The discussion centers on the viability of using aluminum as a material for vise clamps. Participants highlight that the effectiveness of aluminum depends on the specific application, clamping force, and clamp area required. While aluminum can be used for PCB rework, it may not be suitable for heavy-duty tasks involving steel. A recommended approach is to utilize a steel vise with interchangeable pads made from materials like copper, tufnol, and aluminum to accommodate various shapes and materials.
PREREQUISITESMetalworkers, machinists, and hobbyists involved in PCB rework or general metal fabrication will benefit from this discussion, particularly those considering the use of aluminum in vise applications.
improvisation or fixing of our steel iron stuffs i.e. clamp 3-5 mm thick steel to be cut/ground/drilled or reformed its shape etcberkeman said:I have an aluminum vise/clamp that I use, but it is for PCB rework. What is your application? What clamping force and clamp area (hence clamp pressure) do you need?
It's so dependent on what you want to hold (material and shape). One of the best compromises is to use a steel vise with pads of different materials. I have used copper, tufnol and aluminium pads in an assortment of steel vises. Copper is particularly good as you can easily anneal it (red hot then quenched) and it can form itself around odd shapes (say aluminium threads) and harden itself after flowing . (Copper is great for softening the jaws in a lathe chuck)abdulbadii said:TL;DR Summary: which type aluminium for make up a vise clamp
Is it really going to workable/viable and which type aluminium could reliably be as vise clamp ?