Milling Angles...? Sine Plate Or Tilt Vise?

[mmcmdl]

This is an operation on the mill that I have never attempted. I don't own a sine plate or tilting vise,
so what do I need to mill angles to create 15° and other cuts on steel, e.g. to make a Jacobs style wedge
or toe/edge clamps and similar tools. Can this be done safely and effectively on a tilting vise?

I would rather use a sine plate but the good quality plates are expensive. B&S or Suburban tool.
I may buy a good used plate, small. I see them on Ebay, but then you also need a set of gage blocks.
All this can easily become a $500 purchase. I see no other way to do this type of work accurately.
Thanks.

As a toolmaker apprentice I made about 35 sine bars for the shop .

 

[dave2176]

What about one of these tilting tables? The small ones seem reasonable priced.

 

[Ken from ontario]

I recently was trying to mill a 20° angle on a 2"x 2" block of Aluminum, do not own an angle block set or a tilting vise, so as I was searching the net to find an easy solution that I could understand and follow, I found this youtube video that showed me exactly how to accurately cut a 20° angle without angle blocks,here's the video:

 

[RJSakowski]

A sine plate is not required to set accurate angles. They can be set up with simple blocks with just a small increase in complexity. The following drawing shows the setup.

A block, B, of appropriate height is chosen. Blocks X, X', and B are clamped to the table. Block X' keeps block B from pivoting when block P is clamped. Block Y is clamped distance a from block B. Plate P is laid in place and the workpiece or work holding device is clamped to plate P. Block B and plate P should have reasonably sharp edges for accurate setup. Calculate a' and a from the equations in the drawing.

For best stability, clamp the work and workpiece between B and Y.

 

[EmilioG]

If the part to be milled is small enough, can't it be clamped to a slotted angle plate with the angle plate in a vise? (slotted angle plate, no web, in the vise like a V).
The angle can be set with blocks and checked with an accurate protractor? I've seen small work done this way.

 

[mrehmus]

What about one of these tilting tables? The small ones seem reasonable priced. View attachment 189594

Most of them are not square unless you pay many dollars for them. I have one that leans very slightly to one side. Enco brand IIRC.

 

[mrehmus]

Sine bars are good up to around 45 degrees and then their accuracy decreases rapidly. The angle plates are good enough for almost all general needs.

 

[Winegrower]

Here’s the cheapest most accurate and fastest way to cut precise angles i’ve found. Take one of your old bench vises and do as shown. Place the rods exactly some easy distance apart, 5” is typical. The vise can be clamped crosswise in your larger mill vise with one rod raised x”, where x = 5” times sin of desired angle.
View attachment 272854View attachment 272854View attachment 272854View attachment 272855

 

[Winegrower]

How do I get the extra copies in the previous post deleted?? Duh?

 

[P. Waller]

Since you require a high degree of angular accuracy only a sine plate will do, drop the cash and be done with it.