Makera Z1 Low Profile Vise Stop

This is a simple vise stop designed for the Makera Z1 Low Profile Vise.

The idea is to take advantage of the threaded hole on the side of the vise to create a fixed and repeatable reference for the Y axis. This makes it easier to reposition stock in the same location between machining operations or when working with several identical parts.

Hardware

The stop is designed to be mounted using one of the extra M5x14 DIN 912 socket head screws supplied with the Makera Low Profile Vise.

This also means that the same Allen key used for the rest of the Low Profile Vise can be used to install and remove the stop, without requiring any additional tools.

Material

The uploaded project is based on 8 mm aluminium, simply because this was the material I already had available.

However, 8 mm is not a strict requirement.

Important: measure the actual thickness of your stock before machining and adjust the CAM accordingly. Do not assume that the nominal thickness of the material is its exact measured thickness.

Depending on your stock, you may need to adjust:

Stock thickness
Final cutting depth
Toolpath heights
Contour depth

The important dimensions are the position of the mounting hole and the reference face of the stop.

Check the screw head clearance

After machining the chamfers, check that the head of the M5 DIN 912 screw fits correctly into the machined recess before continuing or considering the part finished.

Depending on the tool used, the actual stock thickness and the resulting chamfer geometry, you may need to slightly adjust the machining operation to provide enough clearance for the screw head.

It is worth checking this directly with the screw before removing the setup or stock reference.

Workholding

For my part, I mounted the aluminium stock using double-sided tape on one of the Makera wooden sacrificial boards.

This makes it possible to machine the outer contour through the full thickness of the aluminium without needing to add tabs.

Using this method also avoids having to remove tab marks afterwards and leaves a cleaner finished profile.

As always, make sure the stock is securely fixed before starting the machining operation.

Purpose

Once installed, the stop creates a simple mechanical reference on the side of the Low Profile Vise.

This can be useful when:

Repositioning a part after removing it
Machining several identical parts
Flipping stock while maintaining a known reference
Repeating a setup later
Keeping a consistent Y-axis position between machining operations

It is a very small accessory, but it makes repetitive setups considerably easier.

Notes

This design was made specifically around the geometry of my Makera Z1 Low Profile Vise.

Before machining your own version, I recommend checking the dimensions of your vise and confirming that the mounting hole and available clearance match the model.

Always measure your own stock before machining and review the CAM settings accordingly. After machining the chamfers, also verify that the M5x14 DIN 912 screw head fits correctly and adjust the toolpath if necessary.

Makera Z1 Low Profile Vise Stop

Makera Z1 Low Profile Vise Stop

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Instructions

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