part is at a right angle to
the drill press, put the part upside-down on a flat surface
such as a glass plate, place the vise upside-down over the
part, and close the jaws. The part will then be parallel to the
top of the vise.
Clamps
Clamps seem to be a favorite modeling tool. I suspect
the first “Reader’s Tip” involving using wood clothespins
(reversed to result in the long flat ends being used for
5: This is my Proxxon Precision Machine Vise.
4: The top end of the car rests on a piece of soft foam
between the jaws. The jaws of the vise make just enough
contact with the car to keep it from rocking side-to-side.
5
4
to hold parts while drilling them. However, that Unimat
vise is fairly crude by today’s standards. After using it for
decades and having a “I need to buy a new tool” moment, I
decided to purchase a replacement vise. I chose a Proxxon
Precision Machine Vise which is shown in Photo 5. This is a
small, very nice vise with a smooth movement and a clamp-
ing capacity of just over 1¼″. It is not an inexpensive vise,
since the list price is more than even the Panavise. But while
I purchased it primarily to hold things while drilling them in
the drill press, I now find myself using it in a lot of different
situations, from supplementing my third hand
to holding parts for gluing or soldering.
The Tool Shed - 3
MRH-Mar 2014
