# Vises again



## Cletus (Aug 22, 2021)

Anyone with an opinion on PM's 5 Inch High Precision Milling Vise?
I bought one to accompany my PM-935TS knee mill to start off, have no intention of using the rotating base-plate, how bad could it be?
Will most likely buy me a KURT DX6 before year's end, or with the first income from the new mill (whichever comes first) 

This guy:


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## Janderso (Aug 22, 2021)

I have a Kurt for the mill.
I use the vise that came with it all the time on my bench.
It’s ok to have two.
I think This Old Tony did a video on a vise like that.
It wasn’t too bad.


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## Cletus (Aug 22, 2021)

Thanks  for the response man.  I'm trying to prioritize my "want" and "need" shopping lists.


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## pontiac428 (Aug 22, 2021)

It looks the same as the 5" Shars vise that I use.  It's a solid vise (I didn't buy the rotating base with it), measures square, and I trust it not to rock or lift.  It's easier to use on small parts than the heavy 7.5" next to it.


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## mmcmdl (Aug 22, 2021)

What does everyone have against the swivel bases for the Kurts etc ?


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## MrWhoopee (Aug 22, 2021)

mmcmdl said:


> What does everyone have against the swivel bases for the Kurts etc ?


They add extra weight to an already heavy vise, consume valuable space under the quill and aren't particularly accurate. Mine hasn't been mounted since I got it. I still wouldn't be without one, but just one.


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## pontiac428 (Aug 22, 2021)

mmcmdl said:


> What does everyone have against the swivel bases for the Kurts etc ?


In my mind, it's an element of decoupling, the vise may not stay level across a full rotation, and it still needs to be squared every time you touch it.  That may be something of a superstition with me, I see it as an imperfect device in my mind, so I don't trust it.  I do keep a swiveling vise for quick work when parts need angles that don't call for a sine bar or angle block accuracy.  When something is not critical, the compass mount is good enough.  I just don't want to drag an indicator across the top of a part when mounted in one.  So not a real solid case against them, just a nagging distrust that may or may not be founded in reality.


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## benmychree (Aug 22, 2021)

mmcmdl said:


> What does everyone have against the swivel bases for the Kurts etc ?


I think it is that they do not like losing height under the spindle with small milling machines.


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## mmcmdl (Aug 22, 2021)

Ahh , OK , more of a space issue . Personally I can't live without one but I have big enough mills with plenty of Z axis . I got rid of the riser block because I never needed the extra 6 " .


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## projectnut (Aug 22, 2021)

Cletus said:


> Anyone with an opinion on PM's 5 Inch High Precision Milling Vise?
> I bought one to accompany my PM-935TS knee mill to start off, have no intention of using the rotating base-plate, how bad could it be?
> Will most likely buy me a KURT DX6 before year's end, or with the first income from the new mill (whichever comes first)
> 
> ...


The vise in the picture is sold by more than a dozen different companies under a bazillion different names.  It appears to be a 5" version of the Vevor I purchased a few weeks ago for my horizontal milling machine.  Here's a link to their website.  Don't het hung up on their prices.  I bought mine from an eBay vendor for less than $80.00, and that included free shipping.





__





						VEVOR Clamps & Vises |  VEVOR US
					

Get free shipping on qualified Clamps & Vises We offer latest Mill ViseWoodworking Vise and more at lowest price with 2 days delivery fastest.




					www.vevor.com
				




There's a write up about mine and a picture in post 6,435 in the What Did You Buy Today thread.

Mine turned out excellent, but like most "Made in China" tools I think it's the luck of the draw.  I purchased one with the swivel base as I use it regularly on the horizontal mill.  If I need anything down to the accuracy of 1 second I use one of the rotary tables.  I have 4 milling machine vises in the shop. a 3", a 4", a 6", and an 8".  All but the 8" have swivel bases.  I haven't had registration or height problems with any of them, but then again I have a full size milling machines.


