Dumb Vise Questions

[maverick]

The need to extend or retract the ram pops up occasionally, much more so with smaller mills. For general use keep the work
area of your vice centered under the spindle. When faced with a larger part, try to balance the extremes of the Y travel with the ram position.
For even larger parts, divide the work into two zones and complete the operations in the first zone before moving the ram to reach the
second zone. Be sure to pick a reamed or bored hole close to the zone border to use to re-zero the part. If the mill is equipped with a DRO,
It is a simple matter move the ram, dial in the hole and enter the coordinates then carry on with zone number two. When moving
the ram, it is important to zero both axis as the ram slide may not be parallel with the Y axis. This is always true in my shop where the ram
is swiveled side to side for various setups. To finish answering your question, go ahead and move it to make the most of your mill.

Regards,
Mike

 

[MachineTom]

There is no right spot for the vise, I move it to suit whatever is needed. Since I'm in a wheelschair the usual position is in the slot closest to me, and the ram extended so that when the table is cloest to me the spindle C/L is behind the fixed jaw. This gives good coverage on most setups.

Heres a shot of off the table work, ram all the way out, table all the way in. Just reached

 

[Lew Hartswick]

On the Bridgeports the ram get moved back and forth often, depending on what has
been done before. It get left wherever it was used untill it has to be moved to accomodate
the job under way. So if it reaches let it alone. Other wise make it fit the job.
...Lew...

 

[terryd]

I have swivelling vice with key slots to match the tee slots on the bed. In order to set the jaws accurately in alignment with the table if I ever move them (rarely) I clamp a ground precision rod (from an old dot matrix printer) in the vice and using parallels which fit the slots, but packed to sit above, I can run a dial test indicator along the rod (dti stand against the parallel) at each end. It's pretty accurate.

To do preliminary set ups now, I use a new iPod Touch app called IsetSquare. It uses the gyroscopes in the iPod to sense turning. The edge of the iPod is set against the front of the table and zeroed, it is then set against a paralell clamped in the vice to compare, it is accurate to 0.1º, ok for initial set up. It is also useful for preliminary setting up work at an angle on the table. Accurate for many jobs but can be checked with more traditional techniques. It can also be used for initial setting of the lathe top slide at a reasonably accurate angle, normal caveats apply.

Best regards

Terry