Tightening up a screwless vise

[DavidR8]

For what it’s worth, I just bought a 4” Glacern for my RF30 clone.
The table is 24”x9” and I have 18.5” of spindle to table clearance.
@mikey sage advice was key to my decision to spend the money on a quality vise.

Glacern has the 4” on sale right now for $200 off. And $20 off shipping.


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[Mini Cooper S]

Second, apart from the fact that the Kurt is U.S.-made and the other is almost certainly not, is there a strong case to be made for spending almost twice as much for the Kurt?

I have used both Kurt and the knockoffs, while the Kurt tightens up very solidly with very little if any flex, the same cannot be said for the knockoffs. They had a lot of flex and just didn't feel very solid. Weather it is worth the difference in price, only the purchaser can decide. That said, I bought my second Kurt for my CNC used on Craig's List !

 

[Aaron_W]

First, is there any potential issue with either or both of these being the appropriate size for an LMS 5550/Siegx2.7 mill?

5" would probably work for you, but 4" is going to be a better fit. I have a 6x24" Clausing mill that I got with a 5" Kurt clone, and it is a big vise. It works, but just.

 

[Frank O]

For what it’s worth, I just bought a 4” Glacern for my RF30 clone.
The table is 24”x9” and I have 18.5” of spindle to table clearance.
@mikey sage advice was key to my decision to spend the money on a quality vise.

Glacern has the 4” on sale right now for $200 off. And $20 off shipping.

Interesting. So, if the choice were between a 4" Glacern (it sounds like you have the premium model) vs. a 4" Kurt, is there a strong argument one way or the other?

 

[darkzero]

Interesting. So, if the choice were between a 4" Glacern (it sounds like you have the premium model) vs. a 4" Kurt, is there a strong argument one way or the other?

I'd get the Kurt without question if budget allowed. I wanted a 5" vise though which Kurt no longer makes. Didn't feel like searching for a used 5" Kurt at the time. And I was budgeting at the time cause I was tooling up my mill so I went with a 5" Glacern. No regrets though, been happy with my Glacern & I'd buy it again (during a sale though like I originally did).

 

[mikey]

Interesting. So, if the choice were between a 4" Glacern (it sounds like you have the premium model) vs. a 4" Kurt, is there a strong argument one way or the other?

Functionally, they will be much the same. Kurt is made in the US, while Glacern outsources their castings and machines them here, I believe. Both are highly regarded. If you can afford it, go with the Kurt. If on a budget, get the Glacern.

 

[DavidR8]

Interesting. So, if the choice were between a 4" Glacern (it sounds like you have the premium model) vs. a 4" Kurt, is there a strong argument one way or the other?

I considered the 4” Kurt but it was twice the price of the 4” Glacern on sale.


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[ErichKeane]

Orange vices are really high quality as well! I looked a few years ago for a new vice and ended up with a Kurt though. Based on my research, Kurt/Orange are top tier, Glacern is next, then a bunch of imports, then the bad imports

 

[Frank O]

If you can afford it, go with the Kurt.

I considered the 4” Kurt but it was twice the price of the 4” Glacern on sale.

Looking at the options here:

https://www.mscdirect.com/industrialtools/kurt-4-inch-vises.html

a basic Kurt vise 4" wide, 6.5" jaw opening seems relatively affordable at $653.73:

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/30980429

But with various options, the 4" Kurts get a lot pricier than that.

If my priority is to go with something I'm going to be happy with over the long term, which 4" Kurt should I be looking at for my LMS 5550/Sieg x2.7?

 

[ErichKeane]

Orange vices are really high quality as well! I looked a few years ago for a new vice and ended up with a Kurt though. Based on my research, Kurt/Orange are top tier, Glacern is next, then a bunch of imports, then the bad imports

Ah! Looks like Orange stopped selling standard vices and are just CNC vices now. So they are insanely expensive. Kurt seems to have done the same thing in 4" vises. Glacern at least has their 'standard' vise for only $350.

Its nuts to me that the 4" vises are now more expensive than the 6" kurt!