WoodenuKnow.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and may earn from qualifying purchases.
Keeping a steady hold on your workpiece is the most difficult part of drilling holes in metal. Even with a drill press vice on the table, it is nearly impossible to drill a perfectly perpendicular hole while your piece is spinning.
One way around this problem is using a cross-slide drill press vise. Most cross slide drill presses can’t handle the maximum stress of drilling into steel. Only the best cross slide drill press vise can handle it.
With these high quality cross slide vises, you can clamp the workpiece firmly against both sides of the material using parallel bars that move on the drill press table. In this article, we will show you the top 8 cross slide drill press vise and help you choose the right one for your needs.
HFS(R) Cross Slide Vise
TEXALAN Cross Slide Drill Press Vises
AMYAMY Cross Sliding Drill Press Vise
Top 8 Reviews on the Best Cross Slide Drill Press Vise
You need a vise that can handle drilling in both directions but doesn’t want to spend a fortune. The size of something you get shouldn’t be too big or too small. It can be tough finding the right drill press vise that can do everything you need it to.
Therefore, we listed some cross slide drill press vises for home use that come with features that are almost for professionals’ use. If you are looking for an accurate cross slide drill press vise on the market, this review will be very useful to you.
1. HFS(R) Cross Slide Vise
If you are looking for a tool for precision milling machines and drilling, look no further than this cross slide vise. It has a cross slide that allows for horizontal movement and a vise that can be moved up and down to accommodate different workpieces.
This machine comes with heavy-duty cast iron construction and is built to be durable. It’s perfect for the home workshop or professional shop. With a jaw width of 3 inches, this vise is suitable for a wide range of applications.
Its highest quality materials prevent it from minimal bending. The HFS(R) Cross Slide Vise is a top-quality milling vise that attributes perfectly aligned, precision-gowned jaws.
Whenever woodworking or metalworking is required, this cross slide vise can be used. It comes in blue color. The vise is designed to provide a stable and secure work surface while you are working. You can attach it to a bench or table that makes it ideal for precision work.
It has a 2-3/8 inches throat opening and 4 inches longitudinal and 4.5 inches cross travel, making it quick and easy to use. Plus, the jaw width helps you clamp down on even the largest pieces.
The vise and cross slide have adjustable shims, making custom adjustments easy, while the cross slides have 2 removable adjusting crank handles for easy use.
With the serrated jaws and cold rolled steel screws, the vise remains in place while providing a heavy-duty grip. The cross slide feature allows the user to move the workpiece in all directions, making it a versatile tool for any project.
It is perfect for holding workpieces whilst they are being machined. The bolt down slots provide a secure hold, and the hinged vise crank handles drop out of the way.
Highlighted Features:
- Great tool for precision milling and drilling
- Comes with heavy-duty cast iron construction
- This vise has a jaw width of 3 inches
- Prevents minimum bending
- Have 2 removable adjusting crank handles
2. TEXALAN Cross Slide Drill Press Vises
Are you looking for a vise for your drill press that gives you the freedom to work in any position? Then you should consider this cross slide vise from Texalan. It is a completely new designed cross slide vise that gives you the advantage of adjustable clamping pressure.
This cross sliding vise is perfect for machinists, fabricators, and hobbyists. Its drill press compound vise allows for precise milling. The vise also has a built-in stop block that ensures accurate drilling operations every time.
With its precise moving slides, the cross slide vises are a must-have for any workshop. It is made with durable cast iron construction and has powerful serrated steel jaws that can clamp onto any work piece. The size of the jaw is 4 inches wide, and the screws are made of cold rolled steel to ensure durability.
The TEXALAN Cross Slide Drill Press Vises are ideal for woodworkers and metalworkers. Its hinged vise crank handles drop out of the way, making it easy to adjust the front-to-back and left-to-right positions. Additionally, the bolt down slots allow you to secure the vise in place for greater stability.
It is the perfect tool for machining wood and metal parts with high precision and quality. The vise can be attached to a drill press, lathe, or other tools as needed to hold workpieces in the exact location needed.
You can use this vise for a lot of things. With a 2-3/8 inches throat opening and 4 inches longitudinal and 4.5 inches cross travel, it can accommodate a variety of machining projects.
Highlighted Features:
- Cast iron construction makes it durable
- Has a built-in stop block that ensures accurate drilling
- Has powerful serrated steel jaws
- The screws are made of cold rolled steel
- A great choice for woodworkers and metalworkers
- The hinged vise crank handles drop out of the way
3. AMYAMY Cross Sliding Drill Press Vise
AMYAMY is a well-known brand in the machine tools market. It has a variety of products that are well-received by machinists. It added a new machine tool product to their lineup: a cross slide vise.
