When clamping different workpieces in a vice, new challenges arise every time. No matter if it is about the clamping force, the dimensions or the inclination for precise machining. Often, however, the material wear that occurs when clamping in vises with pure metal jaws is disregarded. If particularly soft or scratch-sensitive workpieces are held in them, unsightly marks, scratches or scores are often the result.
Instead of using workarounds such as foam rubber plates or even textiles, the manufacturer BERNSTEIN has recently started offering protective jaws made of a wide variety of materials and easy fastening in the vice thanks to Velcro pressure fasteners.
The pressure fastener is a kind of Velcro tape with very stable and precise fixation. By simply pressing them together – with small mushroom heads interlocking – a very firm but removable connection is created. The pressure fastener can be crossed, staggered or overlapped. It provides a permanent mechanical fastening that will not loosen even through sustained vibration and offers high shear strength.
Depending on the workpiece to be clamped, select the appropriate gentle jaws according to material and jaw size (50 – 150 mm):
- Felt: The synthetic soft and lint-free fibers protect especially sensitive parts from damage.
- Cork: Is extremely elastic and poorly flammable. You can also use it to securely clamp flexible workpieces.
- Leather: Very hard-wearing with low wear. Thanks to its resistance to water droplets, it can also be used to hold wetted or superficially moist materials without damaging the jaws.
- Plastic: Optimum fixation with low material abrasion. Gentle jaws with a smooth surface leave no marks on the workpiece. For a particularly strong hold, choose the ribbed plastic profile.
- Prismatic: If you want to clamp oval or round parts such as tubes, the prismatic jaws are ideal. The grooves in their surface ensure a high and evenly distributed clamping force. These are available in either aluminum or plastic.
In order to be able to attach the snap-on jaws, you need a suitable vice with a permanently attached Velcro fastener, such as the BERN 9 205 K. The Velcro strips on this model are glued to the vise and cannot be loosened. This means that the fasteners can withstand high forces without slipping. If you use a different vise, however, you do not have to do without the protective jaws. These are also available as magnetic or self-adhesive versions for regular vices. When used properly, these offer the same clamping properties as the Velcro variants.
Discover our range of vises and vices from BERNSTEIN in the reichelt online store.
Images: BERNSTEIN
