how to make lead vise jaws?

[Andy]

Any ideas on how to make a set of lead vise jaws? I see these sold by brownells and used in gunsmithing videos and would like to have a nice thick set but can't stomach the idea of buying them when I have so much lead sitting around.

I have thought of pouring molten lead into a flat pan but can't see any way to get it to be truly flat (planar sides).

Is there a simple method out there I'm not thinking of? Something like a 4x6 rectangle maybe 1/8-1/4" thick is what I'm thinking of trying to make.

[Grmps]

do they have to be lead?

How to Make Soft Jaws for Your Vise (use 1/4 sheet lead) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2-trYFL9Is

Make them out of nylon (cutting board) https://www.amazon.com/Soft-Vise-Gro.../dp/B00EBN9TTA

soft-vise-jaws ebay

[BK7saum]

i just cut some lead pipe and flattened it out then bent it over the vise jaws and trimmed to fit. Obviously, mine is soft lead and takes the shape of whatever I am putting in the vise. I was not concerned with it being flat

[John Boy]

Two pieces of sheet lead - wrapped on vice ... never have to worry about aluminum scratches with the stock or forearm clamped in the vice

[merlin101]

Make a wooden mould the size of your vise jaws and what ever thickness you want then drill the 2 mounting holes, if not permeant then just hold them in place and tighten vise.

[Geezer in NH]

Roof flashing. Cut it 2 inches bigger than jaws. Clamp centered in jaws bend the excess around them and hammer them to fit the vice.

When they wear out peel off and repeat. I use the peals in my ML balls.

[Wolfer]

Roof flashing. Cut it 2 inches bigger than jaws. Clamp centered in jaws bend the excess around them and hammer them to fit the vice.

When they wear out peel off and repeat. I use the peals in my ML balls.

This is what I do also.

[leebuilder]

Them fexible composite soww make good vise jaw pads. They will form around threads. I just smash lead flashing around my vise jaws, cut off the ugly extra.
Be safe

[Drm50]

I pour mine between two pieces of alumilum flat stock clamped to 3rd section for bottom. Only
the poured edge is not flat. I use vise jaws to mark holes for countersunk screws holding to vise
body. I have Alumilum, Nylon and oak jaws made up for my vise as well as some made to hold
round stock. I do have sheet lead angles to just drop over the jaws for light work.

[Andy]

I should apoligize I think I phrased my initial question wrong in that I should have said "how do you make your own lead jaws by melting down your own ingots", I am trying to avoid buying/finding flashing etc. and want to find a good way to use my own stock of lead ingots that I keep on hand for bullet casting for this.

DRM50 thanks for the info that's just the sort of thing I was looking for, how much off of "flat" does the poured edge work out to be? does it work as-is or do you have to knock down the high spots before using?

Thanks to all for the ideas, sorry I didn't say my goal more clearly in the begininng.

[deltaenterprizes]

A small bread pan will make a good mold to make small amounts of sheet lead suitable for vise jaws.
To get them as parallel as possible check the top of the pan with a level in both directions.

[Grmps]

Why would you need it perfectly flat? Soft lead will contour.

using a level pan, pre-warm the pan and use hot lead so it will flow level (you could help level the poured lead using a torch)
soft thin lead can be cut with a knife and hammer then put in a vise and the edges filed square

[JimB..]

Seems like maybe you could make a mold from a few pieces of angle iron. Weld the corners from the outside and instead of welding for the bottom just drill and tap a few holes to bolt it down so you can disassemble to get the parallel-sided block out. It’ll probably take a little cleanup with a knife.

Sorry, no first hand experience, just an idea.

[leebuilder]

Reading all the posts, I make my ingots from 1 inch channel iron about 7 inches long. They weigh out at about a half pound and easily fit in my bottom pour melter . They would fit perfect on my vise, they are flat on the bottom and easily drilled.
Does this help?

[OldBearHair]

What Merlin said about wooden mould good and level when poured. Also drill the holes where needed in the mold and put two wood dowels the correct size and shape for screw heads then you don't need to drill the lead.

[Andy]

Lots of great ideas in here, thanks again everyone. The bread pan seems like it would be a perfect size for my vise, so I'm going to try that out first.

[OldBearHair]

Save the mold. You will probably need to melt the lead jaws again after a little rough use.

[KCSO]

Roofing lead is just the right thickness just cut with tin snips and bend. Surely someone here has some. I just melted down about 50 pounds of it I can post here when I get more.

[pietro]

I am trying to avoid buying/finding flashing etc. and want to find a good way to use my own stock of lead ingots that I keep on hand for bullet casting for this.

how much off of "flat" does the poured edge work out to be ?

does it work as-is or do you have to knock down the high spots before use ?

If your ingots are pure lead, it will be soft enough to slice off ingot length 1/4" thick slabs off the ingot(s), pound the slice a bit if it's too short to overlap one vise jaw by an inch or so, then just wrap the jaw as stated above.


"Flat" is contraindicated, as the reason for lead covered vise jaws is that the soft lead will slightly conform to whatever is being gripped to secure it w/o marring the finish/shape as can happed with the cast iron jaws.


FWIW, I use 6" x 3" x 1/2" scrap softwood slats mounted on both vice jaws with 2-sided tape for the same reason (YMMV).



.

[KCSO]

Then melt an ingot in a big dipper and pour it out on a sheet of tin in the driveway and viola! 1/8 inch thick will do for most work.