How to put diamond serrations on vise jaws

mazak mark · Sep 3, 2011

I need to make a few sets of bench vise jaws and dont know how to do the diamond serrations.Anyone have any idea's?
Mark

Dave D · Sep 3, 2011

Mark,

Particularly if the steel is unhardened this would be the perfect job for a shaper. If you don't have access to one or the metal is too hard maybe you could use an abrasive disk in a table saw (or something similar) and make a temporary tray to hold the jaws, index it over using a stack of metal shims to at least get the grooves.

If you could give a little more information such as how accurate, type of material, amount of time, materials etc. it would make it easier to answer. Others here will likely have better ideas.

Dave

Keith Krome · Sep 3, 2011

Tilt head at 45º, use the corner of an endmill. That is how I've seen another machinist make some jaws out of D2 steel. Offset the starting cuts so the points go in the valleys of the opposite jaw.

John in CA · Sep 3, 2011

I recall a thread from way back on this subject... search for "knurling a flat surface" or something to that effect.

In that thread I described how I did it by accident one day... basically you take a facemill not too much wider than the part, install one insert lower than the others, and feed it way too fast. I mean really race it across there. As I recall, though, a couple other guys had some better methods that didn't involve tearing up a facemill insert too quickly.

IronReb · Sep 3, 2011

Keith Krome said:
Tilt head at 45º, use the corner of an endmill. That is how I've seen another machinist make some jaws out of D2 steel. Offset the starting cuts so the points go in the valleys of the opposite jaw.

As this man has said above,it works well.

rbent · Sep 3, 2011

Tilt or nod the head over to a 45* and a good place for a swivel base on your vise.

John Garner · Sep 3, 2011

Are you really sure that you want serrated jaws on your bench vises?

gwilson · Sep 3, 2011

I am always grinding OFF those damaging serrations!!!

Greg White · Sep 3, 2011

sometimes its easier to tilt the part,drop a .100,move over a.100,sometimes....
Gw

davycrocket · Sep 3, 2011

Mark
Make the jaws out of a big old file. You can cut it with an abrasive disk angle grinder, 'Whizzer' as it's known as in UK, and you can drill the required holes with a Tungsten carbide tiped drill bit . Lots of pressure and don't let it rub .
Don't let the file steel get too hot or it will aneal.

I often spot and buy a really big and old file at a 'car boot' sale. The cheapest tool steel you can buy. When anealed its soft as butter to work with, and re-hardens again to glass hardness, leaving just the required tempering . The same goes for ancient discarded butchers style knife sharpeners . Lovely material in them !!

Davycrocket

mazak mark · Sep 4, 2011

Thanks to everyone for the help!
Mark

Peter Colman · Sep 4, 2011

If you only want a few and tolerances are not a problem use a serration file, these are files with the teeth in rows at a set pitch you then file one row of teeth, put the edge of the file in the last slot and repeat all over the face, turn the job to the pother angle and repeat.
The files are made for the gun trade and similar, I would have the job done before the milling men had got the cutter in the collet.
Peter

DMF_TomB · Sep 4, 2011

abrasive diamond coated gripper pads

abrasive diamond coated gripper pads are a newer technology being used
Abrasive Diamond & Sof-Top Urethane Grippers - Fixtureworks
.
Electroplated diamond tools, Pcd diamond tools, Resin bond tools, Diamond Dresser, Diamond Files, Diamond Lapping Paste, Diamond Internal Grinding Pin, Diamond Slitting Wheels, Diamond Slitting Saw
.
Electroplated
basically a nickel plating with diamond grit mixed in like is used for diamond grit files. for grippers and vise jaws about 100 grit is often used
.
the theory is to use a grit that will hold but not cause extreme surface finish damage. there are places that specialize in coating parts by plating, flame and plasma spray, vacuum electron beam coating PVD / CVD physical vapor and chemical vapor deposit.

Gazz · Sep 5, 2011

I have read about folks using an old tap that has had all but one row of teeth ground off and using that in the mill to get a series of parallel grooves like on the barrel rib of a pistol or revolver. Yuo could use that same techinque to get a diamond pattern by rotating the work piece some.

rbent · Sep 5, 2011

Here is a test piece I did to try different spacing and depth, nod the head to a 45* and use the swivel base on a vise, doesn't take to long to do.

mazak mark · Sep 5, 2011

rbent said:
Here is a test piece I did to try different spacing and depth, nod the head to a 45* and use the swivel base on a vise, doesn't take to long to do.

Now thats what I'm talkin about!
Thanks Mark

FlatBeltBob · Sep 5, 2011

cant beat a shaper

Back in my tech school days , I made a small vise that required serrated jaw inserts .
We were supposed to use a horizontal mill with a 45 cutter , set the swivel vise to 45 , mill a slot , step over .125" , repeat , swivel vise 45 other way , repeat , repeat .
Being a smart ass , I just sharpened a HS tool at 45 , set the shaper feed at max ( about
.120" ). Click , click for about 30 strokes , swivel , repeat . done in about a minute .
The teacher was a bit annoyed that I didn't follow the correct procedure , but I think I got an A- on the final project .
40 years later I still use the same vise .
FBBob

lakes · Aug 27, 2019

Serrations example video on jaws

mazak mark said:
I need to make a few sets of bench vise jaws and dont know how to do the diamond serrations.Anyone have any idea's?
Mark

These two videos might be of some help.

If any one has any info regarding how we can make these serrations on a production scale of atleast 200 pcs a day that will be of great help.

This shows Face Kurnling using fly wheel
Video 1 - YouTube

This shows via Shaper
Video 2 - YouTube

Looking forward to more most throwing some light on this.

Milland · Aug 27, 2019

Find a company who'll make this sort of insert cutter with your desired profile for the serrations: 396.18/19/20 - Insert Thread Milling Cutters | Secotools.com

With a tilting fixture and a few passes you'd have your diamond serrations. Quantities are dependent on your process, how big the parts are, hardness, etc.

michiganbuck · Aug 27, 2019

Very easy to diamond cut hard and soft jaws with using a surface grinder with a v dressed wheel. I have done it many time and it is quick.. good is a 60k or L wheel. Yes just turn the part 45* this way and then that way. I would touch and and feed the same amount so wheel break-down would not change the depth. Yes turn 30*-30* for a wide diamond if you wish.

Good to grind a horizontal and vertical V in vise jaws to hold round and other shape part square.

A 1/8" shim perhaps x .03 or what ever thick set on the moving jaw often makes some pats hold better.

Agree a mill or shaper OK/good for diamond cutting soft jaws..

Used to have pipe fitters who brought me their pipe wrenches to sharpen jaw teeth...another quick job for a surface grinder. Good quality and big pipe wrenches are expensive so worth a repair.

knew a fellow who peckered a soft jaw face with pinch marks, carborized to harden then surface ground to take away only part of the peckers and make all the same height..

We had a DC device that one could deposit carbide to a jaw face.. not pretty but it worked.

How to put diamond serrations on vise jaws

Plastic

Hot Rolled

Stainless

Hot Rolled

Stainless

Stainless

Titanium

Diamond

Titanium

Hot Rolled

Plastic

Stainless

Diamond

Stainless

Stainless

Plastic

Stainless

Plastic

Diamond

Diamond

Similar threads