With a cross travel of 3.12″, this vise can accommodate a wide range of projects, while the longitudinal travel of 2.61″ ensures that the vise can be easily adjusted to the desired position. Moreover, the 2.73-inch maximum jaw opening allows a variety of materials to be securely held in place.
The AMYAMY Cross Sliding Drill Press Vise is perfect for any workshop or garage. It is perfect for use with a drill press, allowing for accurate and precise drilling. The hand wheels are marked with precise 0.1 mm increments, so you can be sure that your work is always precise.
Additionally, the 2-way X-Y compound vise makes it easy to achieve the perfect angle on your work. The cross slide adjustment in X direction is 80mm, while the Y direction adjustment is 67mm, allowing for great flexibility and precision when working on projects.
With two swivel crank handles, it can be moved from front to back and left to right, and it has bolt-down holes for securing it in place. The hand wheel has an adjustable scale so you can measure the thickness of your workpieces.
It is made of the highest quality aluminum alloy to reduce the chances of bending. The adjustable gibs help keep the vise in place during use.
Highlighted Features:
- Allows accurate and precise drilling
- The hand wheels are marked with 0.1 mm increments
- Come with two swivel crank handles
- Has bolt-down holes for securing it in place
- The hand wheel has an adjustable scale
- 2-way X-Y compound vise helps to get the perfect angle
4. Shop Fox Drill Press Cross Slide Vise
If you’re looking for a great drill vise that features a cross slide, then you should definitely consider this machine from Shop Fox.
The cross-sliding vise is perfect for holding your workpiece steady while you drill or saw. It has an anvil face with grooves and smooth jaws that provide maximum gripping power. Plus, the cross slide allows you to move the workpiece in any direction you need.
When tightened, the jaws of this vise do not turn because of an exclusive slide bar. Both the top and bottom slides are equipped with adjustable gibs that take up any slack. You can cut keyways and do light milling jobs on your drill press with this vise.
It has a capacity of up to 4 inches, and its overall height is 5-1/4 inches. This vise is ideal for use with a milling machine and lathe.
The Shop Fox drill press cross slide vise is an extremely handy tool to have in your workshop. With a jaw width of 4 inches and an opening of 3-3/4 inches, it can handle a variety of different tasks. The bottom slide travel of 4 inches ensures that you’ll be able to get the job done quickly and easily.
With a top slide travel of 4 inches, this vise is perfect for larger projects, and it’s heavy at 22 lbs of clamping force. Whether you’re a hobbyist or a professional, this vise is sure to come in handy for all of your drilling needs.
Highlighted Features:
- Has a capacity of up to 4 inches
- The cross slide allows moving the workpiece in any direction
- Prevents the jaws from turning when tightened
- Equipped with adjustable gibs that take up any slack
- Top slide travel of 4 inches
- Bottom slide has a travel of 4 inches
5. Wilton Cross Slide Drill Press Vise
If you’re looking for a vise that will help you get the perfect angle for your workpiece, the cross slide vise is a great option. Its cast side knobs make it easy to dial in .1mm increments, giving you the best fit every time.
Plus, the horizontal and longitudinal movement allows you to get precise positioning for your project. This Wilton Cross Slide Drill Press Vise can handle up to 4 inches of material and has a cross slide that makes it easy to move the workpiece around.
For any workshop, this cross slide vise is an ideal choice. It is made of heavy-duty alloy steel construction with fine-grain cast iron castings, making it stable and durable. Also, it has a durable base with five bolt lugs for easy mounting to a machine table.
It is a versatile tool that can be used for a variety of purposes. The V-groove jaw can grip round objects horizontally as well as vertically, making it ideal for a variety of tasks.
Using the cross slide, you can move the vise along two axes, making it easy to drill or tap a workpiece repeatedly. The vise is also reversible, so you can use it for both drilling and milling operations.
Highlighted Features:
- Made of heavy duty alloy steel for durability
- Fine-grain cast iron castings for stability
- Allows you to move the vise along two axes for greater precision
- Horizontal and longitudinal movement allows getting the perfect angle
- Grip round objects horizontally and vertically with the V-groove jaw
6. Drealin Slide Vise for Drill Press
Looking for a perfect tool that can be easily adjusted to different angles? You can try this vise from Drealin.
Its two-axis slides make it the ideal vise for mounting drill brackets and mini drill mills. With its stable base, this vise is sure to be a valuable addition to any workshop.
The Drealin Slide Vise for Drill Press is a great addition to your drill press. With its adjustable dovetail slot, it can ensure minimum space. This makes it a suitable tool for precision work. Since it is made of aluminum alloy, it is strong and durable.
It allows for precision adjustment in both the X and Y directions. This is accomplished with hand wheels that are marked with 0.1 mm increments for maximum accuracy.
The device also has an adjustable range of 80mm in the X direction and 67mm in the Y direction, making it perfect for use with a wide variety of drill presses. It has a hand wheel with an adjustable scale so that you can find the right fit, and the maximum jaw opening is 2.73 inches.
