Question: suggestion for affordable alternative to engravers block?

[golden forge]

Carlos,
For the price I paid for the turntable from Dick Blick art supplies, it's working great. That said, it does not have the friction break like the GRS, and it does have a little higher profile, but it turns smoothly, and it does not wobble, so for now I'm happy with it.

 

[monk]

this 3.5" steel half ball i found at the j. yard over a year ago. it was supposed to be a perfect sphere. eventually getting an even coat of hdpu. it would then become a seal in an industrial valve. i had other ideas-- drilled/tapped .5" hole about an inch in. it rotates ever so smoothly in a socket i made out of ldpe. if i ever get around to it, will become a beautiful little spinner for small stuff. light & very easy to manipulate.

 

[Chujybear]

http://vimeo.com/m/14203379

Still like just a chunk of dowel as the cheapest and the simplest

 

[Alan T]

Here is the vise I just finished. It has a 6in work holding surface and uses cam lock screws and various size cam's to accomidate different work. The cam screw's and assemblies were sourced from Hightech Systems LLC. I know it's different but it works great and is very robust. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200463200142139&set=a.10200463191301918.1073741829.1820988445&type=3&theater

 

[dimovengraving]

My five cents on the topic - my old concrete (cement) ball vise :

 

[Aventuraal]

For a number years while I traveled for work, I used a standard PanaVise. Pretty stable, really rather smooth if you the clamp correctly, even with hammer and chisel. Just had to clamp it down to the hotel's nightstand. Compact. Inexpensive and useful for lots of other things. I still use it today for soldering.

 

[Quillen]

this video is to make your economic tool http://youtu.be/8kRGwzXOR3w