Want opinions on mounting drill press vise

cj133 · Sep 14, 2015

Hi all,

As you may recall I'm very new to this and have finally bought a vise for the Canedy-Otto. Before I start drilling holes in the table I'd like some opinions on the best position to mount it in for general work.

If this was yours what position would you mount it in and how would you mount it?

I'm guessing with the vise handle towards me may be best and mounted by drilling and tapping a few holes in the table so it can be easily removed without messing with nuts and washers every time?

L Vanice · Sep 14, 2015

I am not a fan of cheap (no matter what you paid) Chinese vises with once-reputable American names on them. I would use the existing table slots to attach that vise until you get a better one. No sense degrading a nice American drill press by drilling holes in it.

If you are curious, I use a Heinrich vise on my large drill press. Mostly, I use a 6-SV, but I have a couple others for certain jobs. Shop for a good used one on eBay. Heinrich Company - Grip-Master Vises - Racine, Wisconsin http://www.ebay.com/itm/Heinrich-6-sv-drill-press-vise-/161819882377?hash=item25ad377389

Larry

moonlight machine · Sep 14, 2015

I would sell that monstrosity and get a simple vice, about 4" wide, opens 6" or so. set it on the table when you need it, set it aside when you don't. I have used drill presses for near 50 years and never bolted down a drill press vice. I probably have used a "c" clamp a few times but never bolted one down.

Winterfalke · Sep 14, 2015

I definitely agree with not drilling into the table if at all possible, new tables are much more difficult to obtain than new vises. And I also do not like having a vise permanently mounted: that's the fastest way to get work that won't fit in it. I do like keeping a single bolt in the table slot to hand tighten in the vise foot for security though, one of the cast steel handle nuts from McMaster underneath will get more than tight enough to keep the vise from spinning or sliding, but easy enough to slide it around.
McMaster-Carr

cj133 · Sep 14, 2015

I knew that was going to happen the minute I bought the vise. I try not to buy cheap tools and I avoid Chinese as much as possible but this seemed like a good idea at the time but as I said, I'm very new to this.

It looks like Wilton does still make some good vises, but not in the $90 range and not this complicated. Looks like a good Wilton 6" bench vise is in the neighborhood of $600-1200. This "monstrosity" was $96 with tax.

Ok, I won't drill the table at all and will find temporary ways to clamp the vise down if need be. I got the hint.

Gordon Heaton · Sep 14, 2015

I'm with moonlight. No matter where you mount the vise, it will be in the wrong place for the next job. As stated, if you can't hold it, clamp it.

specfab · Sep 14, 2015

cj133 said:
I knew that was going to happen the minute I bought the vise. I try not to buy cheap tools and I avoid Chinese as much as possible but this seemed like a good idea at the time but as I said, I'm very new to this.

It looks like Wilton does still make some good vises, but not in the $90 range and not this complicated. Looks like a good Wilton 6" bench vise is in the neighborhood of $600-1200. This "monstrosity" was $96 with tax.

Ok, I won't drill the table at all and will find temporary ways to clamp the vise down if need be. I got the hint.

In general, I agree with the other posters regarding the securing of the vise. Temporary clamping is what's needed. The vise you have may be useful in future if you are trying to do some sort of "precision" hole location, if there are graduations on the crank handles for the two axes. If you have some thoughts of trying to make slots ("turn YOUR drill press into a MILLING MACHINE!"), that will not work well (or at all) in metals, compared to a real milling machine. You may be able to do such in wood materials, but a drill press is generally a poor substitute for machines designed for those tasks.

EPAIII · Sep 14, 2015

1. That table definitely does not have a good slot arrangement.

2. I also rarely bolt a vise down on the table. Usually only when I must drill a large hole; 1/2" and up. But even then, using a vise is not the best option and I wind up using clamps or just a couple of studs to prevent the work piece from rotating. If the part is long enough, I rest it against the drill press column.