Highlighted Features:
- Cross slide table allows for two-axis adjustments
- Ideal vise for drill bracket series and mini drill mills
- Made of aluminum alloy
- Has adjustable dovetail slot
- Hand wheels marked with 0.1 mm increments
- The maximum jaw opening is 2.73 inches
7. Goplus Cross Slide Drill Press Vise
This Goplus Cross Slide Drill Press Vise is a great addition to any workshop. It is perfect for holding workpieces in place while drilling or milling.
With the cross slide, it’s easy to get a perfect position. This vise is made of heavy-duty cast steel so that it can handle even the toughest jobs.
It has shims that allow fine adjustment, which means that you can precisely position your workpiece. The horizontal and longitudinal movement of the vise makes it easy to get the job done accurately.
With a chrome handle and cold-rolled steel screws, the tool allows precise centering. The bolt down slots make it secure, so you can work with confidence.
It’s easy to attach to any drill press table and has multiple mounting lugs. The removable handles make it easy to slide on and off.
Moreover, it comes with a large set of handle-mounting hardware. The adjustable vise jaw is great for holding wood, metal, and plastic pieces.
Highlighted Features:
- Heavy-duty cast steel construction
- Cross slide provides 2-way movement
- Has fine adjustment with shims
- Horizontal and longitudinal movement
- Machined cold-rolled steel screws
- Chrome handle provides exact centering
- Bolt down slots for secure working
8. MYOYAY XY Vise for Drill Press
Do you really feel headaches about setting up the vise on the table of your drill press? Are you looking for something which is easy to operate and can adjust according to your needs? To meet such a demand, MYOYAY has made a vise.
This is a great vise for the drill press! It has a 6 inch capacity, and the X-Y compound movement allows for precision drilling and milling. It’s perfect for any shop or garage!
This vise is made of powder coated cast iron for high hardness. It’s a great tool for any workshop, as it comes with cold rolled steel screws and chrome handles for exact centering and accurate drilling.
It features a manual adjustment which makes it easy to slide and use with little effort. Additionally, there are mounting holes at the bottom that make it easy to mount it firmly in place.
It has a universal design, so it’s compatible with most drill presses. This vise is also very sturdy and can handle a lot of weight. It has a smooth sliding action.
The MYOYAY XY Vise for Drill Press is perfect for precision workpiece movement in horizontal and longitudinal directions. The vise has adjustable shims for fine adjustment, so the workpiece is held tightly in place while you work.
The color of the vise is an elegant black that looks great with any work station. It’s perfect to use at home or in a shop!
Highlighted Features:
- Cast iron for high hardness
- Comes with cold rolled steel screws
- Has chrome handles for exact centering and accurate drilling
- Universal design is compatible with most drill presses
- Mounting holes at the bottom mount it firmly in place
This is our list of the best drill press vises. Now that you’re acquainted with our top options. These tools will be the foremost fit for your workbench.
Factors to Consider When Buying the Best Cross Slide Drill Press Vise
You need a cross slide vise that can handle the most demanding projects. A regular drill press vise just won’t do when you’re working on a tough project. You need something that’s built to handle the most challenging tasks.
The best cross slide drill press vise is just what you’re looking for. That’s why you need to know what makes a vise better than other vises. Here are the factors to consider when buying a drill vise:
Material:
The material that your tool is made of will have an effect on how it performs. Look for cross slide vises that are machined from powder coated cast iron or steel. If you are looking for the best cross slide vise for your workbench, you should consider one that’s made of hard wearing material.
The best cross slide drill press vise is durable enough for any task you’ll be working on. Look for one that will handle extended use and has a sturdy design to ensure it lasts for years in your workshop.
Size:
Your cross slide vise needs to be the appropriate size for your workbench. Make sure you know what size it is and that it’ll provide the space you need when working on a project. It would be best if you bought a lightweight cross slide vise so that you could easily carry it.
Adjustments:
The best cross slide vise is adjustable. Look for something that has universal mounting holes and features an X-Y compound movement with fine adjustment shims. You want to be able to adjust your workpiece for a precision milling machine and drilling.
Handles:
A new cross slide vise will come with some handles or knobs on them. Look for something with chrome handles that make centering easy and provide a sturdy grip.
Cross-slide Travel:
The cross slide drill press vise has to move across the table in order to give you enough room to work on your project. Look for something that can move smoothly across the table and provide a firm grip on your workpiece.
Jaw Width:
This will determine how wide of a piece you can work on with your drill press vise. The best vise jaws are about 2-1/4 inches, but this is something that could vary depending on the model you choose.
Adjustable Scale:
The best drill press vises come with adjustable scales to help you obtain the most accurate measurements when working on a project.
