# Pen drilling vise question



## r-ice (Nov 8, 2009)

Okay I bought this 
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=54855&cat=1,41659

self centering pen drilling vise.

I hand tighten the wood blank in the vise, start drilling and some harder woods  take a bit for the drill to bite and drill down but while its drilling downwards the wood blank seems to slip downwards.  I have to open it up and and re-adjust the wood blank upwards then continue to drill.  Some wood blanks seem to I dunno push the vise apart alittle maybe.  Causing the red handle impossible to turn back without the aid of a pair of pliers.  

What do I do? or shall I just get a better vise?


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## Chasper (Nov 8, 2009)

Put a small wood block under the blank you are drilling, you just need to catch a corner of the blank, make it thin enough so it won't get in the way of tightening the vise.


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## OKLAHOMAN (Nov 8, 2009)

Take Gerry's advice then get on Paul in Okc's waiting list for one of his vices.


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## sdemars (Nov 8, 2009)

*Get on the  . . .*

Get on the waiting list for Paul's vise . . . 

Steve


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## JimMc7 (Nov 9, 2009)

Chasper said:


> Put a small wood block under the blank you are drilling, you just need to catch a corner of the blank, make it thin enough so it won't get in the way of tightening the vise.


 
+1 I have probably the same vise from Lee Valley. I made up several 1X stock strips 1/4" thick X 4 1/2" long. Cut a 1" notch at the end to fit under the vise screw. They do fall apart after milling a lot of blanks so I recommend making several at a time. On mine, the connecting nuts tended to become loose so I recommend some red Loc-tite on those -- mine has been smooth and trouble-free after I did that. I drill blanks on the lathe but do all my milling on the DP using this vise.


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## dankc908 (Nov 9, 2009)

I'd like to know more about "Paul in OKC"s vise.  I could use a better system than I have!


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## Daniel (Nov 9, 2009)

Dan, Paul's vice is something like the vice in the photo above your post. only it is designed and machined to the degree that it really works the way it is intended. They are hard to get since usually (or at least it used to be) the waiting list is about a year long. They are the Cadillac of vises though. I use a 6" cross slide vice from Harbor Freight to get the job done. much larger than Pauls and about the same price. Then I have to add making custom jaws to it. I got my vice before Paul was offering his or I would own one. I do see them come up for sale every now and again but not often.


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## mickr (Nov 9, 2009)

IN MY HUMBLE OPINION..skip the drill vise and drill on the lathe..my work improved and my problems decreased using this method of work...


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## hunter-27 (Nov 9, 2009)

A PH vice or on the lathe, either way, throw out that junky one and move on with much better success and more pleasure. My opinion, take it for what it is worth. :biggrin:


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## alamocdc (Nov 9, 2009)

Vises like this are not meant to grip anything tightly enough to hold them in place. Even with my PH vise, I use a block(s). This does two things... it holds the blank in place, but more importantly, it provides a backer helping prevent blowouts as you drill through the bottom of the blank.


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## KenV (Nov 9, 2009)

Billy has it dead on --  I use small blocks about 1/2 inch square to set under the pieces to be drilled --  with either the old vise as shown or the one I got from Paul.  You do want to have the bottom supported to reduce/stop splintering  (and very very sharp good quality drill bits helps hugely).  

The vise keeps alignment ---  the blocks keep elevation and you do not need to tighten very much -  on a good day with similar sized material, I leave the vise a bit loose for production runs.


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## r-ice (Nov 9, 2009)

Yes but the problem with drilling on the lathe is that you need to have a squared blank!  I don't have a table saw yet, I just have a ryobi band saw and that thing never wants to cut straight lol.


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## TellicoTurning (Nov 9, 2009)

mickr said:


> IN MY HUMBLE OPINION..skip the drill vise and drill on the lathe..my work improved and my problems decreased using this method of work...



My thoughts too... since I learned to drill on the lathe, I have very few blow outs, I can get through a curved piece of antler without going through the sides and I get much more true - through the center - holes through the blanks.


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## BigguyZ (Nov 9, 2009)

+1 for drilling on the lathe!  I got the Rockler vise just before I moved to using the lathe.  Now I never use it...  I should probably try to sell it.  Hm...

Don't drill on the lathe!  Buy my Rockler vise!  It's the best, and it has storage for bits _built in!!!_


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## jleiwig (Nov 9, 2009)

r-ice said:


> Yes but the problem with drilling on the lathe is that you need to have a squared blank! I don't have a table saw yet, I just have a ryobi band saw and that thing never wants to cut straight lol.


 
Not if you turn it round first and then mount in a collet chuck.  :wink:


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## Dave Talbot (Dec 20, 2009)

*Try Sand Paper & Double SIded Tape*

Hi:

I have the same vice. A friend suggested using double-sided tape and 80 or 100 grit sand paper stuck inside one side of the "V" groove. Here's aphoto.


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