Vise Caddy Source?

[Lil Foot]

My query about tapping oil glass bottles worked so well, I thought I'd try again.

Being that I am running out of both space & lower back strength, I have been considering a swing-away vise caddy, along the lines of this one:

EMI - Vise Caddy

The Vise Caddy eliminates heavy lifting and back injuries associated with moving vises around. Learn more here!

www.emiworks.com

I have seen them bolt to the column, clamp on the vertical knee dovetail, and clamp on the ram dovetail.
I can fabricate one myself, but I need another project like I need another hole in my head.
Anybody have any input on the best design, or designs to stay away from?
Sources to buy from beside the one above?
Seems to me there used to be an import one that was considerably cheaper, (Shars, Enco?) but the one above is the only one I found so far.
I have a 6" Kurt vise, 81lbs.
Thanks.

 

[cliffboyer]

I have zero experience with this type of machining, but perhaps a repurposed hoyer lift used in med profession. Easily lifts 300lbs, and relatively small footprint. Move all type of stuff around the shop easily.

 

[Lil Foot]

In my shop at work I had a hydraulic table similar to this:

Wesco 260060 Steel Standard Duty Lift Table, 500 lbs Capacity, 18" Length x 18" Width Tabletop, 47-1/2" Height: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

Wesco 260060 Steel Standard Duty Lift Table, 500 lbs Capacity, 18" Length x 18" Width Tabletop, 47-1/2" Height: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.com

and I also considered one of these:

Mini hand winch stacker - Products - SINOLIFT MATERIAL HANDLING EQUIPMENT CORP.

SINOLIFT MATERIAL HANDLING EQUIPMENT CORP.

www.sinolift.com

In fact, I just missed an old one similar to this one at an estate sale recently.
But both have the same problems- expensive, and they take up more room that I haven't got.
Plus, I have thick rubber shop mats on the floor that would have to be taken up for each use.
That's why I would prefer the vise caddy option.

 

[Lil Foot]

I also remember seeing a couple of blueprints for homebuilt caddys out there, but I can't find them either.

 

[Lil Foot]

I have also used these in the past:

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/09029968

but again, pretty pricy.

 

[Yooper]

There is one on EBay called Chukmate for $325. Attaches to the knee dovetails.

I know what you mean about moving those vices. I think I will build one this summer for a nice little project with the AC blowing on me.

 

[Lil Foot]

That one I somehow missed, thanks.

AC in the shop in the summer- wow, that sounds wonderful.

 

[skeets]

OK I have to ask, what are you talking about?

 

[Lil Foot]

OK I have to ask, what are you talking about?

You mean this thread in general?
The vise on my milling machine sometimes needs to be removed for table work. It weighs 81lbs, and my old abused back is less & less tolerant of heavy lifting, especially with a little bending or twisting.
So years ago someone came up with the idea of the vise caddy or trolley. Bolts to the machine, and then you clamp the vise on it, and swing it back away from the table without having to lift anything, then reverse the process to put it back.
I'm guessing I'm going to have to make one.

 

[skeets]

AHHHHH SOOOOOOO

 

[GreensvilleJay]

dang my back hurts just thinking about an 81# vice !!!
any room for a small sized overhead I-beam ? Add an electric hoist to a trolley and it'd be easy to move that ,ugh, 81# vice. Also easy to get whatever hunk of steel needs to go onto the mill bed....

 

[Lil Foot]

Nope, just a sheetrock ceiling with engineered beams that hold up the 3rd floor bedrooms.

 

[Lil Foot]

Well, I broke down & ordered one, my back has been chewing me out since I moved the vise the last time.

I bought the ChukMate shown in post #9 above, ordered it off eboy on the 10th, it arrived today. (the 13th)
It's all steel except the aluminum dovetailed blocks, and works great, as advertised. Installation took about 2 minutes.
Pics show the orange rubber sheet way protector removed for clarity, but it works with that in place also.

 

[skeets]

My friend if it saves your back it has to be worth every penny you paid for it !

 

[Lil Foot]

I know it sounds silly, but my back stopped hurting right after I installed it!

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I know it sounds silly, but my back stopped hurting right after I installed it!

Excellent to hear you got it worked out, and of course excellent to hear it's going to save your back!

 

[Lil Foot]

Yeah, it was kinda pricy, especially knowing I could make one myself, but with my current situation, it was just easier & quicker to buy a solution.
Besides, you can't take it with you.

 

[skeets]

No ya cant take it with you but it can buy you a boat

 

[sheepfarmer]

I am glad to hear you have solved the problem! But I am having trouble wrapping my head around the scale. In your diagram the blue thing weighs 80 lb? How big is the milling machine?

 

[Lil Foot]

The vise is almost all cast iron, and what isn't is tool steel. It measures 18" x 9" x 5".
The pic below shows the mill, 6' 10" tall.
The blue carpeted divider wall is 5' 6" tall.
There is a 1gal jug of Kerosene (think prestone sized) on the floor on the right for more scale.