News And Updates

The Patented CARVEsmart quick-change vice jaw system from America, available exclusively in the UK from workholding specialist, Leader Chuck Systems, has recently been expanded. The range now includes a fully accessorised 4 inch tool steel master jaw set; SMARTstop for repetitive set-ups; PERMAjaw, a flip-over ductile cast iron jaw; two new extruded aluminium profiles and new cut-to-any-length flip-over extrusions. Designed for production and toolroom applications, the expanded CARVEsmart system can replace the often cumbersome, conventional method of attaching vice jaws to a vice using face mounted cap screws.

The CARVEsmart MJSSG4 4 inch 4140 ground tool steel master jaw set has been designed for production work. Ground flat and parallel within 5 micron this high quality set is fully accessorised with all SMARTstop options and accepts all CARVEsmart cut-to-length jaw stock.

SMARTstop is a highly repeatable, front loading, internal to the jaw, vertical slot and dowel pin location system included in 4” and 6” CARVEsmart steel ground master jaw sets. Step and carved jaws will repeat +/- 7.5 micron when replaced in the original master jaw. Operators can dowel pin the aluminium jaws ready to be reused or purchase SMARTstopped (pre-pinned) 4” and 6” jaws in all five aluminium profiles, 1018 or ductile cast iron jaws.

PERMAjaw is a SMARTstopped, ductile cast iron jaw set available in 4 and 6 inch. It is 19mm wide by 43mm high and can be flipped over to expose a fresh face. Able to repeat in the same master jaw to +/- 7.5 micron PERMAjaw is an ideal solution for recurring jobs, with the ability to have a profile on both sides of the (flipped) jaw.

“CARVEsmart offers the most complete dovetailed quick-change vice jaw system and provides a number of benefits. While conventional vices attach the jaws to the face of master jaws via cap screws, the CARVEsmart system uses master jaws with a female dovetail profile designed to accept vice jaws with a male dovetail profile. So, the jaws can be front-loaded or slid into the side of the master jaws, and are secured via clamping elements accessible at the top of the master jaws. With no face mounting cap screws to avoid the soft jaw extruded stock is fully machinable, making inexpensive cut to any length vice jaws,” explains Managing Director Mark Jones.

Jaws are removed by loosening, but not removing, three channelled clamping elements in the top of each master jaw. As the clamping elements are located at the top of the master jaws, it is not necessary to open the vice as might be required to access cap screws in a conventional vice configuration. A CARVEsmart jaw can be changed in less than one minute.

Mark Jones concludes: “Re-cutting the female form with each part run matches the jaw and vice perfectly to the spindle. CARVEsmart dramatically reduces set-up time, improves set-up reliability and quality. This makes the system ideal for workshops that change vice jaws often; running recurring, tight tolerance work.”