# Replacing my Vise- What should I do?



## ErichKeane (Oct 26, 2018)

Alright, so here's the deal.  I have an old Kurt D60 (Casting date in '79).  It has been working more or less fine, but is pretty worn (and spent its years in a high school).  The ways are cut up in a few places, so I have to be careful about laying parallels, and the top of the movable jaw is chewed up, so holding in the 'wide' mode is pretty unreliable.

I tore it apart last night (including picking out the thrust bearing in 90 pieces with a chisel), cleaned it up, and realized it is in pretty awful shape.  I already knew the cuts in the ways were pretty bad, and the drill holes in the top of the moving jaw sucked, but I thought about having it welded up and reground.  However, the drill holes in the movable jaw are through some really thin portions, including through the nut and into the half-sphere area.  The metal is really thin in spots, and likely on its last leg.  My welder told me that its likely not worth fixing the moving jaw at all.

I tossed it on the surface grinder and cleaned up the ways, and will likely put it back into service (as a backup) once the rebuild kit comes in.

That said, I want to replace it with something in better shape (and without the holes in the ways, which cause problems pretty often for me).  Here are my options:

1- There is an older unmolested D50 on craigslist for ~$150.  Not sure how I feel about downsizing from a 6", but I figured I'd surface grind the ways flat and it would be perfect, since it IS a Kurt.

2- Buy a cheap 6" milling vise (Shars/etc) for about the same, and grind the ways.  I saw a "Build Something Cool" video doing this, and it seems like a lot of work to square up the fixed jaw as well as the base.  Hopefully I'd luck into one with a very flat base plus a square fixed jaw.

3- Buy a GMT 6" vise (~$400: https://www.glacern.com/gsv_690).  They seem alright, but I fear that I'd just be overpaying for an imported vise. 

4- Suck it up and buy a DX6 (~$550).  This is expensive, and will pretty much devastate my 'toy' budget, but seems to be the Caddy of manual machine vises.

*ANY other suggestions?  Something obvious I'm missing?*


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## MAKEITOUTOFWOOD (Oct 26, 2018)

Put your Kurt back together and continue to look for a good deal on a 6" vise.


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## Bob Korves (Oct 26, 2018)

It sounds like most of your issues are with the jaws.  Buy or make some new ones.


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## ErichKeane (Oct 26, 2018)

Bob Korves said:


> It sounds like most of your issues are with the jaws.  Buy or make some new ones.



It isn't the jaw faces, it is the big movable jaw piece.  I am not sure what to call that.  The 'nut' is >$100 and that movable jaw is likely at least to that, at that point I'd question the value math, I'd still be stuck with a ways that makes using a sine-bar or a parallel error-prone.


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## pacifica (Oct 26, 2018)

ErichKeane said:


> It isn't the jaw faces, it is the big movable jaw piece.  I am not sure what to call that.  The 'nut' is >$100 and that movable jaw is likely at least to that, at that point I'd question the value math, I'd still be stuck with a ways that makes using a sine-bar or a parallel error-prone.


You should  be able to find a d675 for under $250 that is functionally close to new, just not perfect  cosmetics. I would stay with 6" jaws or 8" if you have the room.A new dx6 does have the 9" capacity!


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## benmychree (Nov 14, 2018)

What is wrong with the movable jaw?


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## Cooter Brown (Nov 14, 2018)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VICTOR-6-M...=item33cf0c5323:g:6wUAAOSwtGlZHytH:rk:31:pf:0
https://www.ebay.com/itm/KURT-D60-6-VISE/292792226472?hash=item442bc6d2a8:g:0owAAOSwoIJbfbLa
https://www.ebay.com/itm/KURT-D60-6-MACHINE-VISE/292792226482?hash=item442bc6d2b2:g:NKkAAOSwEDJbq8Rj


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## ErichKeane (Nov 14, 2018)

benmychree said:


> What is wrong with the movable jaw?



The top of it was drilled to death with apprentice marks.  Additionally, it seems that someone machined it (poorly) in the past.

I ended up just sucking it up and picking up a S&D DX6.


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## Technical Ted (Nov 14, 2018)

ErichKeane said:


> The top of it was drilled to death with apprentice marks.  Additionally, it seems that someone machined it (poorly) in the past.
> 
> I ended up just sucking it up and picking up a S&D DX6.



Are you happy with your S&D DX6? I was thinking about doing the same. Can you even see the scratches or dents?

Ted


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## ErichKeane (Nov 14, 2018)

Technical Ted said:


> Are you happy with your S&D DX6? I was thinking about doing the same. Can you even see the scratches or dents?
> 
> Ted


Its pretty awesome!  There is 1 void in the base casting that doesn't effect anything, but otherwise it is a great looking vice!  I haven't got it trammed in or anything yet, but thats my next step.


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## Technical Ted (Nov 15, 2018)

ErichKeane said:


> Its pretty awesome!  There is 1 void in the base casting that doesn't effect anything, but otherwise it is a great looking vice!  I haven't got it trammed in or anything yet, but thats my next step.



Congratulations on your upgrade! Putting one of these on my worn Bridgeport is kinda like putting lipstick on a pig, but it sure would be nice to use! I might pull the trigger on one soon myself. At least I can dream!

Ted


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