# Milling vise sizing?



## turningwheels (Oct 5, 2020)

It's time. Time to buy a vise that fits my little G0619 Mill. I bought a 6" vise to use with it and while it's nice and BIG, it also has a bad slant. .005 across the base of the clamping surface. So it took a while to figure out, but I was making parts that were skinnier on one side than the other. I just indicated it with parallels tonight and it bummed me out.
So, a couple of questions for y'all.
1. What size vise for a 6x21 inch table is ideal?
2. I'm not afraid to spend some dough on something that is straight and true. What do you all like to use?

Thanks!


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## DavidR8 (Oct 5, 2020)

The table on my mill is 8x24 and a 4" vise is perfect. It doesn't overhand the front by much and there's no overhang at the column side to limit Y axis travel.
I bought a Glacern on sale. it was a good price and I am very happy with it.


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## mickri (Oct 5, 2020)

Before I would buy another vise I would determine what is causing the slant.  Have you indicated the table to see if it is flat with no slant?  Are there any nicks in the bottom of the vise?  Have  you measured each side of the base to see if one side is taller than the other side?  Have you measured both ends of the parallel?  Have you indicated the base?  You want the table and the vise to be absolutely clean when you mount the vise.  It doesn't take much to create a .005 slant.  The slant may not be in the vise.

A 6" vise is probably too big for your table.  You are probably looking at either a 3" or 4" vise.  The table on my mill/drill is 8 1/4 x 28 3/4.  I have a 4" vise from Shars.  The back edge of the vise lines up with the back edge of the table.  If the vise hangs over the back edge too much it will run into the column.  This will limit the Y travel.   In shopping for a vise I would look for a drawing of the vise to see how it would mount on your table.  The vise can be short of the back edge but you don't want it hanging off the back edge.

Let's figure out the cause of the slant and go from there.


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## mikey (Oct 5, 2020)

Kurt used to make the D30, a 3" anglelok vise that would have been perfect for you. There are a few on eBay right now but they are asking prices that would buy you a new Glacern vise. 

If I were you, I would buy a 3" screwless vise. It will be more precise than a milling vise, will be more rigid and will be cheaper. It is a bit slower than a milling vise but not enough to be a major issue.


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## DavidR8 (Oct 5, 2020)

Excellent advice!


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## turningwheels (Oct 5, 2020)

mickri said:


> Before I would buy another vise I would determine what is causing the slant.  Have you indicated the table to see if it is flat with no slant?  Are there any nicks in the bottom of the vise?  Have  you measured each side of the base to see if one side is taller than the other side?  Have you measured both ends of the parallel?  Have you indicated the base?  You want the table and the vise to be absolutely clean when you mount the vise.  It doesn't take much to create a .005 slant.  The slant may not be in the vise.
> 
> A 6" vise is probably too big for your table.  You are probably looking at either a 3" or 4" vise.  The table on my mill/drill is 8 1/4 x 28 3/4.  I have a 4" vise from Shars.  The back edge of the vise lines up with the back edge of the table.  If the vise hangs over the back edge too much it will run into the column.  This will limit the Y travel.   In shopping for a vise I would look for a drawing of the vise to see how it would mount on your table.  The vise can be short of the back edge but you don't want it hanging off the back edge.
> 
> Let's figure out the cause of the slant and go from there.


I indicated the table and it is less than .001 over 10 inches on the x axis. About the same on the y axis.  I indicated the swivel base and it too was about .001 on the x axis. tomorrow I will go and measure the vise itself and make sure it isn't off as well as inspect it for any bits and pieces that could make it slant. Yes, I agree that the 6" is too big now that I have had it for a year and wouldn't mind something a bit easier to wrestle around.

I appreciate the advice on not throwing money at the issue and using my head 1st.


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## mickri (Oct 5, 2020)

The slant could be caused by how the vise fits on the swivel.  Most people remove the swivel and mount the vise directly to the table.  The swivel also uses up precious room in the Z travel.

If you don't have a rotary table make a backing plate for the swivel so you can mount your chucks on the swivel.  That's what I did with the swivel that came with my vise.  Not as good as a rotary table but still very useful.


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## turningwheels (Oct 8, 2020)

mickri said:


> Before I would buy another vise I would determine what is causing the slant.  Have you indicated the table to see if it is flat with no slant?  Are there any nicks in the bottom of the vise?  Have  you measured each side of the base to see if one side is taller than the other side?  Have you measured both ends of the parallel?  Have you indicated the base?  You want the table and the vise to be absolutely clean when you mount the vise.  It doesn't take much to create a .005 slant.  The slant may not be in the vise.
> 
> A 6" vise is probably too big for your table.  You are probably looking at either a 3" or 4" vise.  The table on my mill/drill is 8 1/4 x 28 3/4.  I have a 4" vise from Shars.  The back edge of the vise lines up with the back edge of the table.  If the vise hangs over the back edge too much it will run into the column.  This will limit the Y travel.   In shopping for a vise I would look for a drawing of the vise to see how it would mount on your table.  The vise can be short of the back edge but you don't want it hanging off the back edge.
> 
> Let's figure out the cause of the slant and go from there.



Yep, your advise was right on the money. I took off the vise, cleaned the table surface and the bottom of the vise and put it back on. less than .001 deviation over 4 inches. I did order a 3" screwless vise though, cause why not! Thanks again for your help and wise words. Now off to shop for milling cutters. Any suggestions?


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## mickri (Oct 8, 2020)

Can't help with milling cutters.  I bought a coffee can full of end mills for $10 at a garage sale a few years ago and am still using those.  I think that I got lucky because almost all of them were in good shape.  I would not buy used unless you can inspect the end mills.


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## turningwheels (Oct 14, 2020)

Hey there guys. I just got my 3 inch tooling vise, but I realized that I have to way to mount it to the table. And even more, I don't know what those little clamps are called to even begin looking for them. Where can I get my hands on those little guys? I would need T-nuts as well.


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## Larry$ (Oct 14, 2020)

If you don't have a set of strap clamps you will need them sooner or later. They are cheap, come with T nus (get to fit your mill), studs, straps and the top nuts. If the straps are too thick for your vice, make a couple. My tool makers vice came from Shars. I ended up making a new nut assembly to make it easier/faster to use. Works OK now but slower than using a Kurt mill vice. My main uses for the tool makers vice is to clamp it in the Kurt for angles or on the rotary table.   Do you have a set of 3" parallels or doing a cut-down?


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## mikey (Oct 14, 2020)

Vise mounts depend on how the vise is configured. Some have a step and a simple strap clamp will work. Some have holes on the sides and you can make or buy clamps like this.


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## hman (Oct 15, 2020)

Here's two more styles of such clamps, also sold by Little Machine Shop:








						Screwless Vise Clamps | Vise Accessories
					

Mount screwless vises onto your mill table. These height-adjustable clamps are designed for use with a 3" screwless vise and any screwless vise with holes 8mm or larger.




					littlemachineshop.com
				







__





						Z-Clamp 3583 - LittleMachineShop.com
					

Vise Accessories 3583 This Z-shaped clamp is good for holding small vises (with clamping slots) to a mill table. The clamping face is 10.5 mm (0.41") ...




					littlemachineshop.com


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## turningwheels (Oct 15, 2020)

hman said:


> Here's two more styles of such clamps, also sold by Little Machine Shop:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thank you!


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