Thread: I need adVISE

Hi guys, I'm gonna buy one of these vises but I can't make up my mind which one.
You'll see one of them has a swivel base but I'd use it without the base. I don't need that as I already have a 4" swivel vise but it's got a few drill holes and needs new jaw plates. For the cost of new plates I can buy an entire vise so that's why I'm here asking.
If the need for swivel arises, I'll just put the old one on the table.

Have a look at these and tell me pros and cons and what you think.
I can see a con with both styles. One of them needs some sort of table clamp system, the other has flanges sticking out from the sides so you can't get in close to the jaws to measure from the table up or get a jack in close etc.
I think I'm more inclined to go the non swivel one because of it's size and it looks neat.

Precision Milling Machine Vice 4" with swing base_Machine Tool Access._M&G Productions

High Quality 4" Precision CNC Machine Vise, nodular cast iron_Machine Tool Access._M&G Productions

Hi Phaser,

I've had one of the first ones you link to, that is a good price ! I sent mine back. The vice on the base wasn't truly square. As you rotated it the angle varied. Either the base wasn't square or the swivel surface wasn't. And the drive key didn't fit properly.

I replaced it with a so called tool makers precision vise, much better and almost no jaw lift. I don't know about the second one you linked to.

If you look on the ARC Euro web site under precision vises, the 90 mm one is the one I bought. I'm quite happy with this one. I did mount it on a precision ground plate with a key underneath so that I can just lift it on and off the mill table. There is no provision for a locating bar on mine, which is why I used a plate. The only downside of using a plate is that it vacuums itself to the mill table making it very hard to lift it off.

I have one of the swivel ones (first link), but the swivel base lives in the back of a cupboard. I am quite happy with it. It has a slot machined in the underside to accept a locating bar that drops into the mill table slot.
The second one you linked looks good, but it might be worth finding out if it has a locating slot machined in the underside. It does make setup much quicker and easier.

Originally Posted by OLCDOG

I have one of the swivel ones (first link), but the swivel base lives in the back of a cupboard. I am quite happy with it. It has a slot machined in the underside to accept a locating bar that drops into the mill table slot.
The second one you linked looks good, but it might be worth finding out if it has a locating slot machined in the underside. It does make setup much quicker and easier.

Yes the second one has locations underneath, for sideways and longways.
I'm drawn towards that one but I wish it came with table clamps.

If you go with either of these and decide to use the locating lugs or fit your own, you will need to make sure that they fit all of your Tee slots in your table as well as making sure that they fit along your table at all locations.
In your comments about the flange or base of the vice not allowing you to use jacks I don't really understand as generally you wouldn't be using a jack that close to the vice.

I bought one of the swivel base type (100mm) from Ausee tools about 2 years ago. So far I've been real happy with it. I had to lightly stone all the machined/ground edges as they were sharp and the handle is a sloppy fit on the spindle (its got an "as cast" hex socket in it).
When I first got it I put a dial on the top of the moving jaw and the needle hardly moved when I tightened it up.
A little bit more money than yours and also out of stock atm.
Having said all that, a lot can change in 2 years so who knows what they are like now? A bit of a lucky dip unfortunately.
Whatever you buy I hope you get a good one.
peter

Originally Posted by pipeclay

If you go with either of these and decide to use the locating lugs or fit your own, you will need to make sure that they fit all of your Tee slots in your table as well as making sure that they fit along your table at all locations.
In your comments about the flange or base of the vice not allowing you to use jacks I don't really understand as generally you wouldn't be using a jack that close to the vice.

Well you see, my table has 4 slots but the depth of it isn't enough to mount the swivel base front to back, so cos I have to mount it sideways the closest I could get a jack under lighter material is about 4" away from the jaws. Maybe that's usually ok but I'm just thinking if the part needs extra support. That's going by the vise I have now.

Mind you, I've been turning for 45 years but only 6 months at milling. I guess I'm an experienced beginner eh ?

I've got the 4" swivel base one which I use with the base attached on my old Van Norman mill (but have never needed to swivel it), and also the 6" model which I'm using on my bigger mill without the base. Happy with both.
I haven't actually put them on the surface plate and run an indicator over them, but parts seem to come out square so they must be pretty reasonable.

I tossed up whether to get the base-less style when I bought the 6", but it was almost twice the price so decided to stay with the base type and buy some other tooling.

Steve