What Is a Mini Vise?
A mini vise is the smallest type of vise. “Vises” are tools used to hold workpieces in place during operations and are used in various machining operations. Mini vises are mainly used for manual processing and can be purchased at 100-yen stores. Vises themselves are made of a wide range of materials, from metal to resin, and each material has different holding power.
Uses of Mini Vises
Mini vises are used to secure objects during processes such as sanding and cutting. Although not necessary if the work can be done by hand, they are indispensable when work cannot be performed by hand, such as when working with high-speed rotating equipment. Since the vise only holds the workpiece itself, it must be firmly attached to the worktable using screws or clamps during actual use. Mini vises are the smaller of the two and are mainly used for manual processing.
Principle of Mini Vises
Both “vises” and “mini vises” consist of a mechanism that achieves linear motion by turning a screw and secures an object by clamping it from both sides. Since fixation is performed by the tightening force of the screw, care must be taken not to damage soft objects when fixing them. Generally, there are metal vises and resin vises, and the choice of “metal vises for metal processing” and “resin vises for resin processing” is often made based on the material of the vises when securing the object. Some metal vises have a “V-groove” carved on the surface to secure stick-shaped objects more effectively.
In addition, vises typically have holes or long holes for fastening, which are used to secure the object to the processing table with screws. If fastening with screws is not possible, a separate clamp may be used. This is because if the vise itself is not secured, the entire workpiece may move with the vise during operation. This is particularly crucial when working with high-speed rotating objects such as drills and routers, as there is a high risk of unexpected injury.