Tilt Table vs Sine Vise?

[raferguson]

I would like to buy a tilt table or sine vise. I have one immediate use in mind. I would like to make a steady rest for my mini-lathe that would let me use a piece of wood to steady the material. I was thinking that I could take a piece of 3/4 inch or 1 inch square bar, and machine a 45 degree notch to engage the ways, and then drill holes so I could take a random piece of wood and use it as a steady rest. I would have to slide this wood steady rest into a drill mounted in the chuck, not 100% sure how well that would work. I have the cast iron steady rests, one for one inch diameter, and one for two inch diameter, but they tend to leave grooves in the work, and I would like the option to turn something larger than 2 inches.

I don't really understand why I would choose a tilt table vs a sine vise. The sine vises that I have seen look kind of flimsy. I would think that I could clamp the work onto the tilt table, but maybe I would be better off with a small vise mounted to the tilt table. The tilt tables are pretty reasonably priced, I think around $75. The sine vises may use gauge blocks, which I do not have. Not sure that I could use a sine vise to make this part for a steady rest, unless it was a very large (and expensive) sine vise.

I have a mill drill, not a mini-mill. It is a Harbor Freight, maybe a 9 by 28 inch in terms of table motion. I think that it weighs 700 pounds, so a lot more substantial than a mini-mill. I have had the mill-drill and mini-lathe for a while, have used them some, but still think of myself as a beginner.

I think that I might be able to use a chamfer mill bit, since I think that my project would only need a 45 degree angle. But it might make more sense to buy a tilt table or sine vise, and have something that I could use to mill any angle.

Thanks in advance,
Richard

 

[Winegrower]

For larger work pieces, I use the tilt table, for smaller the sine vise, whichever makes workholding easier.

 

[Alcap]

I made a tilt table/plate after reading this thread . It might not work in every situation but nice to have if needed . https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/simple-tilt-table.16854/

 

[Technical Ted]

For some jobs you don't need either... you can simply angle the workpiece on a vise, table, whatever using a protractor or angle block set to set the correct angle. I do it all the time, because it's a lot quicker and more ridgid of a setup.

Ted

 

[Flyinfool]

It all depends on what you need. A sine table or sine vice will get you very precise angles. A tilt vice or table is only as accurate as you can read the tiny protractor, unless you set it up using gauge blocks or angle blocks or LOTS of measuring to set the angle. Your mill may mot have room in the Z axis for a big heavy setup of either type. Neither will be real rigid so you have to take lighter cuts.

A sine vice or a tilt vice may use up less of you precious Z axis that a sine or tilt table that you then have to stack a vice on top of. But then a table lets you clamp down irregular shaped parts that would be hard to hold in a vice.

Rule of thumb is that if you can not decide which one you need, then you need all 4 versions......or at least one of each.....

 

[benmychree]

For some jobs you don't need either... you can simply angle the workpiece on a vise, table, whatever using a protractor or angle block set to set the correct angle. I do it all the time, because it's a lot quicker and more ridgid of a setup.

Ted

I agree with this post entirely; cheap and practical.

 

[benmychree]

Having trouble with grooves using the metal steady rest? adjusting the fingers too tight and not using a lubricant is the likely cause, I use an extreme pressure lube made for centers, used to use white lead in the past, also can use the non abrasive side of abrasive cloth strip in a loop around the part pinched in the face of the locked down steady rest with oil to lube.