Opinions on this vice

[JimM]

My new (to me at least) milling machine should be deliveerd next week and I need to get a vice for it. Can't afford to splash out for a Kurt and am looking for something in the 'economy' range but that should get me by for a year or two.

Does anyone have any comments on Vertex vices, specifically the 'K' series like the 3rd/4th ones down on this page

http://www.chronos.ltd.uk/acatalog/Chronos_Catalogue_Vertex_Milling_Vices_103.html

Secondly the table size of the mill is 28" x 7" would a 4" or 5" sized vice be best suited to this table ?

Thanks

Jim

 

[Blogwitch]

I have been using the Vertex K-series vices for many years, and even in a small production environment that I use them, for they are perfect for the job. I would recommend NOT using the swivel base, that just loses you height under your quill, and makes everything less rigid and less accurate. Bolt the main bit straight down onto the table using the correct sized and good quality t-bolts, and do a good setup and checkout on it before use. If it is out of expected tolerances, send it back and ask for a new one. The last one I bought had zero runout on every surface that was checked, as were the two previous ones.

But do be careful, there are a lot of Vertex clones out there, Chronos sell the genuine ones, as do RDG.

http://rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/MACHINE_AND_MILLING_VICE_S.html

I have never used the VA series so I can't comment on those. But if they are up to the same standard as the K series, you can't go far wrong.

The reason I choose the K series is that it has a full face bottom to the vice jaws rather than a large gap as the VA series has.

To get the right maximum sized one for your mill, measure the width of your table, double it, and look at the spec sheet of the vice. You should aim to have the vice length about double or just less than the width of the table, so that it overhangs at the front. There is nothing worse than having a vice too small to hold the jobs you want to do. I suspect that the 5" would be perfect for your width of table.

I have an 8" width table, and the 6" vice is spot on for it.

What will do a lot will do a little, but not the other way around.

Hope this helps

Blogs

 

[kvom]

I looked at the catalog pages, and one thing struck me. The VA series have he hex-end swivel handle while the K series has the square fixed handle. Having used both, I can affirm that the swivel handle (a la Kurt) is a big improvement. Perhaps a nit, but to me it's an annoyance to have to remove the handle to get it out of the way.

 

[Mainer]

My mill table is 7" x 30". I've got a 4" Kurt vise, and find it to be about right for the size work I do. I suppose there must have been a few occasions in the past 25 years when a larger vise would have been nice, but I can't recall any specific incident. Your mileage may vary.....

 

[Jasonb]

I've got one of the 4" Vertex ones from Chronos and am quite happy with it on my X3, as said above I use it without the swivel base.

Jason

 

[shred]

If you (or somebody else in a similar predicament) has the time and inclination, used Kurts have been going on (US) eBay for about what new clones do (I don't know if that's the case in the UK). I have an 8x36 table and a 5" and 6" Kurt-- the 5" would be a better fit for a 7" table, but the 6" could work-- if you go that route, look for a model that doesn't have a nut protruding from the back when it's closed or you can run into interference problems with the column. A 4" would work pretty well too, though those seem harder to come by used/cheap.

Anyway, to help answer the 2nd Q -- here's a picture of a 5" and 6" side by side on an 8x36 mill. The 4" will be roughly proportional size-wise. As Blogs says, length = double-table-width is a good rule of thumb. The littler vices are a lot nicer to lug about too-- a D675 runs 70+ lbs.

 

[JimM]

Thanks to everyone for the feedback.

I'm going to order the K5 - it's sensibly priced and sounds like it should be more than good enough for what I need

Cheers

Jim