Cheap Surface Grinder Vise Options

[intjonmiller]

A machinist vise and a mag chuck are the basics. Planes are not often very square when we start to work on them, and the sides flex.

I've been thinking of starting with some really cheap ones, like the Stanley Handyman line (often available for $5-20 on eBay) and welding in some webbing to reinforce the sole. I'm curious to see if they can be made to be more serviceable. The main complaint with most unpopular planes is just that they were made too thin & light.


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[Bob Korves]

If they are cast iron they will not weld very well. If they are steel they will warp considerably if you weld on them. But, hey, they are cheap and you are learning. Go for it. I have spent some time scraping in a HF plane, so what do I know?

 

[intjonmiller]

Thanks Bob. I think we were just conversing in youtube comments the other day as well, weren't we? (Regarding Chinese manufacturing.)

I'm thinking the bang-for-the-buck option may be a Shars mill vise, but I'm trying to decide which one to get. I figure one that will fit on my brother's Harbor Freight mill (the early 90's green one, inherited the same way I got my grinder; I think it's T-2119 or 9970, similar to the current 33686) would be ideal. I'm guessing the 4", but perhaps the 5"?? Any idea there? My brother has only used it as a drill and has almost no knowledge of milling yet, so my limited knowledge is far greater than his for now. And he's an hour drive from here, each way. So I figured it may be better to ask here than to try to get him to measure without a firm understanding of how a mill vise is used.

I also resurrected another thread where someone discussed getting one of those mills and asked there. Hopefully no one minds the double-post, since I didn't create a new thread just for this specific vise model question.

Thanks!