Milling Vise Recommendation

[proxima]

I'm looking to buy a vise for my grizzly G0704. I've narrowed it down to a 4" Glacern or KBC tool's own branded 4" precision milling vise. KMC also has Magnum 4x4" vise but I don't know too much about those. I've read lots of good reviews for the Glacern but it is a bit pricey and I would have to head cross border to get one. And the only other vise local to me is KBC which there are no reviews for. Which one should I get? Or are there any other vise that I should look into? I know KBC has Kurt vises but those are just way out of my budget.

 

[John Conroy]

I bought a 6" Magnum brand vise from KMS. I don't recommend it. The castings are very soft and were machined before they had aged properly. The result is more than .010" flatness variation from end to end. I eventually milled the castings flat but they have moved more since then and the vise is again not square or flat. Basically it's a 70 pound paperweight. Of course, my wife became aware of all the grumbling i did about the Magnum vise. She bought me a new Kurt DX6 for Christmas a couple of years ago when KBC had them on sale. That's one of the reasons we are still together after 42 years i guess.

 

[John Conroy]

KBC carries a Taiwan made vise that might be worthwhile and it's relatively inexpensive.

https://www.kbctools.ca/itemdetail/8-251-004

 

[kevin.decelles]

I went with the 4" shars vice . It was that or the glacer, the debate raged in my head until I just flipped a coin

I'm happy with the shars, no useful comparison as I'm new to this and my previous vice was brutal. I used a Kurt in a class at SAIT and the shars mimics its look and feel




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[proxima]

That's the KBC in house branded one I was referring to, but I have not found any reviews to confirm if it is any good. So I am hesitant to buy it even though it is relatively inexpensive.

KBC carries a Taiwan made vise that might be worthwhile and it's relatively inexpensive.

https://www.kbctools.ca/itemdetail/8-251-004

 

[proxima]

Shars, I looked at that brand as well, but I can't seem to find them locally here.

I went with the 4" shars vice . It was that or the glacer, the debate raged in my head until I just flipped a coin

I'm happy with the shars, no useful comparison as I'm new to this and my previous vice was brutal. I used a Kurt in a class at SAIT and the shars mimics its look and feel




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[kevin.decelles]

Shars ships out of USA

I'll own a Kurt before I die...... just not this year


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tom Kitta]

I have one of these "Magnums" on my drill press. Works great for a drill press. Has no place on a mill for anything but "rough" work. Great for DP stuff.

Same for all other cheap Chinese vises - they are not worth it. Unless for DP - that actually works well.

As far as Shars goes they may be OK for hobby use when you don't need too much precision - I have one of their double vises 6" from auction on my horizontal mill - seems OK. https://www.shars.com/6-600ds-cnc-double-station-milling-machine-vise-0-0002-1

For cheaper alternatives try Polish toolmex vise - it saves you a bit over Kurt but not much for more or less same accuracy. https://www.toolmex.com/itemdetail/3-220-0068 they can be found on eBay for under 500.

If you cannot get "cheaper" toolmex or similar I would try auctions and save for Kurt or Orange etc. vise for your main machine. You use your vise all the time - at least take it out of the equation of "why this is not even".

 

[Dusty]

Hello there

For what its worth I happen to own a 4" Glacern vise use it with my Craftex CT129N mill/drill a machine slightly smaller than a grizzly G0704. The table is 7" x 20" initially I thought it was too big for my needs although I 've been proven wrong numerous times over the past ten years or so. Purchased same out of the Toronto somewhere in the $350:00 price range with shipping and GST. Pricy yes however one of my better hobby investments by a country mile. Since then I built a speed handle adding a front cover where the handle sits across the vise to reduce swarf from getting inside.

Bill

 

[Dabbler]

so Janger and I bought a Taiwanese Kurt 633 clone each last year. They were $500, but they are flat, rigid, and 'as good' as the Kurt original, at least by my measurements. They even pass the deflection test with flying colours.

Supplied by Thomas Skinner. (Janger found them)

 

[Tom Kitta]

I paid around $600 two years ago for original Kurt - sometimes you need to look for good deals its I think the 688 model (6" that opens to almost 9").

