From: none@none.com99   
      
   On 5/26/2025 7:24 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:   
   > "Snag"  wrote in message news:10106f7$1k4i2$1@dont-email.me...   
   >   
   >    Mine's a shop made 2 1/2" made from mystery steel . Realized when I   
   > was about 75% complete the plans called for aluminum .   
      
   I have an old Columbia or Columbian bench vise that came with a heavy   
   steel work bench.  The guy who gave it to me long ago showed me some of   
   the best soft jaws for it was either plywood or MDF cut the width of the   
   jaws with with a notch cut to fit the square lower of the front jaw.   
   Drop on and take off in a second.  For parts sensitive to marring, have   
   one set of MDF drop ins with leather glued inside.   
      
   I tried the same thing with my Harbor Freight bench vise with the swivel   
   head.  They they tend to swivel around the round part, and even if they   
   don't when you turn the head over they fall off.  LOL.  I use the   
   Columbian (just looked) preferentially.   
      
   Oddly it has smooth steel flat jaws, that I can't see how they are   
   attached.  I never looked until just now, but I don't see any screws.   
   There is a tight closed seam between the steel jaws and the cast body.   
      
   FYI:  I have some smaller vises (probably sell or give away) leftover   
   from my dad's hardware store.  One says Columbia and the other says   
   Columbian.   
      
      
      
   --   
   Bob La Londe   
   CNC Molds N Stuff   
      
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