MoldyJim
Elite Cafe Member
After seeing the interest in home made engraving tools I thought I would show my DIY engraving vises.
Here is the first one I made, it has a body/ball made from a stainless steel garden shop gazing ball.
I made a spindle on the lathe from tubing with two ball bearings to support the top plate.
Filled around the spindle with lead and scrap solder, and used shot blasting media.
If you ask nicely you might be able to pick some up free at your neighborhood shot blaster.
Probably have $50 in bearings, the ball and misc parts.
If you have access to a lathe, you can make a nice heavy ball vise base this way.
I also take the top of my old Rex vise and drop it into this body.
Couldn't help myself from engraving the top for reference scrolls.
The one in the middle is simpler, the ball is a stainless steel Ikea bowl. Mostly spherical, just a small flat on the bottom.
Filled it with old solder, lead etc and capped it with a steel plate. Mounted a lazy Susan bearing on top with another plate on that.
No need for a lathe, maybe $25 in materials.
Not as smooth, but if you carefully squeeze the bearing plates to tighten the it will tighten up pretty nicely.
Some dry lube might help too.
The vise on it was made from a HF. Wood clamp screw.
Here is the first one I made, it has a body/ball made from a stainless steel garden shop gazing ball.
I made a spindle on the lathe from tubing with two ball bearings to support the top plate.
Filled around the spindle with lead and scrap solder, and used shot blasting media.
If you ask nicely you might be able to pick some up free at your neighborhood shot blaster.
Probably have $50 in bearings, the ball and misc parts.
If you have access to a lathe, you can make a nice heavy ball vise base this way.
I also take the top of my old Rex vise and drop it into this body.
Couldn't help myself from engraving the top for reference scrolls.
The one in the middle is simpler, the ball is a stainless steel Ikea bowl. Mostly spherical, just a small flat on the bottom.
Filled it with old solder, lead etc and capped it with a steel plate. Mounted a lazy Susan bearing on top with another plate on that.
No need for a lathe, maybe $25 in materials.
Not as smooth, but if you carefully squeeze the bearing plates to tighten the it will tighten up pretty nicely.
Some dry lube might help too.
The vise on it was made from a HF. Wood clamp screw.
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