Measure Vise & Part Deflection

With the large forces applied by a vise, deflection can occur between the jaws of a vise. These jaws can deflect away from each other along their top surface, known as jaw lift (see below for more information), as well as from side to side.

Workholding is one of the most hot-button issue in the worlds of machining, metalworking, and general fabrication. While finding new ways to hold parts as you cut can be an entertaining endeavor, if you’re on a budget and/or schedule, it will plague your very existence. Vises are one of the primary ways to hold your work, and milling soft jaws to fit specific parts is a common practice.