A low profile, flat modular clamping system/vice for Novamil

[Joe Pineapples]

Hi all, just bought myself a Novamill (been looking for one for ages), first thing I noticed is the limited Z travel. I intend to raise the column at some point, in the mean time I was looking for a low profile vice but was unable to find one that matched my needs.
That led to me making my own, a steel bed with a grid of tapped M8 holes, able to take finger clamps from many angles and positions. Also made a pair of vice jaws - one you clamp down tight (and square), the other uses off-centre camhead bolts to close the jaw onto the part (I made these bolts myself). These can be placed at various widths on the bed, see photos attached.

clampbed2.jpg (664.49 KiB) Viewed 15229 times

[angel-tech]

the vices sold with the boxford 190 and 240 are pretty good for the novamill, the one supplied with the 190 is slightly smaller. If you go on the boxford website you can see the exploded view of the vice.

[Joe Pineapples]

the vices sold with the boxford 190 and 240 are pretty good for the novamill, the one supplied with the 190 is slightly smaller. If you go on the boxford website you can see the exploded view of the vice.

Thanks, just had a look at them. I'd already made this one though and (for my purposes at least) it's much better (lower profile with a wider capacity). I actually have an old vice very similar to the one supplied with the 190, I was using it on the Novamill for a few days before I made the modular vice.

[Ben L]

Joe I would love one of these for my Novamill fancy a commission to make me one? I hadnt realised just how tight the z depth would be once there is some tool length theres not much room to play

I'm serious about buying one from you if you fancy it

[Joe Pineapples]

Joe I would love one of these for my Novamill fancy a commission to make me one? I hadnt realised just how tight the z depth would be once there is some tool length theres not much room to play

I'm serious about buying one from you if you fancy it

Hi Ben, sorry for the delay. Whereabouts are you? I won't have time to make a new one buty I actually have a spare base plate, with the holes all drilled and tapped. You can have that for nowt, if you want it and I'll give you the drawings/files to make your own jaws.
I'm in Sheffield by the way.

[Ben L]

Joe I would love one of these for my Novamill fancy a commission to make me one? I hadnt realised just how tight the z depth would be once there is some tool length theres not much room to play

I'm serious about buying one from you if you fancy it

Hi Ben, sorry for the delay. Whereabouts are you? I won't have time to make a new one buty I actually have a spare base plate, with the holes all drilled and tapped. You can have that for nowt, if you want it and I'll give you the drawings/files to make your own jaws.
I'm in Sheffield by the way.

Hi Jow thanks for the reply I'm way down south from you near Southampton, but I guess it could be posted, I would be really interested in buying it from you.
Cheers
Ben

[Joe Pineapples]

Joe I would love one of these for my Novamill fancy a commission to make me one? I hadnt realised just how tight the z depth would be once there is some tool length theres not much room to play

I'm serious about buying one from you if you fancy it

Hi Ben, sorry for the delay. Whereabouts are you? I won't have time to make a new one buty I actually have a spare base plate, with the holes all drilled and tapped. You can have that for nowt, if you want it and I'll give you the drawings/files to make your own jaws.
I'm in Sheffield by the way.

Hi Jow thanks for the reply I'm way down south from you near Southampton, but I guess it could be posted, I would be really interested in buying it from you.
Cheers
Ben

Hi Ben, sent you a PM with details.

[Ben L]

Cheers Joe, I sent you an email

[madebymccoy]

Hi Joe

The table looks great! Any chance of posting the drawings or sending me them? I'm struggling to find a vice or good quality low profile repeatable system, and this looks ideal.

Thanks
Jon

[Joe Pineapples]

Hi Joe

The table looks great! Any chance of posting the drawings or sending me them? I'm struggling to find a vice or good quality low profile repeatable system, and this looks ideal.

Thanks
Jon

Hi Jon, yes I'll see if I can upload the files to here for anyone who it might be useful to. Apologies for the big delay, I've been incredibly busy. In the coming days/weeks though I'll be posting some information about several mods I've made to my machine which I believe some may find very useful, stay tuned

@Ben L, as above my apologies. Have sent you another email