New vice – is it too large?

[Ross Lloyd 1Participant @rosslloyd1]

[Ross Lloyd 1Participant @rosslloyd1]

Hi

I just ordered this vice from chronos. Its a very nice 6 inch vice. I wondered though, once I had it in my hands, is it a mite big? Or perfectly acceptable for a mill the size of the Warco WM18?

Cheers gents

Edited By Ross Lloyd 1 on 31/05/2018 18:35:30

[Tim StevensParticipant @timstevens64731]

It is a bit on the large size, but remember, you can hold small stuff in a big vice, but big stuff won't go in a small one.

The only 'down side' might be if you need to use in in conditions where the length (or height etc) gets in the way.

Regards, Tim

PS What do I know anyway?

[Ross Lloyd 1Participant @rosslloyd1]

Hi Tim,

Yes good point. I definitely wanted the 6 inch length as I have already been doing some jobs on other machines that need that (admittedly it was a full size bridgeport though). Is it possible that the weight of it could distort the table, or am I worrying over nothing?

There is quite a lot of z travel left in that axis, I guess also if I run out of room I can just take it off and clamp the piece to the table?

Thanks again!

[Ross Lloyd 1Participant @rosslloyd1]

Hm Just found this piccie online, maybe this is one of our members He seems to be coping ok and thats a whopper. Maybe I will be alright

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Take it off the swivel base to start with which will take up less table and reduce the overall height, put it in a cupboard and forget about it as you are only likely to use it once in a blue moon.

Biggest problem with a large vice are 1. obscures y=axis handwheel dial. 2. can need mounting on the front tee slot if the tool is to clear the rear jaw when machining in Y direction which puts a lot of weight off one face of teh table and can make it harder turning the X handle.

[Ross Lloyd 1Participant @rosslloyd1]

Hi Jason

Yeah taking it off the base will certainly give a bit more room and lessen the weight. I bought one because at the club I go to, the vice seems to be on the mill permanently. Its a big old bridgeport mill that gets a fair bit of use. Some of the members felt it was a good idea to get one, do you find that you have little need for one?

Cheers

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Only used the swivel once or twice in 10 years

[Ross Lloyd 1Participant @rosslloyd1]

Ah I misunderstood, you meant specifically the swivel as opposed to the whole vice itself! Cheers

[Brian GParticipant @briang]

My son has a similar size vice to yours on his Sieg mill. I suggested he didn't fit the swivel until he really needs to use it partly to get extra headroom, but mostly because it removes any temptation to set it up using the scale on the base instead of a dial gauge

Brian

[Neil LickfoldParticipant @neillickfold44316]

I am making a sub plate for my vice and rotary table etc. For the Vice, it will have some dowel positions so I can quickly have it parallel or set to 15, 30,45 deg. As I have a ZX45 mill, the plate will allow the holding things like teh vice and rotary table to be further forward on the table, so the cross slide is always in full contact area on the machine. If I have the vice mounted on the middle T slot, the edge of the back jaw centre line means that the cross slide is no longer on the full engagement. I guess it is an idiosyncrasy of my mill. I also have the vice and rotary table switched compared to how you have yours, mainly due the restriction of the vice to the rotary table handle. This is another reason for making sub plates. The I can quickly add or remove and accessory that for most things will be accurate enough. Yes I will have to re cut the edge of the T slot , as they do not run true to the run of the table, about 0.1mm over the run of the table movement. The down side the 14mm tennon slot won't be 14mm anymore. How ever , having the reference dowels always on the same direction against the trimmed edges will be more beneficial to me. The other option is to rework the whole table.

Neil

[Rik ShawParticipant @rikshaw]

Bought a large swiveller from Axminster (they do have a rather nice showroom ) . The vice is intended for use on my shaper. Like Jason the first thing I did was remove the rotating base and confine it to a cupboard – maybe it will get some use one day .

Rik

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

A 4in should be enough. If you really need a 6in then you probably need a bigger mill to put it on.

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

I have a 4" fitted on my WM16, take it off the swivel, I have used the swivel once in 6 yrs I've had it so …

George.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

You are better off with two smaller matching vices than a big one. Taking off the swivel base will make the vice more rigid.

Ian S C

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Posted by Ian S C on 01/06/2018 10:34:12:

You are better off with two smaller matching vices than a big one. Taking off the swivel base will make the vice more rigid.

Ian S C

All my vises are singles and nothing matches. If I were starting again with a bit more hindsight, that is what I would do.

Likely buy two vise and match them (if of chinese origin). Otherwise probably pricey, but the better all-round solution.

Selected precision vises such as available from ARC (among others, I suppose) might be a good way to go…

[mark costello 1Participant @markcostello1]

Does this mill make My vise look too big?

[Ross Lloyd 1Participant @rosslloyd1]

OK its going back. I spoke with Warco, they recommend a 4 inch for the WM18. I am considering a high end 4 inch. What are the brands to look at? I know Kurt and Glacern for the US market, are there alternatives for the UK?

Thanks

Edited By Ross Lloyd 1 on 02/06/2018 23:47:45

[Neil LickfoldParticipant @neillickfold44316]

The new Kurt with the sliding jaw stop and other jaw offerings make it look like a really nice to have vice Talk with who you brought the vice off, and see what they have.

Neil

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Bear in mind that the rectangular flange on the bottom of a Kurt and their clones makes them quite large on a smaller mill. This is a 80mm clone up against a 90mm precison which gives you more width, length and depth of jaw for a smaller footprint. (swivel base removed from clone)

And the 100mm against the 80mm clones on a smaller SX2.7

Edited By JasonB on 03/06/2018 07:06:17

[Neil LickfoldParticipant @neillickfold44316]

Why not place the vice so that Y axis is in line with the jaws? IE rotate it 90 deg.

Neil

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

You can, but travel is much limited that way.

Most machines that have power feed only to one axis have it on the long travel.

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

That all depends upon whether you have a power feed on your Y axis and how long a part may actually be gripped in the vice jaws. More room for overhang in the X axis.

[Anonymous]

Posted by JasonB on 03/06/2018 07:05:33:

Bear in mind that the rectangular flange on the bottom of a Kurt and their clones makes them quite large on a smaller mill.

Genuine Kurt vices don't have a flange all the way round, only on two sides, so they're better for the smaller mill:

Andrew

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Posted by Andrew Johnston on 03/06/2018 10:02:48:

 

Genuine Kurt vices don't have a flange all the way round, only on two sides, so they're better for the smaller mill:

 

Rather depends on which Kurt you go went for

Edited By JasonB on 03/06/2018 10:11:11

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