The proper use along with proper maintenance routine prolongs the life of tools and a good artisan is always very careful about his tools. In this article, I will talk about bench vises in this regard.
A bench vise is a simple machine which does not employ any electric current and, therefore, it does not include large maintenance requirements either. In order to carry out the work in a very proper manner and to avoid any uncomfortable poses of the operator, a bench vise is a prerequisite and that the bench vise in use is mounted at the proper height. This height is achieved when the operator is able to play with his elbow at the top of the jaws of the bench vise or else the operator will have a tough to perform his duty. In other case, the workbench is supposed to be raised or a floorboard must be provided on the floor, so that the operator can climb onto it and do his work in a careful and proper way.
The machining operations must be carried out so as not to affect the jaws of the bench vise. To do this, the piece mounted on a bench vise must be fastened to a suitable height which is approximately 1 cm from the jaws. When the bench vise is not used, it is recommended that you protect the jaws of the bench vise by moving them until they touch lightly and leaving the crank upright. You should never hit a bench vise with a heavy object or attach the large pieces to a small bench vise.
At all the times, the bench vise must be kept well-oiled and clean. The shavings of the workpiece should not be accumulated, especially in the guides that move the movable mouth, nut and shaft. To this end, they should be cleaned with a rag after each and every use and you should also apply a light layer of the oil on it. However, the oil must be avoided on the rotating base or the rotating joint for the reason that this can reduce the clamping force of the tool which is something you do not want.
If you are interested in learning more about the safety and cleaning tips regarding the use of bench vises, I suggest you to click here for more details and keep visiting this online sources to always stay well informed in this regard.