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## Bob D (Aug 22, 2021)

I have a 6" import version of that vise. I'm sure that they are all made in the same factory and just have different sticker slapped on them. I've had it for a few years and have not had any issues with it. Is it as accurate as a Kurt? No.... But you can still make quality parts with it. It puts a a lot more responsibility on you to make sure that your setup is right though. And honestly, I think that for many of us, the accuracy we want isn't the same as the accuracy that we need.


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## Cletus (Aug 22, 2021)

All good responses guys, and thanks again for taking the time to write.  I feel a lot better about the purchase now that i've read the above. As I get all setup and start bringing in a few $$ with this new investment (she's on the water, headed my way now), I will certainly upgrade to a DX6.  In the meantime, lots more immediate use stuff to buy for the mill, as I accelerate deeper down this rabbit hole


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## Aukai (Aug 22, 2021)

This is the 6" Kurt on a 9 1/2 x 31 1/2 Grizzly mill table, also side by side with a 4" Glacern vise.


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## mmcmdl (Aug 22, 2021)

pontiac428 said:


> I do keep a swiveling vise for quick work when parts need angles that don't call for a sine bar or angle block accuracy


Back in my apprentice days I made up sine bars for everyone in the shop . No need for blocks to set it and dead nuts accurate . No pic because I have it in at work . Simple to use in any vise .


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## Cletus (Aug 22, 2021)

Nice!......  A Sine Bar is a project I will be embarking on very soon after setup.


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## COMachinist (Aug 22, 2021)

I have a PM 4” vise on my Jet 20” drill press works ok for that. If I had a 935 mill I would put at least 6” Glacern which is a nice vise. They usually have a March madness sale every year, that is when I bought mine.
CH


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## Winegrower (Aug 22, 2021)

I have this identical looking vise, 6”, probably paid in the $80 region.   I swept the swivel base, on my 0.001 indicator, the needle barely wiggled, so way below 0.001”.    I like it, it’s easy to rotate the vise 90 degrees if the part fits better and lets me use the X power feed.   Easy to dial back to normal, too.   it makes making carbide insert holders easy as well.


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## Ridetoeat (Aug 22, 2021)

I am looking at the Tegara's from Shars, going to order something tomorrow and I am still undecided. I am struggling to decide what I want . I know I need a smaller matched pair for a project but at the same time I want a bigger single to replace the old bridgeport vise that came new with my mill in the 70's. Considering a couple small vevors to hold cost down and that would be adequate for that job and drop more on the bigger 6" series Tegara or Kurt for my super nice daily.


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## Cletus (Aug 22, 2021)

I'm really drooling over the DX6, like $655 on Amazon with free delivery on Prime.


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## mmcmdl (Aug 22, 2021)

I've got my little sine bar in my back pocket to bring home and take some pics . I know I loaded some of it a while back . Neat little project if you own a SG .


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## mmcmdl (Aug 23, 2021)

Sweet little sine bar project . I made 50 or so of these in my apprenticeship back in **78 or 79 . This is number 19 and has lasted 44 years ? Mill work was performed on a Deckel Jigbore and grinding was done on the B&S 618 Micromaster sitting in my garage . Simple to make , accurate enough for NASA , no blocks needed . NO PATENT PENDING !  Makes quick work of setting angles on your mill vise or lathe compound .  Off to bed , been up for a doc appointment scheduled months ago and my shift changed , 2 hrs sleep and another 14 hr. night .


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## Janderso (Aug 23, 2021)

mmcmdl said:


> Ahh , OK , more of a space issue . Personally I can't live without one but I have big enough mills with plenty of Z axis . I got rid of the riser block because I never needed the extra 6 " .


Another reason to keep my big mill.
There is the weight element!!


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## Janderso (Aug 23, 2021)

mmcmdl said:


> Sweet little sine bar project . I made 50 or so of these in my apprenticeship back in **78 or 79 . This is number 19 and has lasted 44 years ? Mill work was performed on a Deckel Jigbore and grinding was done on the B&S 618 Micromaster sitting in my garage . Simple to make , accurate enough for NASA , no blocks needed . NO PATENT PENDING !  Makes quick work of setting angles on your mill vise or lathe compound .  Off to bed , been up for a doc appointment scheduled months ago and my shift changed , 2 hrs sleep and another 14 hr. night .


