Which vice?

[The Steamer]

So after window shopping for the past hour I'm still no the wiser as to which vice to buy!
Everything I see seems to be swivel base this rotate it around the sun 4 times kind of vice!

I'm after a half decent plain vice probably about 4" or so, unless you guys recommend otherwise
For the x2 mill.

[colin563]

I've got one similar to the 1st picture   

Been using it a couple of years no problems

http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Workholding/Machine-Vices

Cheers

Colin

[chipenter]

I have the 80mm second from the bottom , the top half comes off the base and can be used with no modification , milled a groove in mine and fitted a piece in a tight fit in the T slots , the jaws and the bottom all clocked up level and square .

[Arbalist]

http://chronos.ltd.uk/acatalog/Engineering_Menu_Other_Milling_Vices_98.html

I've got a SOBA similar to the ones half way down the page.

More information here:

http://www.shobha-india.com/precision-machine-vises/precision-machine-vises.html

[ParCan]

I also use the 2nd from the bottom.
80mm Radial Milling Vice.
Had to remake the strips under the slide. Not a big job.

As Chipinter says, just take the base off.
Some people put Dowels in the underside the same dia as the width of your table slots.

The Handle is also not the strongest, now use a spanner / wrench.

[John Rudd]

I use a Vertex......http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VERTEX-K4-SWIVEL-MACHINE-VICE-100MM-WIDE-JAWS-/350831283820?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item51af2c8e6c


You get what you pay for...

[AussieJimG]

I have a collection of vices of various types but the ones I use most often are a couple of rail vices that I made myself.

They set up in seconds with a simple square and clock to less than 0.03mm across the width of the jaws consistently.

If I need more accuracy, I can tap them with a soft faced hammer or fit soft jaws in the holes I tapped in the jaws and then run the cutter over them.

Perhaps I should do a build thread on them and put up the drawings.

Jim

[SwarfnStuff]

Hmm, Build log and drawings, Yes please Jim. Yours look much like the small one that came with my lathe milling attachment (for my 7x12 clone before I got my X2 mill). I find this a tad on the small side in the mill and would like to make or get something more substancial for bigger jobs. I guess I could copy and scale up from my exisitng one BUT. If you already have drawings? Plus I am sure others would benefit.
Thanks,
John B

[PekkaNF]

..... rail vices that I made myself.
.....
Perhaps I should do a build thread on them and put up the drawings.

Jim

Some details please.

1) How do you prevent jaw lift? I see that the jaw is pretty swallow to start with and the screw is relatively high. That does the trick?

2) Do you have bearing ball between moving jaw and the screw?

3) How did you machine slots on  top of rails and keys on the bottom (if any) of the rails parallel?

Very interesting.

Pekka

[Jonny]

Theres an element of anti jaw lift with these rebadged Vertex ones http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VERTEX-VA5-MILLING-MACHINE-VICE-5-130MM/350831281025?_trksid=p2047675.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D11%26meid%3D1357459160492080341%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D1005%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D350831283820%26#ht_681wt_1170

Paid £75 same size from JLS on a sell off after breaking the other types above. Poor mans Kurt.
Two cheap bearings £4 delivered, recently put on the lead screw to casting has transformed it.

[AussieJimG]

Ok, I have done it! I have posted my first thread.

Video and drawings for my milling vice are at: http://madmodder.net/index.php/topic,9057.0.html

Jim

[dsquire]

Jim

The first step is the biggest and the hardest. There'll be no stoping you now. 

I had a look at it Jim and it looks like it will do the job it is intended to do. 

Cheers 

Don

[AussieJimG]

Thanks Don, you are right: the first time is the hardest

Jim