Need vise advise LOL

[CNCadmin]

I need vise advise get it LOL anyway, I need a vise for my mini mill, I plan one using it for everything. Now I know their are vises that hold down work, that can sine work, and so on, what should I look for in a vise the size of 3"-4"?

[HuFlungDung]

The better milling vises (Kurt comes to mind) use the angle-lok principle on the movable jaw. This forces the jaw down onto the bed of the vise as you tighten it up, rather than lifting off said bed as a cheap vise jaw will do. When lift off occurs, it tends to roll the part up off the base of the vise or off the parallels, and you lose thickness control and squareness. You can hammer down the work all day in one of these cheap vises and it still won't sit down on both parallels. :|

If you are using this vise on a cnc machine, you don't really need a swivel base for it. I know I've got three swivel bases sitting unused in a cupboard

Sometimes it is really nice to have a horizontal swivel axis (a 3-way vise), but this type of vise is really high, and gobbles up even more of your available work envelope. Wait until you really need one of these before you get it.

[wms]

Paul,
If you are doing small stuff and you are doing small lots(ie: 10-15 each) you might consider a tool maker vise. They are available in the 3 inch range. Some are of really good quality. Probably a little more money, but will last a long time.

But some of them are not as "handy" to use because of the way you have the tighten the part.(ie: they don't have a standard handle)

As HU says Kurt is the industry standard in regular vises. That's all I buy. Tried the cheap ones and got tired of all the problems.

Better to buy a good one first time out of the gate even if you have to wait a little. GMO

And another note: the small vises actually cost as much or more than the larger ones (6 inch). Probably has to do with the numbers made and sold.

If you could fit a 6 inch vise in you work zone it would be the best deal, both price and because it will hold bigger stuff.
But I don't know how "mini" your mill is.

[CNCadmin]

I got this one from http://www.littlemachineshop.com/pro...ProductID=1590

My mill is a Micro Mark mini mill.

[wms]

Looks like a nice unit Paul.
I guess a 6 inch vice on a Micro Mark mini mill might be a little much.

[Turbine]

The main points already mentioned were right on. Don't use a vise base. The mini is already cramped in Z and those things just contribute to a huge loss of rigidity.
We have two Mini Mills that have "Bock" Sub-Plates on them.
You really can't beat these for quick set ups. I strongly suggest you consider one. (or make your own steel one) They will custom make them for you. We ordered ours extra long to extend all the way to the right edge of the table, over the chip/coolant cavity to keep the rotary table out of the way. (What's a mini without a fourth?) The HRT-160 Rotary Table mounted on the X+ end stays on all the time.
They have a choice of two vises. One is a Kurt 6" for the bigger mini stuff. (Damn good vise that does not kick up) The other is a "Bock" Twin Vise (4 inch) for higher production and smaller stuff. (The really cool vise) You can also carve you fixtures right on top of special snap on plates that fit right on top of the vise in place of jaws. Get soft jaws and carve them to whatever you want. I program a lot of "1st Op. in one jaw and 2nd Op. in the other jaw" things. OR both jaws doing the same thing on two parts.
With the sub-plate everything is doweled into the same place every time. You can almost throw you edge finder in the trash.
You could even hard coat your work coordinates into the program using G10.
Here is another cool thing to do to a Mini. Look in an Enco Catalog (don't laugh ) for a "Bison" 5C Collet Chuck for about $230. It works just like the regular 6" chuck for the rotary table
(T Handle and Scroll) but it holds 5C collets. Make a faceplate for the rotary table platter that has the bolt pattern for the Collet Chuck and the 6" Chuck. You will also need to make an adaper for the collet chuck so the Locating Diameters are the same for both. (It's just a ring about .150 thick.) Press this adapter into the collet chuck so it doesn't get lost. Now you can quick change between collets and 6" chuck. DO NOT buy the Haas Chuck. Do your own planning and reaserch and you'll be better off. If you want I can give you the numbers of exactly what we bought and a sketch of the faceplate and adapter.

[Turbine]

Sorry Paul, I assumed it was a Haas.
didn't know about the other mini