3. Get a clamp set. They are much more useful on the drill press.

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I have two sets and some extra components and I use them all the time on the mill, on the rotary table, and on the drill press. Money well spent, definitely. Oh, and you do not have to pay top dollar for one. I have had good luck with the economy ones.

4. You may have to drill and tap some holes in that table to use the clamps properly. I would consider a 1" x 1" grid with every other hole missing. That puts the holes about 1.4" apart on diagonal lines. You probably don't need any between those slots. I have a milling table for my lathe that has that grid and it works out well. You could start with fewer holes and see how it works out.

hobbyman · Sep 14, 2015

There is a safety rule concerning drill presses. "The Left Hand Rule" Anything sticking out should be on your left so that if the drill bit grabs the work or work holding device rotates away from you and hits the column rather than you.
In many cases you want the vise to float under the drill bit until you have accurately located the center point. Having your vice fixed to the table makes things difficult but if it can swing a bit before being clamped so much the better.

cj133 · Sep 14, 2015

specfab said:
In general, I agree with the other posters regarding the securing of the vise. Temporary clamping is what's needed. The vise you have may be useful in future if you are trying to do some sort of "precision" hole location, if there are graduations on the crank handles for the two axes. If you have some thoughts of trying to make slots ("turn YOUR drill press into a MILLING MACHINE!"), that will not work well (or at all) in metals, compared to a real milling machine. You may be able to do such in wood materials, but a drill press is generally a poor substitute for machines designed for those tasks.

Before joining this site back in 2014 I did have some ideas to use this as a milling machine but that went away pretty fast once I learned it would destroy the press. So no, no thoughts of such abuse.

My understanding of this machine is it's great for light duty work and if treated right may outlast me.

I quickly bolted the vise down using some wing nuts and the 2 original slots. It's diagonal which probably doesn't matter as it seems like it'll do the job.

Honestly, after seeing all the comments about not bolting them down and just clamping them or holding them I wish I had just gone with a simple vise. I was thinking at the time it had to be bolted down and that would allow very little adjustment.

Next time I'm going to ask on here before buying anything.

PeteM · Sep 14, 2015

Another one who doesn't think that type of vise -- even if of higher quality -- is a good choice for 95% of drill press work.

Something like a Wahlstrom Float-Lock, a Heinrich, or a Cardinal Speed vise would be better choices IMO. I have all three types; and like the Float-Lock best.

jdavi581 · Sep 14, 2015

I have a larger Canedy-Otto drill press. I did not know it at the time, but it has a really nice setup for the table that makes bolting down a vise usefull. The table is round, and can be rotated and clamped. The arm that supports the table can be rotated on the column and clamped as well. This allows you to hit any point on the table by rotating both the arm and the table. Sort of like the reverse of a radial arm drill. Not that this actually helps your situation, but many here are poo-pooing a vise and I rarely drill without one.
Joe

L Vanice · Sep 14, 2015

Here is a drill press clamp I made many years ago. I use the Heinrich most of the time, but this thing can come in handy. The body is a good quality 6" C-clamp, cut off and brazed to a steel base. It has a T-bolt for the slots in my table. Obviously, I did not spend much money on it.

I have a very nice larger capacity Wilton (USA) forged steel drill press clamp with cam action that cost some dough, but I have never used it. I can't find one on the web, so it is probably discontinued.

Larry

Doozer · Sep 14, 2015

jdavi581 said:
..... The table is round, and can be rotated and clamped. The arm that supports the table can be rotated on the column and clamped as well. This allows you to hit any point on the table by rotating both the arm and the table. .....
Joe

Yes, with a swing and spin table, you can bolt down a vise and manipulate the table to access anywhere in the capacity of the vise.
Just swing and clock the table until the bit is where you want it.
And if you want to mount your X-Y vise, (the original question)
just make a sub plate with a bolt pattern to fit each that is needed.
Easy.
-Doozer

Gordon Heaton · Sep 14, 2015

The plain vises are much easier to hold by hand, and are more stable due to low center of gravity and 'tipping arm'. You may not know that ONE bolt or clamp is often sufficient if the material/hole size combination is suitable.
(For instance, when you need both hands to start/run a tap. One hand for downfeed and one to turn the spindle.)

