A well made 4" vise for my milling machine:

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I am tired of 200. Vices that are crap.
I want to pay the 536.75 for a Kurt Ang lock vises.
Model D-40 only 32lbs instead of 73lbs for next suze uo 6".
Any advice on another brand with same quality and accuracy.
Thanks,
Jon
 
I have a 5" Glacern, and am very pleased with it. The only reason I didn't get the Kurt is that their smaller vices are more expensive than the 6" vice...
 
Take a look at this 4" swivel vise at Enco:

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=425-7541&PMPXNO=952025&PARTPG=INLMK32

I bought one similar to it 40 years ago from MSC. It was $25 plus freight then. The one Enco has looks to be a little heftier than the one I got from MSC. I have always been happy with the one I have and use it a lot. It says 100 on the side meaning 100mm or 4" I assume. Weighs 26 pounds. I think they are still around but I do not know where to look at the moment. The one at Enco has a covered screw. Mine does not. So that is going to add some to the weight. I would assume it to be around 35 pounds.

Also, take a look at:

http://www.tools4cheap.net/proddetail.php?prod=tilt4

Here, this 4" Vertex machine vise appears to be very nearly identical to the 4" vise I have that came from MSC so long ago:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ACCURA-VERT...0?pt=BI_Tool_Work_Holding&hash=item5659f00668

It looks like it has the same cast iron handle that mine had. The handle fell off, as a milling machine vise crank handle will do if you forget to turn it around and put it on backwards, and broke when it hit the floor. I replaced the broken handle with a nice forged steel Fairmount handle but those I believe are no longer available. You will look for a long time to find the right Fairmount handle on eBay and then likely have to pay a somewhat hefty price to get it. Great vise otherwise and the price is right! This vise will weigh about 26 pounds.

I see Martin Tool acquired the Faimount product line and the 9/16" bore x 4" C to C x 5-1/8" OAL crank handle, just like my Fairmount handle, is still available as Martin Part Number CH4B. It is available at McMaster-Carr for only $61.02. McMaster-Carr's drawing is dimensioned a bit differently than the drawing in the Martin catalog.

See Martin's Industrial Hand Tools Catalog at:

http://www.martinsprocket.com/products/industrial-hand-tools

and the crank handle in McMaster-Carr's catalog, which certainly must be the Martin product, at:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#6040k15/=oapxj0

The genuine forged steel handle costs half as much as the Vertex 4" Vise. You will need the new handle the first time the cast iron handle hits the concrete floor. At least then you will have a nice Made in the U.S.A handle to go with your nice Made in China Vertex 4" Vise. The forged steel handle will not break when it hits the floor which it is bound to do.

Kent in Toledo
 
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I got a 4" vise from Phase II+ that I'm very happy with. It has the anti-lift feature found on the Glacerns and Kurts and has served me well since getting it last year.
 
Look at the thickness of the bases on import vises. I know from long experience that they are TOO THIN. They flex up and down when milling. You can see the base pulling away from the table and going back down with every cut. So,look carefully at how thin those bases are. Many of the ones shown don't look like they are even 1/2" thick. They need to be more like 5/8" or more if you don't want your vise flexing under a cut. My real Kurt has a much thicker base. It doesn't flex like the thinner ones. The Import makers are always trying to skimp on something. I can't blame them as we want their stuff so cheap.

Also,those old fashioned vises shown will let the work cock up along with the sliding jaw when tightened down. If you have the work setting on parallels,the parallel next to the sliding jaw will be loose when the jaw is tightened. You need to swat the work down with a soft dead blow hammer as you tighten the work,and make sure the parallel against the sliding jaw stays snug before milling. The Kurt type sliding jaw is a better design,though still not 100% perfect either. I still have to swat the parallel next to the sliding jaw when tightening the vise,but not as much as the old fashioned type vises.
 
I have an opportunity to buy a used fribosa 100mm vice for 650. I think it comes with two jaws, does anyone know if this is a good deal, cant seem to find where they are sold, to check the price
thanks
jon
 
Re: A well made 4" vise for my milling machine:

I went the cheap vise route about 5 years ago, and when I broke the fixed jaw out of the back of the vise, I decided it's time to buy a good vise.

I bought 3, 4 inch Glacern vises, and so far they have been every bit as good as a Kurt, for less than half the price. I think when I got them, they were on sale for $219.00. Now they are $299.00.

At $299, they're still a good buy.

I don't want a 6 inch vise. If I had one, I'd take work that was bigger than I want to do. Right now, if I can't hold 4 parts in one hand, they're too big.
 
I've been watching this thread very closely.

I have a used 4 inch Kurt Anglock available to me (I can only see pics, not in person) for the same price as a new 5 inch Glacern.

I do usually believe that a brand like Kurt is-what-it-is for a reason. I am curious, besides seeing the ways looking nice (on the pics) what to look about for, or ask about to avoid obvious issues with a used-up vise. The guy says there is no play or dings. It has gray paint, so it isn't very new, but I don't care about this unless someone thinks I should. :)

I just want something as accurate-and-serviceable-forever as possible.

Bernie
 
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