I designed and made a low profile vise for my CNC a few years back, but it needed a handle that would stay on but come off when needed,

As I was looking through the wood scraps I have I came across a high density rather heavy piece of white oak that needed a use.

And so was born this closed end wrench handle for my CNC vise.

One the vise:

Modeled it after an adjustable crescent wrench I'd been using that had been a poor handle to tighten the vise with. 

Coated it inside and out with some Deft to seal the pores.  

"Amateur Mechanic 18mm" is carved on one side. 

"4DTs Low Profile Vise Handle" is carved on the other side. 

Stays on nicely.  Works like a charm.  Can slip off with a little wiggling when I need to rotate it down so the CNC won't bump into it. 

4D

Made this one for the bubinga bench vise I made several years ago that needed a new handle. 

Cut from an old piece of 18mm Baltic Birch plywood. The wrench slips over a nut that is pinned onto the shaft. Old wood handle split and fell off a few years back. 

4D

Both are cool! Baltic birch should hold up well under torque 

7 hours ago, lew said:

Both are cool! Baltic birch should hold up well under torque 

Yep.   I didn't realize how weathered the top face of the Baltic Birch scrap was until I took photos of it.   Shouldn't matter though.  I've now put a couple coats of brush-on lacquer on it. 

4D

For anyone that wants to make optimum pockets for hex nuts I've documented the drafting steps I use in a new post on my blog:

Hex Nut Pockets.

Aspire/Vcarve have excellent drafting tools that make these fairly easy and quick to draw up.  Both handles above needed pockets to slip over hex nuts. 

For small nuts I usually don't add any allowance for the pocket and can press the nuts in.   For the larger pockets on the wrenches I added a .003" allowance so they would slip on and off easily. 

4D  

Iteration.  The wrench handle for my garage vise has worked OK, but frequent use has pointed out that it had a few design flaws.

First, the fit is so tight that it isn't easy or quick to remove.  Second is that it is tall enough that it sticks above the vise when vertical and as such poses a challenge to use when I've got anything to clamp that would overhang the front. 

So last night my dreams finally suggested a solution and a new project to work on.   Meet wrench handle #2:

 

The new one, made from a heavy chunk of white oak, has a fit that goes on and comes off easily.  It also bend out of the way of overhanging projects.

My CNC took care of one side of it.  The other side tool a little work on my router table and drill press.  Render from Aspire:

 

Next project will be a dome to slip over the end of the vise bar.  I've scraped my thigh on it enough to decide it needs "fixing"   I'll add a magnet in the hole so it will stay attached.

4D

Edited November 1, 2025Nov 1 by 4DThinker

That’s really a cool idea/design. 

Awesome 4D; Great solution with a sleek look. 

All done.  Some teak oil finish to seal and warm up the white oak.

 

That's really cool!!