- Joined
- Nov 16, 2012
- Messages
- 5,596
Well, I finally broke down and bit the bullet for a new vise. I got one of Matt's 4" units and after spending half hour getting the cosmoline off it, decided to tram the table and check the vise. If I have any nit about this vise, it's the cosmoline it was packed with. Took a good bit of oil and elbow grease to get it off!
Tram first: I wish there was something to tell you but, after 4+ years of good use (sorry about showing-off a grimy machine) the table is all but dead on and no different than the day I set it up. It's a 24" travel table and the middle 18" is dead-on in the X direction. The last 2" on each end of the table, it raises by 2 ten-thous (0.0002"). The Y direction was checked at left, center and right and everything is within 0.0002". That's pretty amazing in my book, as this machine has seen some use -although, I only take medium to light cuts as I do with all my machines to make them last.
The Vise: Wow! If it makes any difference to you (it doesn't for me) it's made in Taiwan and is absolute perfection. It has a swivel base and I usually don't use the one on my old vise. The grinding is perfect on this thing and for grins, it was checked on the granite with a TDI. I could see no height differences at all. I like the extra wide circular seating areas for strong contact and stability.
It fits very well on this table with or without the swivel base. After checking it in every important direction, everything was either dead on or within 0.0002" and believe it or not, the results were the same both with and without the swivel base. The swivel base is very low profile and I'll keep it attached for normal use. I could never dream of that with the old vise. Oddly enough (and yes, this is a personality flaw) I even checked the calibration of the degree marks. Of course, it's an "eyeball" measurement but, it was spot on when I checked at 15[SUP]o[/SUP] using DRO measurements and some trigonometry. The jaws line-up perfectly and I tried several times before and after clamping some scraps very firmly.
Now here's what surprised me... The actual jaws are Rockwell C at 65+ (I can only measure up to RC 65) and the ground surfaces of the cast iron measured 63-65RC. The metal sliding parts of the jaw are RC 30. For 250 bucks, you can't beat this thing! Also, it's designed so swarf does not get jammed-up in the way areas or on the screw. Very efficient design. I've known for a long time I needed a new vise and was eyeing Kurts and some others but, they're well over the $400 mark. I'm blown away by this thing. Happy camper here and when funds allow, I'm going to get another but, I'll be able to get by with the old one for a while. It's on the drill press now.
Now, I only wish I could use it... While working on the kitchen floor, I wrenched my lower back (working like a mad man) and had a devil of a time lifting the vise on the mill table.
Ray
Tram first: I wish there was something to tell you but, after 4+ years of good use (sorry about showing-off a grimy machine) the table is all but dead on and no different than the day I set it up. It's a 24" travel table and the middle 18" is dead-on in the X direction. The last 2" on each end of the table, it raises by 2 ten-thous (0.0002"). The Y direction was checked at left, center and right and everything is within 0.0002". That's pretty amazing in my book, as this machine has seen some use -although, I only take medium to light cuts as I do with all my machines to make them last.
The Vise: Wow! If it makes any difference to you (it doesn't for me) it's made in Taiwan and is absolute perfection. It has a swivel base and I usually don't use the one on my old vise. The grinding is perfect on this thing and for grins, it was checked on the granite with a TDI. I could see no height differences at all. I like the extra wide circular seating areas for strong contact and stability.
It fits very well on this table with or without the swivel base. After checking it in every important direction, everything was either dead on or within 0.0002" and believe it or not, the results were the same both with and without the swivel base. The swivel base is very low profile and I'll keep it attached for normal use. I could never dream of that with the old vise. Oddly enough (and yes, this is a personality flaw) I even checked the calibration of the degree marks. Of course, it's an "eyeball" measurement but, it was spot on when I checked at 15[SUP]o[/SUP] using DRO measurements and some trigonometry. The jaws line-up perfectly and I tried several times before and after clamping some scraps very firmly.
Now here's what surprised me... The actual jaws are Rockwell C at 65+ (I can only measure up to RC 65) and the ground surfaces of the cast iron measured 63-65RC. The metal sliding parts of the jaw are RC 30. For 250 bucks, you can't beat this thing! Also, it's designed so swarf does not get jammed-up in the way areas or on the screw. Very efficient design. I've known for a long time I needed a new vise and was eyeing Kurts and some others but, they're well over the $400 mark. I'm blown away by this thing. Happy camper here and when funds allow, I'm going to get another but, I'll be able to get by with the old one for a while. It's on the drill press now.
Now, I only wish I could use it... While working on the kitchen floor, I wrenched my lower back (working like a mad man) and had a devil of a time lifting the vise on the mill table.
Ray