Onepass · Sep 15, 2015

I'm kinda suprised that somebody hasn't suggested making a tooling (or sub) plate. I just bought a made-in-1964 drill press that from new had a 3/4" thick aluminum plate bolted to the table. The cast iron table is pristine! The plate has 1/2x 13 holes tapped in a grid pattern. Of course, my other drill press has a vise bolted to the table - it's a bridgeport brand drill press!

cj133 · Sep 15, 2015

Most of what I plan on using this press for is small work. I do a lot of work on electronics and everything is tiny. Most things can fit in my hand or smaller.

For example, I recently rewired one of my 1933 refrigerators and the light switch has the wires going inside of it and then it's riveted together. The rivets have to be very carefully drilled out so the switch can be disassembled. The switch is around 1" x 1/2" x 1/2".

While the Float-Lock looks like a great tool, it's way too large for anything I'm working with.

L Vanice · Sep 15, 2015

cj133 said:
Most of what I plan on using this press for is small work. I do a lot of work on electronics and everything is tiny. Most things can fit in my hand or smaller.

For example, I recently rewired one of my 1933 refrigerators and the light switch has the wires going inside of it and then it's riveted together. The rivets have to be very carefully drilled out so the switch can be disassembled. The switch is around 1" x 1/2" x 1/2".

While the Float-Lock looks like a great tool, it's way too large for anything I'm working with.

Work like that can better be done with a Dremel. I have Foredom flex shaft machines and Marathon micromotors that are many times superior (and more expensive), but a Dremel with a dental bur is much more capable than a floor model slow spindle drill press for a job like cutting out a tiny rivet.

For small holes, I favor a small high speed drill press. The Cameron 164 is still made in the USA and can be found used on eBay. http://cameronmicrodrillpress.com/manual-micro-drill-presses/cameron-164-series/cameron-164/ In my own shop, I use a 1940's Sigurney sensitive drill press. I estimate the aluminum Cameron weighs about 8 pounds and the cast iron Sigourney weighs about 80 pounds. http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=9866

Larry

calvin b · Sep 15, 2015

cj133 sir,
Sub table/plate.. all you need is a plate with some holes tapped for some studs. You can then use the studs either in the bottom slots of the DP or as hold down clamping points for your vise or proper hold down clamps ( think t-nut type strap clamps from a b-port ). Here's a type of vise I highly recommend for any drill press. Heinrich Company - Grip-Master Vises - Racine, Wisconsin
Can't beat the convenience.. they can be found just about anywhere ( ebay, hgr,etc )
Hope this helps
Stay safe
Calvin

cj133 · Sep 15, 2015

L Vanice said:
Work like that can better be done with a Dremel. I have Foredom flex shaft machines and Marathon micromotors that are many times superior (and more expensive), but a Dremel with a dental bur is much more capable than a floor model slow spindle drill press for a job like cutting out a tiny rivet.

For small holes, I favor a small high speed drill press. The Cameron 164 is still made in the USA and can be found used on eBay. Cameron 164 - Cameron Micro Drill Presses In my own shop, I use a 1940's Sigurney sensitive drill press. I estimate the aluminum Cameron weighs about 8 pounds and the cast iron Sigourney weighs about 80 pounds. Photo Index - Sigourney Tool Co. - Sensitive drilling machine | VintageMachinery.org

Larry

Thats a nice little press!
That's what I was originally looking for but the Canedy-Otto showed up for free so I grabbed it.

I own two Dremels and even considered buying a "drill press" setup for one but they seemed to be really cheesy so I avoided it. I love using the Dremel but not sure how most feel about them on here.

Want opinions on mounting drill press vise

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