Low profile vise?

You have a point. The other thing the mod vise has that should be included in the vise that C.B posted is the wedge shape to the hold down part of the of vise body and back plate. The TeCo toe clamps I got off eBay have the hold down slots ramped. If you don't have the bolt at the bottom of the ramp, they slide. But if at the bottom of the ramp it wedges itself as you tighten the clamp to the part and doesn't budge. Now that I think of it none of the two piece vises have that wedge ramp the mod vise has.........good eye!
 
The wedge angles can be done using a 3D step down if you don't feel like setting up an angle vise or sine bars. A fine stepover results in some pseudo-serrations (see mine) that grip quite well but don't interfere with fine adjustment.
 
I'm not the sharpest guy but it seems to me the steps would not give wedge effect that mod vise has or the TeCo toe clamps have.
 
My .02¢; I don't know width of slots in toe clamps. But if there is room for commercial [heat-treated 60Rc] self aligning washers the clamping will increase markedly. If they don't get some W1 water hardening tool steel in diameter that does fit, your lathe radius attachment and little work you'll have home brewed equivalents.
Here's a descriptive enough link. Ignore the pricing, there is a wide range.
 
Those are some cool washers fer sure TM. But I would guess it's going to depend on what the angle is of the clamp ramp on the vise. In looking at those washers there is obviously only so far they can go before the bolt would hit the side of the base of the washer no? On the TeCo toe clamps the slot is just big enough for the socket head bolt to fit into so I don't think there's any room for washers at all.

The other thing I noticed is I got stuck thinking of mounting on t-slots which my mill, lathe and shaper have. I don't have tooling plate like Spumco has so you don't necessarily have worry about slippage as with a t-slot.
 
I'm not the sharpest guy but it seems to me the steps would not give wedge effect that mod vise has or the TeCo toe clamps have.
If the steps are about 0.005" tall/wide and made with a ball-nose endmill it works just like a flat-surface wedge. The clamp bar has a matching fine serration pattern on the underside.

Better view of mine below. This was all machined in the flat position.
20181125_204310.jpg20181119_230223.jpg
 
I don't have tooling plate like Spumco has so you don't necessarily have worry about slippage as with a t-slot.
Slippage might be a problem on the fixed jaw but is unlikley on the adjustable jaw. The wedge action will tend to tighten the adjustable end's grip on the table if subjected to side/skidding forces.

Plus there is quite a bit of surface area in contact with the table, unlike the typical brass hex cam-action clamps or wedge-style toe clamps. The anti-sliding grip could be enhanced with a bit of sandpaper between the table and the vise jaws. Raising the vise sections on some thin paper wouldn't hurt the repeatability/positioning as the parts sit on floating parallels (which should not be on paper, of course).
 
If the steps are about 0.005" tall/wide and made with a ball-nose endmill it works just like a flat-surface wedge. The clamp bar has a matching fine serration pattern on the underside.

Better view of mine below. This was all machined in the flat position.
View attachment 303932View attachment 303933
Interesting. I would call them scallops more than serrations. Whatever, I'm glad you clarified that though! I would think that would make several little ramps between the vise and the clamp plate and hold really good. But that's just a WAG. But once again victory and failure are all in the little details that can easily escape attention.
 
Yea, 'serrations' might be generous. Either way, these don't take fussy setups to make.
 
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