A way to hold those rods, tubes, shafts & flexes etc.

[785boats]

Just recently I realised how much I rely on these two devices for holding anything round while working on it, without damaging, scoring or crushing them.
They were given to me by my father years ago. He made them as an apprentice Fitter & Turner many years before that. Like back in the '40s.

I don't know what they are called, but was just wondering what other people use to hold tubing & rods etc to work on them.

They are simply a piece of 5/16" steel with a series of holes drilled in them and cut down the middle with a fine blade. One is Metric & the other is Imperial.
When held in a vice, the gap closes & holds even soft aluminium or brass tube tightly without crushing or scoring it.

I use them for cutting with hacksaw, dremel tool or ringing tool etc. Also for threading rods, & reaming out tubes. Even holding shaft stubs for grinding the flat spot for the drive dog grub screw.
They would be easy to make, the hardest thing being the saw cut. A fine blade in a band saw would do the trick.

Here's a few pics to show you what I mean.

[dmitry100]

Nice and nifty trick...

[ray schrauwen]

Flaring tool for fuel and brake lines. At least what I have is a flaring tool minus the part to make the flare.

Never thought of using it for holding round stock however I've seen them used with a carpet knife blade positioned so you could strip coated wire for scrapping.

May not be right but they look like the one I have.

[dasboata]

I like it nice idea !!!

[785boats]

They certainly do come in handy.

[Shooter]

Nice. I use V groove jaws on my machinists vice, but I like what you have there!

[785boats]

Thanks Pete.

I just accidentally came across these while looking for something else (drill bits that drill square holes actually) and thought they might be of interest.
A fine saw cut down the middle & it's done. But they are probably hadened steel, so it would take a special blade to cut them.
Scroll down a bit for different sizes.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0061FY004...8c9fbbd79135_S

But they are a great product for what they are origionaly designed for too.

[dmitry100]

You can easily make something like that out of a small piece of wood.

Make a couple of exact holes you want with a drill press and you're done.