"The CARVEsmart quick-change vise jaw system is designed for production and tool room applications replacing the often cumbersome, conventional method of attaching vise jaws to a vise using face mounted cap screws," said a company spokesperson. "The patented CARVEsmart system employs three, from the top, channeled clamping elements and a dovetailed jaw design to couple the master jaw and soft or hard jaws. CARVEsmart reduces set-up time and improves set-up reliability and quality. CARVEsmart's dovetailed aluminum extruded bar stock makes the soft jaw an inexpensive cut-to-length tool that can be reused or quickly recut with each part run. This makes the CARVEsmart system ideal for shops running repeating and tight tolerance work.
"Face mounted cap screws are problematic since they are located in a vise's sweet spot. They extend into the workholding zone, forcing work to be held in front of or above the cap screws. The CARVEsmart dovetailed jaw provides a larger machinable workholding zone that holds parts deeper and more securely in the jaws of the vise, providing less jaw lift and more secure clamping."
Front- or side-loading of the soft jaws is accomplished using a T handle hex wrench to loosen three channeled clamping elements accessed from the top of each master jaw. By designing the clamping mechanism on the top, it is not necessary to open the vise to access the cap screws. Differential screws pull the channeled clamps, providing downward pressure to secure a jaw in place. The operator can quickly change the soft jaw from the front or side with the entire changeover taking 40 to 60 seconds each. This means when setting up an eight-station quad with 16 jaws, all of the jaws can be replaced in less than 12 minutes.
CARVEsmart offers dovetailed extruded aluminum for soft jaws in widths of 3/4" x 2", 1" x 2.25" and 2" x 3", and lengths of 6", 31" and 94". Also available is 3/4" by 2" dovetailed 1018 steel barstock in 6" and 31" lengths. "With CARVEsmart only one saw cut is necessary for any length from 1 inch to 94 inches," said the spokesperson. "This can reduce jaw cost by half or more when compared to purchasing a commercially made jaw or making them in-house. Additional savings will be realized because used carved jaws will no longer need to be organized, stored, found, cleaned, reinstalled, indicated in and offset."
"The CARVEsmart jaw system is fast and secure," said Andy Melde, Senior R&D Model Shop Machinist at a Minnesota Medical Device Company. "The extruded jaw material allows me to cut jaws to any length as I need them. I have cut them as small as 1 inch long and up to 24 inches long."
The CARVEsmart #10000 6" tool steel master jaw set is ground flat and parallel within .0002". The set includes two master jaws, a T wrench and four 1/2"-13 low head cap screws.
Best suited for carved jaw and production work, the CARVEsmart #20000 6" 6061 hard-coated aluminum master jaw set is machined flat and parallel within .002". It incorporates threaded stainless steel inserts pressed into the master jaw from the bottom for the clamp screws. Two master jaws, a T wrench and 1/2"-13 low head cap screws are included in each set.
For more information contact:
Doug Fontaine
National Sales Manager
CARVEsmart
844-VISE-JAW
doug@carvesmart.com
www.carvesmart.com