Nice Project for Mill Owners

[monte55]

Shortly after I got my mill, I realized I needed a vice right away. The little piece of crap vice you get with the mill is barely worth more than a paper weight. Anyone that has machined with a mill understands the reason for having a quality vice that doesn't lift the material during tightening of the jaws. I couldn't afford a quality vice such as Kurt at that time so I decided
to make my own table vice. Reasons I like this vice is: Size is restricted only by the length of the milling table. Another plus is this vice was made on my mill so if my mill table is a tad off, it will machine the vice the same tad off and I will be accurately holding my work pieces.

This vice was made from one hunk of metal (I believe it is cast).
The pins are 1/2 inch CR steel.
The surface of the vice that has the vertical holes bored to secure it to the
table should be milled low enough to make up for the thickness of the bolt head.
I have since bought a 6 inch milling vice on a turntable base, but I hardly ever use it. This small vice gets used most of the time because it is so handy and it doesn't weigh 75 lbs. (which is a pain to pick up)
Also with your mill, you get to make your own T slot nuts. (cool!)
I hope the pictures will speak for themselves.

[ImanCarrot]

That's one of those projects that you think "now why didn't I think of that!" very nice: gonna make one

Thanks for sharing