# X-Y vice on morticing m/c



## Anonymous (16 Apr 2004)

Hi all

I bought a cheap morticer a while back as it was ex demo and cheap and my drill stadn just wasn't up to the job

I didn't like the cheap and nasty MDF fence and dreadful clamp arrangement and so modded it by fitting an X-Y ( http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.as ... 2194&g=106 ) vice as shown below. Wow. This make the machine so much easier to use and my morticing is very accurate now.

Only mod required was to extend the rerar legs to cater for the increased height. You can clearly see small extensions that a local machine shop made for me for a total of £7 including materials.

By the way, the X-Y vice is curently on offer :wink: 

Extensions to legs



















Cheers

Tony


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## Philly (16 Apr 2004)

Nice one Tony,
I bought one of those a while ago to try the same thing- came up against the same problem, i.e. the lack of depth of cut, due to the depth of the vice.
Didn't think about the leg extensions though  
I use the Trend M+T router jig now, but you've inspired me to sort out my mortiser. Could you post details of what has been done to the legs?
cheers,
Philly


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## Anonymous (16 Apr 2004)

I was looking at this vise for exactly this purpose a couple of days ago and was worried by the slack on the movements - you could give the handles a half-turn+ before the slack was taken up and the work actually moved. The vise itself was solid but I was worried that this may have just been 'cos it was new and it would get sloppy as it bedded in. Have you had any problems like that?

Also I assume you had to turn the actual work clamp around, as the one in the shop had the work clamp and slide wheel on opposite sides - correct?

Good point about clearance on the legs - I've got a single solid cast iron pillar so i'd better check the clearance before parting with the cash

I was also going to put up a post asking if anyone had tried the equivalent axminster vice...any takers?

M


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## Anonymous (16 Apr 2004)

Hi Philly

The legs on my morticer have a 10mm threaded hole in them and a bolt goes through the base into the leg. I got the machineshop to make a 7" extension piece out of mild steel bar turned to the exact same diameter as the original leg and with a 30mm deep hole tapped at 10mm in both top and bottom. 

I got 2 pieces of 10mm studding, 50mm long, from the machine shop too. Simply joined the legs to the extensions using the 10mm rod and some threadlock (superglue would do). This is fine as the 10mm threaded rod is only experiencing sheer strain due to the leg and extension both having a completely flat face - the 10mm rod is very strong in sheer
Then re-bolted the morticer to the base using the original bolts

Can't remember why, but I also needed to add a piece of MDF under the vice (on top of the morticer base) when mounting it with long 8mm bolts. I used spring and plain washers on the vice to mount it.

I found the machine shop in the yellow pages and so £7 was quite reasonable in my opinion.

Cheers
Tony


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## Anonymous (16 Apr 2004)

MP":2wbhejul said:


> I was looking at this vise for exactly this purpose a couple of days ago and was worried by the slack on the movements - you could give the handles a half-turn+ before the slack was taken up and
> 
> Also I assume you had to turn the actual work clamp around, as the one in the shop had the work clamp and slide wheel on opposite sides - correct?
> 
> ...



Hi MP

Yes, there is some backlash in the handle but the actual slides are fantastic with no play what-so-ever. Also, the V-block slides have adjuster screws for removing play should they wear.
Backlash in handle has no effect on use at all. I simply make the first cut in centre of mortice and then trun handle to move 1/2 cutter size to left or right, take second cut, move 1/2 cutter width again, take third cut etc. until I reach one end of mortice. Now wind workpiece back to centre, taking up 1/2 turn handle backlash in the process and cut the other side of the mortice. Backlash not an issue.

I did turn the clamp handle round to the other side. Easy to do and required 2 holes drilled and tapped to hold the plate - 10 minutes. Forgot to mention that

Cheers

Tony


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## Anonymous (16 Apr 2004)

wooohooo,

looks like that could be the answer to the Record that has the worst hold down/adjustment in the world  

Aidan.


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## Bean (16 Apr 2004)

MP
Backlash in the machine threads on the slides should pose no problem if you are careful, always turn handles backwards for one half of a turn then forwards before you make your adjustment, this removes all of the backlash. Look out for Workshop Practice Books in old bookshops, they are cheap, useful and explain better than Me.

Bean


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