Originally Posted by keith
Angelo Bee's vise looks to be home built, and is by far the largest engraving vise I've ever seen. The actual clamping part appears to be an average size bench vise. Hard to believe that he isn't using some sort of auxiliary vise to hold smaller parts or screws. If the ball is a solid steel sphere, it has to weigh well over 100 lbs. I'm guessing the setscrews suspending it in the massive base are probably nylon or brass tipped Vlier pins.

It shouldn't move while cutting steel with a graver. The thing to worry about would be having the bench it is sitting on collapse. You could almost use that thing to engrave engine blocks.

Few people have a decent vise. Fewer still go to the trouble of mounting it correctly. This is a Wilton 500 machinist’s vise, mounted to 1/4” wall, 4140 seamless, drawn over mandril, hydraulic tubing, flanges welded on either end and filled with reclaimed lead shot and motor oil, to create a “dead blow” vise mount. Just guessing the entire assembly is between 500-750lbs.


[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]

Never engraved a thing in it. But, I suppose I could.


Knocked a pressed ball joint or two out on it, however. I imagine Angelo could do that too, but, I hope he has a shop vise to go along with his studio vise for that work.


Without at least one, good, well mounted vise in your shop, you have nothing. Two, are better.


Best,
Ted