Vices & Accessories

A machine vice needs to match the job on three things: jaw width relative to your part, maximum opening versus your stock size, and whether you need self-centring, hydraulic clamping or a fixed single-station jaw. Get any of those wrong and you're either buying a vice that can't hold the part or paying for clamping force you don't need.

Nicon's lockdown-jaw MMV series covers 100mm to 200mm jaw widths with interchangeable hard, soft, serrated, stepped and vee jaw sets, so one body handles round stock, delicate finishes and repeat production work depending which jaws are fitted. Bison's range runs from precision single-station vices through hydraulic-spindle and self-centring models to heavy-duty bench and pipe vices — see Single Station Machine Vices for the fixed-jaw range most jobbing shops use day to day.

For 5-axis and multi-face work, Gerardi's CompactGRIP and Multiflex vices hold a part square on more than one face without re-fixturing — see 5th Axis Machine Vices. Replacement and spare jaw sets and swivel bases for the Nicon range are stocked separately under Jaw Sets.