Here's a funny (now) side note to the mill project. The vise that came with the machine is a Kurt-style that was made in India. I cleaned it up the other day when I was getting close to being ready to use it. It's got a few dings and some pitting, but it will work for now. Two of the socket head cap screws that hold the jaw faces on were missing, so I stopped in town to get new ones: 1/2" x 1". I get home and they don't fit - bummer - I guess I measured wrong and they're metric. Next day, I make a trip to a Fastenal store and get two M12 bolts - they don't fit either! Now, I'm kinda mad. I can't be this bad at measuring. So I reconfirmed the diameter with 2 different calipers - .493". Then I got my thread pitch gauge out - 12 tpi. WHAT!?! What kinda screwed up outfit uses 1/2"-12 bolts instead of 1/2"-13? Those guys that made this thing in India must be...wait a minute...India was formerly British...
I look a little closer, then get out the Machinery's Handbook - sure enough, they're WHITWORTH threads! So now, I just ordered some online - $14.00 after making the minimum order and shipping. Not to mention the time making two wasted trips..