Milling Vise Recommendation

I think you would be happy with either the of the Kurt vises, I can't see getting anything smaller than a 6" for your size mill. The DX6 does have a more compact footprint. From an accuracy standpoint it is very highly rated when you checkout the YouTube reviews. You can also checkout JTS Machinery and Supply, the DX6 is $529 with free shipping. So the difference would be $60 if that helps. You need to call to order, not listed online but it is in their flyer.
http://www.jtsmach.com/jtswebshop/asp/home.asp
 

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The way I see it is it's not the length of table but the width that determines what size vise to use. is that correct?
 
The way I see it is it's not the length of table but the width that determines what size vise to use. is that correct?

It all depends on what you are going to do with it and how you plan to use the machine really. You have "THIMPK" about it a bit and decide for yourself what will work for most of what you do.
 
Frank Ford, I like that repair. I'd have complained to Grizzly about that one and requested a replacement. It had to have been a defect in the casting. I've got a bunch of vises, and like I said the only one I over broke was being used as a press with a 6 foot cheater bar being beat on with a hammer.

Now I've deliberately cut up and modified a few, but...

I actually do not care for that style of mill vise with the flange that goes all the way around. When I am trying to get the most out of the envelope of a machine that flange eats up part of the throat of the machine. I do have a few of them, but the only one I use is a little 4" on my little mill drill. Just so I can do quick angled cut without programming something on one of the CNCs. I like the CNC style vises with no flange at all if there is enough room for the crank in the front, and I make my own hold down clamps for them. I also like the grinder/screwless vises because they take up less space in the front in tight cabinets.

Hmmmm.... I think its time for a new thread.
 
I did complain, but the vise was a year and a half old, so no dice.

It was cheap, so I reckon I got what I paid for. . .
 
I'd say go with the 6" Kurt , if you can afford it go 8" . Not much you can't do with those vises anyway. With the right jaws any shape can be held.
 
I bought this vise off Amazon. After I trammed my knee mill with the Edge Pro tram tool. I mounted the vise to tram it. It was dead on. I was amazed. I figured I was gonna have to disassemble it and use my surface grinder to true everything up.

I mounted an indicator to the quill and got the solid jaw to half a thou.

There is some slight repair work done to the inner part of the base but nothing that hurts the operation of the vise.

IMG_4139.PNG
 
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Different discounting price for the DX6 than the D688, which is discontinued. It may be listed, but it may be no longer available. If you look at some other listings for the DX688, such as All Industrial Supply they where selling it for $495, and I had seen it for something around $475 at one point. KBC shows the same price for both the DX6 and D688, $587. Who knows, I still feel that for the the DX6 or something like the Glacern vise would be a good choice, just a matter of your price point. I also purchased a Kurt swivel base, but have probably used it once in many years.

I had seen this video previously on a Winn vise comparison to to a Chinese vise, worth watching. Like anything made, no matter the country of origin it is more a matter of how it is made and the QC. In this respect if you buy something like a Glacern or a Kurt vise you can be pretty assured that it will meet tighter tolerances.
 
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