Included Work Clamp:
Some drill press vises will come with a work clamp that’ll hold your piece in place while you work. This is great for safeguarding against injury and achieving precision results because it holds your workpiece tightly in place.
Adjustable Shims:
Some cross slide vises include adjustable shims to help you find the right fit when working on a project at hand. You need to make sure your vise has these since they’re ideal for getting the best results in your work.
Throat Depth:
The throat depth is how much room you have between your drill press vise and its base. You need to be sure you have this much room for your project. Most models have a 2-1/2 inches depth, but variations do exist so it’s best to check the specifications of the model you’re thinking about purchasing.
Ease of Use:
You need a drill press vise that’s easy to use. You don’t want to have to spend half your day trying to figure out how it works. Look for one that slides smoothly across the table and offers a sturdy grip on your workpiece at all times.
The best drill press vise will be one that you’re comfortable using and works well with the projects you need it for.
Brand:
It’s best to invest in a drill press vise that comes from a reputable brand. You need something that will be durable, easy to use, and of high quality. Look for brands like HFS(R), TEXALAN, AMYAMY to ensure you purchase the best cross slide drill press vise possible.
Price:
The price you pay for your drill press vise should be relative to the amount of work it can do. Look for high quality cross slide vises that are priced slightly higher, but provide more versatility so you can use them on any project.
Types of Drill Press Vises
There are three types of drill press vises you’ll be able to choose from. These include sliding vises, standard or flat vises, and tilting angle vises. Each of these can be great for certain projects, but it’s best to choose one that fits your particular work habits and the type of jobs you need it for.
Sliding Vises:
Sliding vises are ideal for heavy-duty projects and are preferred over other vises. They move across the table very smoothly, but also provide a sturdy grip on your workpiece at all times. You’ll have to drill pilot holes to mount it in place so make sure you know where you want it before purchasing since this type of vise doesn’t swivel.
Standard or Flat Vises:
The standard drill press vise is designed for smaller projects and provides a very firm grip on your work piece. The piece you’re working on will be clamped in between the flat jaws of this type of vise, so it can’t hold big pieces.
However, you’ll have to use pilot holes to mount it, and since it doesn’t swivel, you’ll have to adjust your workpiece before you can use it.
Tilting Angle Vises:
The tilting angle drill press vise gives you a variety of options when working on projects at hand. It’s often used for smaller projects because the jaws don’t hold your piece in place as firmly as with other models.
You’ll also need to use pilot holes when mounting this type of vise, and since it doesn’t swivel, you may have trouble with your project lying flat on the table when working on it.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: How to Mount a Drill Press Vise?
A: First, you’ll need to choose the vise that’s right for your workbench and purchase it. Once you have your new drill press vise, make sure you set up your drill press and prepare it for use.
You can use a wrench or socket to remove the existing vise if your press did not come with one. Keep in mind that some presses have more than one vise, so pay attention to which bolt you’re removing.
Once the old vise is removed, put on your safety glasses and clear off any debris from your workbench. Place the drill press where it needs to go, making sure it’s facing the right direction.
Put in the bolts, you removed earlier and tighten them, so your drill press vise is securely fastened to your workbench. This will depend on your particular model, so make sure you’re following all of the instructions for mounting your new drill press vise to ensure that it’s properly installed.
Q: How are Drill Presses Measured?
A: Typically, drill presses are measured by swing, which represents two times the throat distance.
A drill press can either be measured in inches or millimeters, depending on the model you have. If you’re not sure which one your drill press is, check the specifications for your model to find out, or contact the company.
If it’s measured in inches, the throat depth is how much room you have between your drill press vise and its base. If it’s measured in millimeters, then the throat depth is how far you can go into the workpiece with your drill bit before you hit your vise.
Q: How Heavy is a Cross Slide Vise?
A: The weight of a cross slide vise is relative to its size and model. But you should be able to carry most models with one hand.
Q: Can You Mill with a Drill Press?
A: Yes, you can mill with a drill press. Whether you’re milling on a smaller or larger scale, you can use your drill press to mill wood, metal, glass, and other materials that are flat.
Q: Can I Use a Normal Bench Vise For a Drill Press?
A: You can’t use just any vise for your drill press because the jaws found on a vise for your workbench are generally too far apart to allow you to mill items. You should look for drill press vises that have wide jaws spaced closer together.
Conclusion:
A reliable drill press vise can make or break your next craft project. If you want to be able to drill and mill the perfect piece, then it’s worth choosing the best cross slide drill press vise.
This will ensure you have enough room to maneuver your project and that it’s held tightly in place while you work. There’s a lot to consider when buying the best drill press vise for your home or garage workshop.
Take your time, look carefully at what you need, and invest in high-quality equipment that will last you for years. Our top pick will help you get more work done in less time when it comes to finding the right cross slide drill press vise.
