Kurt DX4 or Tegara 550V vise for new PM-833TV?

[verbotenwhisky]

Are their projects doable with just a mill and a lathe? I've avoided projects like that because I didn't have a mill, but that problem is soon solved.

Rick "doesn't have a surface grinder and not ready for heat-treating" Denney

Very doable. They sell kits with castings and raw materials but shipping from the UK is expensive. If you convert them materials to something you can get here it will be easy enough to build with a mill and a lathe running HSS tooling even for most of it.

 

[WobblyHand]

Whatever you buy, it will have jaw lift, if you measure closely enough. Whether that is a problem, or not, depends on what you are doing.

My DX4 has measurable jaw lift, as did my Precision Vise from PM. The DX4 lift is on the order of 0.0010-0.0015". The PM vise was about 0.003". I tried fixing the PM vise, but never could get much better, so I bought a toolmaker's vise. My 3" toolmaker's vise jaw lift is less, around half a thousandth. The DX4 is easier to use for everyday use than the toolmakers vise. I waited for a sale on the Kurt, and eventually bought one.

Bigger stuff simply gets bolted to the table. Small, precise stuff goes in the toolmaker's vise.

 

[verbotenwhisky]

Whatever you buy, it will have jaw lift, if you measure closely enough. Whether that is a problem, or not, depends on what you are doing.

My DX4 has measurable jaw lift, as did my Precision Vise from PM. The DX4 lift is on the order of 0.0010-0.0015". The PM vise was about 0.003". I tried fixing the PM vise, but never could get much better, so I bought a toolmaker's vise. My 3" toolmaker's vise jaw lift is less, around half a thousandth. The DX4 is easier to use for everyday use than the toolmakers vise. I waited for a sale on the Kurt, and eventually bought one.

Bigger stuff simply gets bolted to the table. Small, precise stuff goes in the toolmaker's vise.

I have always tapped in once snug on top of my parallels, no issues.

 

[WobblyHand]

I have always tapped in once snug on top of my parallels, no issues.

I do as well. Although, I haven't remeasured afterwards. When I get to play in the shop, I'll measure that.

Wouldn't surprise me if there was some post machining movement, due to lift. Seem to remember that on the original vise.
I suspect I received a bum vise, but I was too new/ignorant to identify that. Water over the dam.

 

[verbotenwhisky]

I do as well. Although, I haven't remeasured afterwards. When I get to play in the shop, I'll measure that.

Wouldn't surprise me if there was some post machining movement, due to lift. Seem to remember that on the original vise.
I suspect I received a bum vise, but I was too new/ignorant to identify that. Water over the dam.

I never thought to measure the vise because after I tap in I I usually measure where the work piece is if it is critical, I probably should check that. PM has like 3 separate price points in their vises and while I did not take the most expensive I did opt for the middle ground.

 

[yota]

no love for the U.S. made Glacern vises? GMT https://www.glacern.com/gsv_440?gad...ELKm6SOvFvwQlN6L5TjS51JHDLst8cvsaAk8lEALw_wcB

 

[AllenV]

Okay, apology for using absolute language such as "no...lift" for something I have not measured. In actuality, when using standard machinist best practices, i.e. proper clamping methods and tapping in, this vise has been a total non-issue. It works without calling attention to itself.

To create an unfair comparison, my previous vice was a no-name lowest-cost item out of the Enco catalog. It was, however, attached to an RF-40 "clone". That combo was frustrating in my attempts to hold the precision I desired. Several issues were limiting that tool-and-vice. Thus the unfairness in comparison. I swapped out the vice and the mill to which it was attached.

 

[jlficken]

no love for the U.S. made Glacern vises? GMT https://www.glacern.com/gsv_440?gad...ELKm6SOvFvwQlN6L5TjS51JHDLst8cvsaAk8lEALw_wcB

View attachment 506839

I thought the castings came from Taiwan but machining happened in the US?

 

[Aaron_W]

I have both a 4" and a 5" vise on my 6x24" mill. The 5" works but overhangs limiting my Y travel.
On an 8x33" a 5" would probably be fine.

4" is still a handy size though so any doubt I'd rather go a little small and just add a larger vise down the road if you find that an option. Never hurts to have a couple different sizes of vises available.

 

[yota]

I thought the castings came from Taiwan but machining happened in the US?

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