DetroiTug wrote:One of the slickest things I've ever seen for that is pretty easy to make up.
It's just a pivoting arm of 2x2 square tube that mounts on the side of the mill column. On the end of that arm is a flat plate. Swing the arm out and align the flat plate in to the vise jaws which are then tightened, then just lower the table and swing the vise out of the way. One could be made up for a rotary table or super spacer with a piece of round stock instead of the flat plate. One on each side of the machine. Still requires cranking the table up and down, but it's better than kneeboning that equipment around. Every year that stuff gets heavier.
On the flat plate bend a small tab out 90 degrees that hooks under the vise jaw so it can't slip out.
-Ron
I just made this "lifter" to clamp on the ram dovetails for a friend of mine for his mill.(kind of a thank you for some machinist tools and advise he gave me) Its going on a 40's? 50's? Famco mill. In this photo it isn't finished but willhave a hook on the end of the swingarm and a plate on a chain to tighten oin the vise jaws. The chain allows to take up the slack so not as much cranking is required. Photo is the only one I took , I wish I took a few with it on the mill.
