Granite Base for Vise

[atxdiscgolfer 0]

I just had granite countertops installed in my home and had several pieces left over; how difficult is it to make a granite base?

[Poopdeck 0]

Making the granite is the difficult part. You will have to drill a hole and bolt or epoxy in a stem base then cover the bottom with cork or rubber. I would say it's super simple.

 

EDIT: as Vicente said, you will need the tools. A drill, a diamond bit, a hardened bit, a tap and a welder would be nice but silver solder would probably work.

[vicente 0]

Just depends on how good you want it to look, and what tools you have available.

[mikechell 0]

Get the right bit for drilling stone/granite/ceramic. I believe the same type bit works on all of those.

Once you have the hole drilled, just epoxy the stem holder in place and your set.

 

As vicente said: how good do you want it to look. Also, is it actual granite, or granite composite that most counter tops are made of these days?

If you don't want a broken edges look, or an unfinished cut edge look, you'll have to grind and sand the edges. Granite is relatively hard, and requires the right tools and grinding agents to get good results. Granite composite is a lot easier to work into good looking, polished edges.

[flytire 0]

 

add a vise riser so you can change out your vise should you ever get a new vise or want to travel

 

[atxdiscgolfer 0]

Thanks everyone for the recommendations and advise, its Level 3 Granite so I will definitely have to get the correct drilling bit to put it together.

[mikechell 0]

One other idea. If you want to have the vice riser/stem holder bolted in, you can take the piece of granite you want drilled to one of two places. The people who made your counter tops, or a local monument maker (think headstones), either one should be willing to drill and counter sink a hole for you at a minimal charge.

[Edward Snowden 0]

If you just had granite installed in your house, why not ask the granite contractor to drill the hole for you? Even if he were to charge you (which I would think is unlikely), it will be a lot less than a diamond bit

[vicente 0]

If you just had granite installed in your house, why not ask the granite contractor to drill the hole for you? Even if he were to charge you (which I would think is unlikely), it will be a lot less than a diamond bit

I would definitely charge at least the cost of a bit, the bits aren't cheap and you really don't get many holes drilled with one before it's off to the trashcan.

[Poopdeck 0]

I happen to have a friend who owns a granite yard so I asked him. He recommended anchoring a bolt or a stub in with anchoring cement. The kind that is used to anchor bolts into concrete. Apparently it expands and makes a tight fit. He also said granite is porous so epoxy would probably provide a strong bond as well.

 

For drilling, use a diamond core bit. Don't even try one of those tile spade bits. They don't even work on tile. The Bad news is a 3/8's diamond core bit will cost 15 bucks and will be shot after one hole. A 3/8's spacer is 5 bucks, a set screw is 50 cents so the good news is the base will only cost $20.50 which is far better then the 90 bucks they charge for one.

 

I may make one for testing. I could make some beer money on the finish product.

[vicente 0]

Out here Simpson epoxy is the standard for gluing in threaded rod for hold downs if you have to do it after the fact.

[SILKHDH 0]

I have made a bunch of these. The one with the J-vise was for Paul Beel of Franfenfly.com. I use a diamond core bit from ebay to drill the hole. Make it match the collet you intend to use. Make sure you constantly flood with water while drilling or you will burn up the bit. The hard part is making the collet. I have access to a machine shop to make my own, but I am not allowed to make parts for other people. I had an outside machinist make the ones I sell. All the ones I have are already glued in bases plus the guy I used is no longer in business. So I can't help you with getting a collet at this time. In case you were wandering. I use 30 minute 5 ton epoxy to glue to the base. Note: I have ridges cut into the collet for the epoxy to grap onto. The collet is not smooth. Kind of like the picture on flytire's post.

Then you will need to put something on the bottom. I use a type of rubber I buy in a huge sheet and contact cement it to the granite. DONE!

[Poopdeck 0]

There you have it. Thanks silky!

 

Machining is expensive if one does not have access to a machine shop. I just assembled a collet for a steel base that I plug welded to the base.

 

I simply purchased a 2" by 3/4" OD 3/8" ID machine bushing (5 bucks Ace Hardware.) I drilled a 13/64" hole in the side of the bushing, tapped the hole to 1/4" by 20 thread to accept a thumb screw, beveled one end of the 3/8" ID with a 1/2" drill bit, inserted a 3/8" stub in the beveled end, welded the stub shallow in the bushing, smoothed the weld with a hand file and inserted it into a 3/8" hole in the base and plug welded from the bottom of the steel base plate.

 

Same could be done by epoxying the stub into granite.