Drill Press Vise

[SweetPotato]

I was wondering if it is necessary to have an XY vise for drill press or just the flat 4" vise is good enough for general purpose uses.

I borrowed an XY vise from a friend for 80% and the top part of the vice wiggled a bit that cause some holes to be off true. Is there a brand that doesn't have that wiggle.

[CGT80]

If it wiggled, there was something wrong. The whole point of an XY table/vice is to accurately move your part and to keep it from moving when the handles are not being turned. A simple vice is very useful for a drill press, but it is a pain to get your part lined up perfect to drill.

For a number of years I have been using an RF30 mill/drill. It has a vice that is clamped to the XY table, or I can use other studs and bars to clamp and item. Once the part is secure, then I can adjust X, Y, and Z (the quill which is just like a drill press) to where I need it. If the part moves at all, accuracy in the work piece is lost and the clamps and XYZ adjustments are pointless.

For rough work, you can hold a part or use a stop so it can't spin, but hold it by hand. That would be for drilling flat stock, wood, or anything that can be off a bit and not matter. After using the mill table and a 4" clamp, I don't hold anything by hand if possible. The mill/drill is 50x better than a standard drill press.

You might already know, drill presses are not made to handle the stress of milling sideways in a part, like you would do for an 80%.

The best way to do an 80% (in my opinion), is to clamp the lower and jig to the table and then start with an end mill and the large pattern plate and just get close to the edges using the XY table. I always use mist coolant when drilling or milling. When the bulk of the material is gone and you have gone full depth or very close to it, you can free the jig and use the mill like a router to take the final few thousandths off the edges and bottom and it will look very close to a factory job. This is hard on a drill press since you will be cutting sideways through material, but it is what a mill/drill is made for. I know you have a drill press for now, but I don't know of a great way to use it for an 80%.

The mill drills can be picked up used and new they go for $1-2k. If you are really into metal work, this is the way to go. I wish I had used one sooner.

[SkyHawk]

When you drill pin holes in 80% lowers using a jig, do not tighten the jig in the vise. Close the vise jaws only enough so the work doesn't rotate. But let the jig have room to move in the jaws, allowing the drill guides in the jig to center your work perfectly under the spinning drill bit. Then your holes will not be off (assuming your jig has good drill guides). Also, drill from one side only and all the way through, and do it before you mill the pocket.

I have a cheap X/Y from Harbor freight that rattles like a Texas pit viper when the endmill gets going. I have milled many lowers on it without a problem, on a $20 garage sale drill press that has excessive runout. The limitation is that I have to climb mill, always going one way around the pocket. And you have to take smaller bites. No big deal for my purposes...

[ar15barrels]

I was wondering if it is necessary to have an XY vice for drill press or just the flat 4" vise is good enough for general purpose uses.

I borrowed an XY vice from a friend for 80% and the top part of the vice wiggled abit that cause some holes to be off true.
Is there a brand that doesn't have that wiggle.

You want one that says "Made in USA" on it.
The cheap/crappy ones have slop or are so uneven as to barely be useful.

[SweetPotato]

Randall, I agree with you about USA made but I have to practical with budget and use. Any particular brand that you would recommend for light usage that doesn't break a bank?

SkyHawk, thanks for the tip. I learned that lesson the hard way but I got it finally. Though, I still like to buy a decent quality tool since I can afford some but not high end one.

CGT80, I didn't use the drill press to mill. I bought a router and end mill bit and easy jig for the cut. The press is just for the pilot holes and other side holes. I am a weekend DIYer so I am not sure if 1-2k tools is justified. I just need a decent enough vise to hold wood or anything for the holes for garden post and such.

[RustyIron]

You can do good work with a plain old vise for your drill press. If you're looking to improve the quality of your work, I advise the following:

Always center punch exactly where you want to drill.
Put a small, sharp pointer in the chuck to locate your punch mark.
Clamp the vise securely to the drill press table.
Always use a starter drill.
Use appropriate lubricant while drilling.

[ar15barrels]

Randall, I agree with you about USA made but I have to practical with budget and use. Any particular brand that you would recommend for light usage that doesn't break a bank?

A standard drill press vise is all you need.
Watch out for an OLD used US made palmgren vice.
They pop up on craigslist and ebay and pawn shops for $20.

[SweetPotato]

Thanks Randall. Do you recommend the flatter or the taller kind. Are the new palmgren not made in USA anymore?

[ar15barrels]

Thanks Randall. Do you recommend the flatter or the taller kind. Are the new palmgren not made in USA anymore?

The taller ones are more useful.
Look at the price of the new Palmgren vises and tell me what you think...

Better yet, scroll down this page and notice how SOME have a US flag and others don't:

http://www.palmgren.com/category/Drill-Press-Vises

[67Cuda]

$30 https://goldcountry.craigslist.org/tls/6031144613.html

[adamjay]

I had a basic drill press vise that worked well enough, but was a hassle to line up work perfectly, especially drilling multiple spots.

Finally upgraded to this and have not regretted it at all. https://www.amazon.com/Wilton-11693-.../dp/B009E0E788

[MosinVirus]

I am actually going to be selling my drill press and a similar vise if anyone is interested.

[SweetPotato]

I had a basic drill press vise that worked well enough, but was a hassle to line up work perfectly, especially drilling multiple spots.

Finally upgraded to this and have not regretted it at all. https://www.amazon.com/Wilton-11693-.../dp/B009E0E788

Does the top part wiggle off the bottom at all? The price isn't bad at all.

I am actually going to be selling my drill press and a similar vise if anyone is interested.

What vise do you have?

The taller ones are more useful.
Look at the price of the new Palmgren vises and tell me what you think...

Better yet, scroll down this page and notice how SOME have a US flag and others don't:
http://www.palmgren.com/category/Drill-Press-Vises

The US flag have life time warranty but performance specification are the same for the one without the flag icon. No country of origin but cost about 3 times more. I imagine the one without the warranty would suffice a weekend DIYer like me. Their no warranty price is acceptable.


67Cuda, drill press vise that can turn 90 degree. Pretty beat up but it supposes it works.

[67Cuda]

67Cuda, drill press vise that can turn 90 degree. Pretty beat up but it supposes it works.

To the untrained eye, it only looks in bad shape.
It's a little dirty with some paint thrown in for good measure. Over all it's in great shape, no chunks of steel missing or drilled holes in it.
If I needed a drill press vise, I'd be all over that.

[SweetPotato]

I would have given it a go as well but I am not within reasonable driving distant