Vice soft jaws, what's the best plan ?

[weeksy]

I have a pair of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Draper-Exper ... Swv-NWUzqi



But i now have a groove in them where when i've compressed the vice to hold something it's dug in too much and it's metal on metal. It also means i need to replace the part i've mullered at the time, it's probably only paint, but it's less than 100% and you know the rules in my game, things are 100% or they're not, simple as that.

So assuming you need to hold something and tighten a decent bit, say 50Nm what are you guys using/doing ? Wrapping it in rags ? plastic jaws ?

[MrLongbeard]

For 9 quid I'd be buying another pair

[weeksy]

For 9 quid I'd be buying another pair

But i'm then still in the same position. Just with new jaws fucking up my part instead of used ones

[cheb]

Steel, plastic, aluminium, fibre, rubber or wood. Depends on the vice and what I'm clamping.

Also I've never thought about the exact clamping force, just tighten the vice to suit what's being clamped and what I intend to do the clamped thing.

What sort of thing are you putting in the vice and what are you doing to it?

[MrLongbeard]

For 9 quid I'd be buying another pair

But i'm then still in the same position. Just with new jaws fucking up my part instead of used ones

Then I have misunderstood what yo're asking.
I thought you'd knackered your current soft jaws and were looking for a fix.

[weeksy]

Steel, plastic, aluminium, fibre, rubber or wood. Depends on the vice and what I'm clamping.

Also I've never thought about the exact clamping force, just tighten the vice to suit what's being clamped and what I intend to do the clamped thing.

What sort of thing are you putting in the vice and what are you doing to it?

it was one of these.



The bolt bottom right of the pic was incredibly tight and i had to really clamp it hard to stop it moving... Too tight obviously.

[weeksy]

For 9 quid I'd be buying another pair

But i'm then still in the same position. Just with new jaws fucking up my part instead of used ones

Then I have misunderstood what yo're asking.
I thought you'd knackered your current soft jaws and were looking for a fix.

I don't care about the jaws, i care about damaging other components next time.

[cheb]

For that I'd use plastic or wood. Old chopping boards are a good source for the former.

How about short lengths of old inner tube over the damaged jaws? It's in the nature of these things for the jaws to be damaged, hopefully instead of the clamped part. I realise my standards are lower than yours, and the value of the clamped thing will be less too.

[weeksy]

Plenty of inner tubes, good plan.

It's not a question of value on this the part was £30, it's no biggy there, but I do want it to be 100%, that's the main priority.
When I take a pic next week of the damaged part I expect some abuse lol. But there's right, and not.

[cheb]

I try not to buy parts that cost more than 10% of the bike's original purchase price

Damage or no, it'd go back on.

[MrLongbeard]

Ahh well, if nothing else you've reminded me I need some new soft jaws, god bless Amazon.

[weeksy]

2020-07-09_04-54-15 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

2020-07-09_04-54-04 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

[cheb]

That'd be a couple of bits of old chopping board.

Can you get to the footpeg nut to loosen it when the hanger is still on the bike?

[weeksy]

That'd be a couple of bits of old chopping board.

Can you get to the footpeg nut to loosen it when the hanger is still on the bike?

This time maybe, because I didn't do it up to 2000nm. Unlike Yamaha.

[crust]

Did it have threadlock on it?

May be time to invest in a gas blow torch, a little heat very often makes things loosen easily.

I've got some solid nylon blocks and a pair of these for softer/rounder things.


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2PCS-SET-4-5 ... ad92ac117d

[weeksy]

Did it have threadlock on it?

May be time to invest in a gas blow torch, a little heat very often makes things loosen easily.

I've got some solid nylon blocks and a pair of these for softer/rounder things.


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2PCS-SET-4-5 ... ad92ac117d

Will let you know, can't recall if I'm honest

[Tricky]

That'd be a couple of bits of old chopping board.

Can you get to the footpeg nut to loosen it when the hanger is still on the bike?

This time maybe, because I didn't do it up to 2000nm. Unlike Yamaha.

I'll second that, heat is usually a great aid at times like these, albeit careful application in the case of lacquered things of course.

THese are the jaws I've always used, are harder than the other ones and pretty durable



https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eclipse-Tools- ... diy&sr=1-1

[GuzziPaul]

Can't find a picture but I would suggest two bits of wood shaped like a flat "M" or the bottom half of a "H". The two legs go either side of the movable bit of the vice with the centre section resting on it. This centre section extends up to level with the metal jaws. Although not made any yet as I did make these years ago.

Jaws.jpg (63.51 KiB) Viewed 2792 times

Slip on and off in seconds but can fall of as well at inconvenient times.

[iansoady]

I have various vice clams:

- a set of Eclipse ones as shown above which have seen better days (I should really get some new ones);

- a pair made of flat wood about 6" x 4" with thin alloy on the back bent to fit around the jaws - used for woodwork;

- a pair made from folded soft aluminium which are best for holding things like screw threads;

- a pair made from thin lead sheet which are good for very delicate items.

With these I can generally find something to do the job.

[cheb]

I've not tried lead, I don't know why, I just haven't