Tormach 5" CNC Vise or Glacern 5" Standard Vise for PM-30

[luv2ride]

Here are a couple of pics comparing a 3" and a 4" on the g0704. The 5" doesn't look like a bad fit as long as you are leaving it on there most of the time. At 50 lbs it gets old moving it all of the time. I also milled the back lip off of my old 3" to get the extra travel with out binding the vice to the column. Using the front slot in the table looks to be a good option as well.

[rusmannx]

I am not sure if you saw this video:

but while it looks big on this table, our table has an extra inch, and I think it should be OK. I am afraid that the 4 would be too small, I am curious to see how your modeling comes out.

I was going to link that video too
Many of the video comments are from people who have the Shars vice, and they all seem to be happy with them.

[Steve Seebold]

I'm having the hardest time trying to decide on a vise for my new mill. I'm currently using a 4" toolmaker's vise for my X2, and it's a bit too small, and it's a bit of a pain to use too. Plus, it's ridiculously tiny on the huge table.

I've narrowed it down to a 5" vise. A 4" seems a BIT too small (I could be wrong), and a 6" is just too big. There are only a few 5" vises out there, so here are my choices:

Attachment 228406

Tormach 5" CNC Vise

Pros:

-$100 less
-more compact
-multiple mounting options

Cons:

-unknown quality (Tormach is good, but I haven't heard much about this vise)
-no swivel base?

Attachment 228408

Glacern 5" Standard

Pros:

-Glacern seems to be high quality, from what I've read
-swivel base option

Cons:

-less mounting options
-pricey
-bulkier

Thoughts? Does anyone know anything about the Tormach? It looks nice, but there are no specs, and it looks like like all the cheaper chinese ones you can find on eBay for half as much.

That first vise would be even better if the fixed jaw was on the front. I have a Quad 1 vise on my machine that came to life as a 6 inch vise. It turned out to be 2 1/4 inches too long for my machine, so I took up to a buddy who has a big saw and guess what. My vise now fits my machine. It only opens 4 inches, but it fits my machine and does EVERYTHING I need a vise to do.

[Steve Seebold]

That's a bummer because Shars stopped selling the 440V (and the 550V it seems too...). What mill do you have? I guess I'm still a little on the fence between the 4" and 5" but I think my table could handle the slightly bigger one.

If you're still undecided on your vise, I have a 4 inch Glacern vise that's about 2 years old and has never been on the machine. I paid $299.00 plus shipping. If you're interested, I'll take $265.00 shipped.

[Connor]

That first vise would be even better if the fixed jaw was on the front. I have a Quad 1 vise on my machine that came to life as a 6 inch vise. It turned out to be 2 1/4 inches too long for my machine, so I took up to a buddy who has a big saw and guess what. My vise now fits my machine. It only opens 4 inches, but it fits my machine and does EVERYTHING I need a vise to do.

The Tormach vise? It does have a fixed jaw on the front. The picture is with the front of the vise closest to you.

[Steve Seebold]

The Tormach vise? It does have a fixed jaw on the front. The picture is with the front of the vise closest to you.

Connor. you need to take a look at the vise on the Tormach web site, do the slide show and you'll see the fixed jaw is on the back of the vise.

[Connor]

Connor. you need to take a look at the vise on the Tormach web site, do the slide show and you'll see the fixed jaw is on the back of the vise.

I'm not sure what your talking about. The smaller jaw is the fixed jaw and is keyed to the vise. The longer jaw is the movable. It looks just like my Shars except it's a CNC vise instead of a machinest vise.

[cowanrg]

I think you are both using different terminology for "front" and "back". how about "handle side". the smallest jaw is stationary, but I'm sure that could be referred to as either the back (if it's on the machine), or the front (if you're looking at it from the side?).

[MichaelHenry]

That first vise would be even better if the fixed jaw was on the front.

It depends on what you mean by "front". For both Tormach vises, the fixed jaw is normally toward the column, which might be nomally defined as "back". It appears that you prefer the fixed jaw on the side closest to the operator. Is that correct?

Mike

[Steve Seebold]

The front of the vise is the end closest to the operator with the vise mounted on the machine, or the end where the handle goes.

My vise has the fixed jaw closest to what I call the front of the machine. The column would be the back of the machine. Hence, the movable jaw on my vise is the back jaw.

[Connor]

The front of the vise is the end closest to the operator with the vise mounted on the machine, or the end where the handle goes.

My vise has the fixed jaw closest to what I call the front of the machine. The column would be the back of the machine. Hence, the movable jaw on my vise is the back jaw.

Yup, we have different ideas of what the front of the vise is. I have the opposite opinion on this. Either way, why does that style vs Tormach and Shars make it better? If you have it like your talking about, the vise would cater-leaver off the table where most of the cutting force was, or you have to use a much shorter vise....

[mountaindew]

while I'm sure the Tormach is just bought from a Chinese manufacturer and sold by Tormach. A swivel base is a completely useless attachment on a CNC machine.

Regards,
Ray L.

Just for info!
My tormach vise says made in USA!
I have the more expensive machinist vise not the flat side machine unit!


md

[Connor]

Just for info!
My tormach vise says made in USA!
I have the more expensive machinist vise not the flat side machine unit!


md

Anyone have a Tormach 5" CNC vise mounted on G0704 Table? I want to what it looks like compared to my 5" Shars vise.

[luv2ride]

I would like to see pics too but looking at the numbers, it looks like the Tormach is about the same size if not a fraction of an inch shorter than your Shars vise. Should be a great fit. I don't know about the mounting holes however.

[cowanrg]

The Shars 550V is back in stock (and back at the normal price on eBay). I just picked one up for ~$260 shipped.

[AVRnj]

I saw that, I am going to pick up a couple of vises from them as well.

[cowanrg]

a couple?!

[AVRnj]

Yeah, I am thinking that I want to use a double vise setup.

[luv2ride]

I recently bought a PCNC 1100 and have a 5" Tormach vise that I put in the g0704 table for reference. This one has aluminum soft jaws and the pics are not great but I think it looks like a good fit if you need a vise that size. If you need other pics let me know.

[cowanrg]

I ended up getting the Shars 550V, which seems to be nearly identical to the Glacern (and pretty similar to the 5" Tormach). I think it's pretty darn nice for the money. My table is still apart (finishing up the oiler setup), but it seems like a good size.