That's what you need for the vise!!
I have the Micromaster but no Jigbore!!
I thought you retired? =I'm so confused.


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## Aukai (Aug 23, 2021)

Under new management......


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## mksj (Aug 23, 2021)

On the Kurt DX6, many individuals have purchased the scratch/dent and often can't even find the flaw. Free FedEx ground shipping (US only), at $540.75 worth looking at. The DX6 is also a bit more compact then the older D688 style.








						Kurt DX6® CrossOver® Vise - DX6-SD
					

These vises have minor porosity in the body and/or the movable jaws. This does not effect the functionality or the...




					www.kurtworkholding.com


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## Cletus (Aug 23, 2021)

Thanks for that "heads-up" and for tempting me even more!


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## Ridetoeat (Aug 23, 2021)

I just ordered a DX6 myself, used the direct link above, $540.75 OTD  Thanks MKSJ for the information, I was on the fence and about to buy the Tegara and this brought the Kurt down a bit more and made my mind for me, feels great buying American, I always do when/if I can  !!!


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## Cletus (Aug 23, 2021)

You guys are killing me! 
EDIT:
Definitely going after the S&D DX6.  But, the decision is to get the machine here and all setup, and to also acquire a few bits and pieces still needed that will help generate some $$$ (like a set of Woodruff cutters and a nice set of chucking reamers), since I got some industrial and medical projects on the bench, that can do so. The DX6 will happen within a month or two.  Worked out the S&H to Trinidad and it's like US$200.00.  In retrospect, I should have bought it and sent it to Matt to ship with the machine.  Ah well, soon enough!


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## Aukai (Aug 23, 2021)

The money spenders just doing what they do best  Always good quality though....


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## Cletus (Aug 23, 2021)

Well, I'm an old electronics fart, devoted my life to it.  Wanted my own machine shop all my career, started with a fully loaded Unimat and drooled over an "EL Dorado" 3-in-one for years. Finally decided to buy it 16-years ago and was persuaded to buy a Grizzly Mini-Mill, 9x20 lathe and 4x6 bandsaw instead. Never regretted that.  Well the shop has certainly grown, CNCed the mini mill, have a CNC Plasma-Jet table, Mig, Stick, Tig, hydraulic press, 3D printers, bandsaw, belt grinder, bending brake/shear/roll,  you name it.   66-years old  now, in good health, semi-retired, mortgage paid off, taking on only the jobs I wanna do, the kids are all fine and well educated and life's good.  Hell, I bought me, my PM-935 milling machine and all the attendant goodies..... why the hell not?  
...... and, we're not even talking about my electronics lab!


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## Ridetoeat (Aug 23, 2021)

I agree, spent 40 years in the plastics business, all the time wanting and slowly piecing together a machine shop, Sold the plastics plant and now I got money to play. I am naturally frugal but sometimes I splurge. This was one. in the end I spent $80 extra to get a new Dx6 instead of a very good Taiwan Tegara. Seemed a no brainer at that price. I am now considering to buy 2 cheap 4" ebay lockdown vises and re-work them to be good. I might even design and cut them up some KURT decals if they turn out good, the vinyl cutter is another fun piece in the shop


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## Shotgun (Aug 24, 2021)

For those who get the Vevor vice, put a piece of round in the jaw and clamp down on it with an indicator on the movable jaw.  If it rises as you clamp:
-spend $5 on a set of chuckable grinding heads at the auto parts store
-remove the movable jaw, and remove the ball bearing half that is buried in a glob of grease.
-clean the grease out, and use the 1/2" ball from the grinding head set to clean the casting grit out of the ball's recess.  Keep at it until the recess is smooth.  It will take all of two maybe even three minutes.
-polish the ball.  Make it shine.
-file the ram that engages the ball until it is flat all the way across.  Some have removed the ram and milled it clean.  Unnecessary work.  A couple minutes with a file will get it smooth and flat.  (Mine literally has the casting joint in the middle of the mating surface, with flash still on from the cast!!)

