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Milling Vise: fixed or swivel?
- Thread starter lineman
- Start date
Newbie question here. I am looking for a milling machine vise (in the 5"-6" range) and see a lot of them are swivel base. Was wondering what the advantages of the swivel base is over fixed base, if any. Pros and cons of both styles in the forum's opinion please.)
I'm of the opinion that it's better to have and not need it rather than need it and not have it.
You do lose about 2" of height under your spindle with it on, but you don't have to have it installed. Install it when you need it if height is a concern.
Gary
Newbie question here. I am looking for a milling machine vise (in the 5"-6" range) and see a lot of them are swivel base. Was wondering what the advantages of the swivel base is over fixed base, if any. Pros and cons of both styles in the forum's opinion please.
If you have a manual mill, you should get the swivel.
Eventually, you will want to mill something that is not parallel to the X and Y axis.
With a swivel vise, 29 degrees is easy, triangular pockets are easy, hexs are easier.
You can also use the swivel feature to tram the vise.
I used one of the red dot laser edge finders to find the rotational center of the vise.
Just open the vise jaws and place a piece of masking tape on the bottom of the opening.
Put a pencil dot on the tape anywhere.
Now rotate the vise with red dot shining on the tape.
Swivel the vise around its center point and observe the movement of the pencil dot.
Observe where the rotational center is in relationship to the pencil dot is and turn the X and Y cranks until the dot is about where you think the rotational center is.
Put another pencil dot where you think the true rotational center is and repeat the procedure.
It may take a few tries, but eventually the latest pencil dot and the laser pointer dot will be in the same location.
Rotate the vise all the way around just to make sure.
Now take a center punch and give it a whack on the dot.
You have now established the rotational center for eternity.
When it is time to tram the vise, just bolt it down and use the laser to locate the center punched dot.
Lay a straightedge against the moveable jaw of the vise and crank it closed until the laser dot just touches the edge of the straight edge.
Now crank either the X or Y only about 5 inches and rotate the vise until the laser dot just touches the straight edge.
You are now trammed.
Lock down the swivel screws and note the reading on the vise protractor.
You will need to add or subtract that amount if rotating work.
If you have a CNC mill, disregard the above and get the biggest vise you can afford.
I am pretty new to this forum, but I wondered about the same thing when I purchased my vise. I purchased a 6" Kurt and then later on lucked out on a really nice swivel base for a good price on ebay. It does take up a little more room on the mill, just have to crank the Z axis a little more. Like the swivel feature, but it does add alot of weight to the vise if you remove it often.
I will add at least 20 pounds. If that is an issue you can always remove the vise from the swivel first to lighten the load. Then remove the base.
To install it just do the opposite.
Gary