Lug Vise

[mxboy349]

Slowly working thru “Frame #2” and for this frame I thought I would make a few tools. Just finished my lug vise last night and though I would share. The diameter on the main body is 1” and I made sleeves for 1.125 and 1.250. Should help hold them steady while prepping them.

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[ToddFarr]

Looks great! How did you machine the keyed portion in the spreading cone?
Thanks,
Todd

[mxboy349]

Looks great! How did you machine the keyed portion in the spreading cone?
Thanks,
Todd

That is the only part I didn't make myself. It was done on a wire EDM machine.

[ToddFarr]

Aww, yes that makes sense. I was going crazy trying to imagine ways to do it.
Well done my friend.

[Curious George]

Looks great! How did you machine the keyed portion in the spreading cone?
Thanks,
Todd

mxboy349, They look beautifully made, much better than my own, but could you label the keyed portion please? not sure what I'm looking for here.

[mxboy349]

mxboy349, They look beautifully made, much better than my own, but could you label the keyed portion please? not sure what I'm looking for here.

Here is a pic from CAD of the wedge. It is "Keyed" so that it doesn't rotate when you tighten the screw. Hope this helps.

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[Luke]

Fancy, man. Very cool.
-Luke

[prolix21]

I'm constantly jealous of everyones machining skills here. Such cool stuff

[Curious George]

Here is a pic from CAD of the wedge. It is "Keyed" so that it doesn't rotate when you tighten the screw. Hope this helps.

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Gottcha. Fancy piece of kit there.
So it's tightened with a long bolt from the base like a quill stem?
Good idea having sleeves for different diameters, wish I'd done that.

[pruckelshaus]

Man, you're making my "lug vise" look even more ghetto:


Frame 3 head lug by pruckelshaus, on Flickr

Nice work. I'd buy one if the price was right.

[Craig Ryan]

Considering all the lug work I do, It's hard to justify what I get by on. But it seems to do the job. The pieces are laying in the center of all this. I took tube scraps and some galvanized gas pipe with end caps and ground down the caps to size. I've had to add brass to them at times, but for the price, they can't be beat. It's difficult if I want to stretch a seat lug sometimes cause I can't access the end to hammer it in. Machining your own is great, but keep your 100 dollar bills in your pocket and go to the hardware if you don't have a bunch of big machines in the shop.

[philcycles]

I just use a dowel cut on the diagonal.
Phil Brown

[Clockwork]

I stole this idea from Dazza and I really like how it works and the price is right. Start here and click next.

Lug Vise | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

The coupler nut was overkill; you really don;t need much pressure to hold a lug still. The coolest part of this is that you can miter the end so you don't block access to the HT area.

-Joel

[ToddFarr]

Joel,
Is there enough force to spread the lugs like I hear people are doing with Don's Lug Vise?
Todd.

[Clockwork]

No, it just holds it still while you file and cut.

[Alistair]

Here's a simple one I made using my small lathe some drop cuts of tubing and rod,

Lug vise | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Holds lugs and BB shells rock solid. Works well.

Alistair.

[ToddFarr]

Hey guys,
I'm working on something to hold my lugs today, and I am just curious how much undersized you guys are going?

I measured my Sach's lugs this morning

28.6 Hole ~ 1.115
31.6 Hole ~ 1.240

Is it pretty safe to assume most are 0.010 undersized?

[mxboy349]

Hey guys,
I'm working on something to hold my lugs today, and I am just curious how much undersized you guys are going?

I measured my Sach's lugs this morning

28.6 Hole ~ 1.115
31.6 Hole ~ 1.240

Is it pretty safe to assume most are 0.010 undersized?

I made mine 0.005-.010 under the nominal. When I split them they "collapsed" in a little and gave me a little more clearance.

[dbohemian]

Joel,
Is there enough force to spread the lugs like I hear people are doing with Don's Lug Vise?
Todd.

I have some lug vises I made up that worked for years but I do now have Don's lug vise and more recently Herbie Helms lug vise and the ability of being able to expand a lug for fitup is worth every penny of these things. It saves a TON of time. I could not go back.

[ToddFarr]

Eric,
You inspired me.



Now I just have to make the sleeves. This was a lot of work between grinding custom lathe bits and milling 1/8" slots, I'd probably just buy one in the future