You should be about 20 minutes into this if you stopped for a donut.  Put it back together with a glob of grease on the mating surfaces.  Test it for rise again.

You're welcome.


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## Ridetoeat (Aug 24, 2021)

I just commented above I was gonna buy two cheap vises for my two vise project and rework them, and this is pretty much what I had in mind, seems if these two faces were as they were supposed to be then the darn things should work !!! in my case I may have to deal with matching bed heights as well.


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## Aaron_W (Aug 24, 2021)

Aukai said:


> This is the 6" Kurt on a 9 1/2 x 31 1/2 Grizzly mill table, also side by side with a 4" Glacern vise.



Wow, I have the same 4" Glacern and it is not a tiny vise. That Kurt is a monster.


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## Ridetoeat (Aug 24, 2021)

That model of KURT is a 9"ish opening vise, makes it long.


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## Ridetoeat (Aug 26, 2021)

Happy belated birthday to me, so glad to begin working with a vise that helps instead of works against me. My old Bridgeport vise always lifted 7-9 thou. and would always tram on the fixed jaw as worn 2-.003 on the outside edges of the jaws.


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## ErichKeane (Aug 27, 2021)

I have a DX6 that I really like!  I DO sometimes have problems with the little plugs popping out if I'm not careful, so I'm not thrilled about that design choice, but otherwise it is a great vise.


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## Cletus (Aug 27, 2021)

Wow! NICE!
If you don't mind my asking, Is that the full priced one or the cosmetic defect one?
Think I'm going after one really soon.


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## Ridetoeat (Aug 27, 2021)

Cletus said:


> Wow! NICE!
> If you don't mind my asking, Is that the full priced one or the cosmetic defect one?
> Think I'm going after one really soon.
> 
> View attachment 376339


It is the scratch and dent, they say the base or moving jaws can have porosity. No returns but retains same warranty, i can find no flaws


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## Cletus (Aug 27, 2021)

Really cool, will get me one


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## ErichKeane (Aug 27, 2021)

Ridetoeat said:


> It is the scratch and dent, they say the base or moving jaws can have porosity. No returns but retains same warranty, i can find no flaws


My DX6 is also a scratch/dent, and I have a piece of bad casting (either it broke off, or was never cast!) on one spot of the underside of the 'rail' near the screw.  I don't think it actually affects anything at all, so I was happy with the $100+ discount at the time for it.


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## Ridetoeat (Aug 27, 2021)

Cletus said:


> Really cool, will get me one


$540.75 to my door in Indiana


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## Cletus (Aug 27, 2021)

Ahhhh Indiana!   .....I love Indiana!    I was there with my buddy 2010 and 2011 in Muncie, taking part at the IRCHA Jamboree flying my RC Turbine Helicopter!


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## Ridetoeat (Aug 27, 2021)

My dad and i spent 10 years building and flying RC and then moved to full size private small planes


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## Cletus (Aug 27, 2021)

Ridetoeat said:


> My dad and i spent 10 years building and flying RC and then moved to full size private small planes


Awesome!   .....I envy you.   I started training and studying for my private pilot's license many years ago, but never completed it. There were serious time conflicts with my job at the time, and just never got back around to it.
I am still VERY active in RC flying here though, and we have a  very nice 400 acre flying field with a paved runway and covered pit area.   Entirely done with donations and hard work! 
The Opening Ceremony.





Paved and covered facility:


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## mmcmdl (Aug 27, 2021)

Hm.........................I have a few of those old time Kurts lying around . They'll find their way down to Easton next month .


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## Aukai (Aug 27, 2021)

I have 2 Glacern 4" vises, but only 1 6" Kurt D688, how hard are they to make into a matched set? PM me a price....


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## mmcmdl (Aug 27, 2021)

Aukai said:


> I have 2 Glacern 4" vises, but only 1 6" Kurt D688, how hard are they to make into a matched set? PM me a price....


Really no need to make into a matched set Mike . I'll send you a PM about this and all my material . I have a storm coming in which is making it quite nice in the garage at this point . Pulling stuff for the mills . I will send you pics before posting .


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