your opinion on Palmgren 3" milling vise.

Ken from ontario

Ken from ontario

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H-M Supporter - Silver Member
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I just returned a Grizzly 3" toolmaker's vise this morning,it was missing the V block accessory and it didn't seem to have powerful clamping power for medium machining.
I realized what I need is a Kurt style vise for my mini mill,a 3" vise seems to be the right size for the small table . 2" is too small and 4" I think will be too big.
I searched the net for a while and most of the Kurt style vises in my price range ($150 to $200) are made in China and seem to have been manufactured in the same factory, I finally found a 3" vise made by Palmgren that seem to fit the bill :
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0006N8CZQ...UTF8&colid=U1FASJ1VAXTT&coliid=I1GCR3QOLBDZ30

41MEFKT4W3L.jpg
I was wondering if any of you have had one like it and /or if you've heard of this make, what is your overall opinion of such a vise , I would appreciate your comments very much.
 
Ken from ontario said:
I just returned a Grizzly 3" toolmaker's vise this morning,it was missing the V block accessory and it didn't seem to have powerful clamping power for medium machining.
I realized what I need is a Kurt style vise for my mini mill,a 3" vise seems to be the right size for the small table . 2" is too small and 4" I think will be too big.
I searched the net for a while and most of the Kurt style vises in my price range ($150 to $200) are made in China and seem to have been manufactured in the same factory, I finally found a 3" vise made by Palmgren that seem to fit the bill :
Click to expand...
Palmgren is/was an old school American company. They made lots of different vises, clamps, and other workholding tooling. They are still in business, but much of their product now comes from China. I think but am not sure that some of their products may still be American made, but if it does not say so in the catalogue, you can pretty much put money on it being an import. The import tools they sell now are mere shadows of their good old tools, in my opinion...

Edit: Beyond that, the vise you have pictured is more of a drill press vise than a milling machine vise. I would get one that is a straight up vise for a mill, and without the swivel base, which will steal your headroom on the small mill and will take away much of whatever rigidity you might have now.
 
Thank s for your comment Bob, I doubted their claim of it being a milling vise when I first saw it ,I'm glad you confirmed it, I already have a decent drill press vise,that's what I've been using on my mill.
The swivel base will come off of any vise I buy anyway,for the same reason you mentioned but the problem is , most of what's available on ebay or Amazon, come with the base.
 
Ken, I bought one of these vices for my surface grinder from these people:
https://www.hardwarefactorystore.co...ewless-mini-insert-vise-toolmaker-steel-0002/
I see they are out of stock now in that size, and I am not surprised. It is a VERY nice vise for that kind of money, shipping included. When it arrived it was beautifully ground and absolutely flawless, and met the stated accuracy. Other vendors sell the same vise, and you may be able to find a good deal on one. This vise is a real toolmakers's vise.

Save the money that goes into a swivel base for a better vise. The swivel base is mostly in the way, compromising accuracy, and decreasing rigidity. When you need to, you can bolt a plain vise down on an angle...
 
Bob, I have never owned one like that but have heard that they are PITA to set up for different size stock, and can not be tightened as well as a Kurt style vise, most people who own a toolmaker's vise seem to also own a Kurt style as their main vise ,I would probably use either but am leaning toward the Kurt clones since it will be my only so called milling vise.
 
Might check with Shars. They have several vises, they are imports but some are very good quality. They make a nice 4" kurt clone that is better than most of the imports, about $250 with out the swivel. 3 inchers are the cheap Chinese variety.
 
Kurt made the D30, a 3" angle lok vise but they are no longer made. They do come up on ebay from time to time but there are none currently - keep an eye out, though.

Wilton used to make a very nice and accurate Super-Precision 3" vise but those also are no longer made. The 2" versions may still be available as NOS: https://www.southern-tool.com/store/wilton-super-precision-milling-vises.php#tabSpecs

There are clones of the Wilton vises on ebay, from India. They look the same but not sure of the quality.

Otherwise, as far as I know, you're stuck with Chinese stuff.
https://www.southern-tool.com/store/wilton-super-precision-milling-vises.php#tabSpecs
 
I found the 3" Shars on ebay but it looks just like what I can get here for $100, I'm very sceptical of the quality.
 
I don't really know of anyone making a good 3" mill vise anymore. But if you can go to a 4" things get better as far as quality.
 
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