So here is my 2 cents worth on the vise issue...

[JimReed@Tallahassee]

Is it a vice to have too many vises? I have quite a few in my shop but needed another for smaller projects. I was lucky to find a small EMCO (from Austria) that just fit the bill. Extra lucky for me that the clamp shoe was MIA and that flaw apparently caused many to pass it by. I came up with a fix that cost only two cents.



After checking with the US Mint, I found that drilling a hole in a US penny is not illegal unless there is intent to defraud. Reasoning that there is no fraud in an honest repair, I proceeded to drill an undersized hole in a zinc penny. I placed the hole on top of the pin and forced the penny home by tightening the screw against a scrap of wood. Then I hot glued another penny to cover. It holds everything in place and also serves as a flexible gasket. Now I have a sweet little vise for those undersized projects.



It arrived in pretty good shape for its age (100 yrs?). I brushed off crud and oiled the screws. The handle required a little straightening. After the re-shoe, it is ready to go back to work.

[C. in Indy]

Great job! Takes ingenuity to squeeze value from a penny like that....

[eg54string]

Great tip. Thanks.

[Stwood_]

Nice fix!

[Steve N]

I'd put my $0.02 in, but looks like you already did

Nice fix

[tim_leo]

Worth every penny...

[Herb G]

JimReed@Tallahassee said:

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After checking with the US Mint, I found that drilling a hole in a US penny is not illegal unless there is intent to defraud.

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Sure you did. I want to see the paperwork involved with that exchange.

[Stwood_]

Herb G said:

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[blockquote]JimReed@Tallahassee said:

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After checking with the US Mint, I found that drilling a hole in a US penny is not illegal unless there is intent to defraud.

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Sure you did. I want to see the paperwork involved with that exchange.

---

[/blockquote]


So

[JimReed@Tallahassee]

Herb G said:

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[blockquote]JimReed@Tallahassee said:

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After checking with the US Mint, I found that drilling a hole in a US penny is not illegal unless there is intent to defraud.

---

Sure you did. I want to see the paperwork involved with that exchange.

---

[/blockquote]

I am always willing to share information. Many people are ignorant of the power of internet research. Here is the link:
US Mint FAQ

And here is the reference that I used:

Can I melt, drill holes through, or mutilate U.S. coins?

Maybe. It is a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 331 to alter a U.S. or foreign coin with the intent to defraud. The United States Mint cannot issue interpretations of criminal statutes such as this, which fall within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Justice. Furthermore, 31 C.F.R. Part 82 states that no person shall export, melt or treat any 5-cent coin or one-cent coin of the United States. However, there are a few exceptions such as for novelty, amusement, educational, jewelry and similar purposes. Your business should consult with an attorney to ensure it does not run afoul of these laws before melting or mutilating U.S. coins.

Of course, in the new world of the internet, there is no "paperwork". More of our lives are being run electronically. Answers to complex questions are often just a few clicks away. It is truly an amazing world that we live in. Yet, I still prefer to spend time in my shop turning perfectly good wood into fluffy wood shavings.

[Herb G]

I was just yanking your chain.