 

[slow-poke]

Reviving this topic for 2023

I have several vises and none of them are anywhere near Kurt territory. I would like to have a Kurt but can't justify paying more for a vise than I paid for the mill $500,

On my round column mill when precision is not critical I use a really cheap 4" vise, because it's light and very easy to install.

I also have a BusyBee 5 inch milling vise with the screw below the jaw so I guess that qualifies as an anti-lift type vise. It weighs 54lbs B225? written with sharpie on the base, I don't think they sell this anymore, looks a lot like a Grizzly G7154 Premium milling vise but who knows?

It does lift somewhat, I just measured a 2" block and it lifted about 0.004" when clamped tightly, although if I tap it down it does stay down.

At 54lbs it's not convenient to carry over to the mill and install on a whim like I do with the really cheap 4" that I often use.

I think a good compromise would be a better quality 4" anti-lift milling vise that opens to 5 or 6". Prefer a non-swivel base.

Looking for suggestions Shars? Something else?

 

[Janger]

https://kar.ca/precision-milling-machine-vise-6-x-8-9-jaw-opening.html

PRECISION ANGLE LOCK MACHINE VISE 107X110MM(4X4IN)

<table class="details_table" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="5"><tr style="background:#B23F46; color:white;"><td>Model</td><td>A (mm/Inch)</td><td>B (mm/Inch)</td><td>C (mm/Inch)</td><td>D (mm/Inch)</td><td>E (mm/Inch)</td><td>F (mm/Inch)</t

kar.ca

Maybe some options there. A good vise is serious money. If you can find a used Kurt which I managed to after looking for a year. Depends on your location - seems like Kurt vises are plentiful and cheap out east. The autowell is a good vise.

 

[slow-poke]

https://kar.ca/precision-milling-machine-vise-6-x-8-9-jaw-opening.html

PRECISION ANGLE LOCK MACHINE VISE 107X110MM(4X4IN)

<table class="details_table" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="5"><tr style="background:#B23F46; color:white;"><td>Model</td><td>A (mm/Inch)</td><td>B (mm/Inch)</td><td>C (mm/Inch)</td><td>D (mm/Inch)</td><td>E (mm/Inch)</td><td>F (mm/Inch)</t

kar.ca

Maybe some options there. A good vise is serious money. If you can find a used Kurt which I managed to after looking for a year. Depends on your location - seems like Kurt vises are plentiful and cheap out east. The autowell is a good vise.

That will be near $900 with tax and shipping, way beyond my budget.

 

[Dusty]

@proxima check out my post # 6 dated December 2020. Several members on the forum use this vise, suggest you glean through the thread.

Need help with deciding on Kurt vise

Hi I was just wondering if this vise would be worth it to buy it’s a Kurt du68 fixture vise looks to be in good condition 3 of the jaws are made by Kurt and 3 or 4 are shop made by someone it’s 500$ Canadian for it I haven’t been able to find much info since Kurt no longer makes them any help...

canadianhobbymetalworkers.com

 

[Janger]

used vise in Leduc
$300 6" mill vise.

 

[slow-poke]

used vise in Leduc
$300 6" mill vise.

This (above) appears to be a STM (Taiwan). List price is about 1k, only opens to 4" Anyone use one?

At this point unless something pops up, I'm leaning towards one of these made in Taiwan models:
+ Tegara 440V, (opens to 6") or possibly the
+ Glacern GSV-440, (opens to 4.5")

Anyone using one of these? They seem to get good to excellent reviews. If you do have one, where did you get it from?

Sourcing might be a problem, apparently Shars only uses UPS and I really don't want to go that route.

 

[Dabbler]

@slow-poke You can request that Shars use Hercules Transport for heavier items like a vise. Sometimes the shipping is even cheaper than UPS (and sometimes much more)

 

[Proxule]

I bought a 6" Magnum brand vise from KMS. I don't recommend it. The castings are very soft and were machined before they had aged properly. The result is more than .010" flatness variation from end to end. I eventually milled the castings flat but they have moved more since then and the vise is again not square or flat. Basically it's a 70 pound paperweight. Of course, my wife became aware of all the grumbling i did about the Magnum vise. She bought me a new Kurt DX6 for Christmas a couple of years ago when KBC had them on sale. That's one of the reasons we are still together after 42 years i guess.

Love my wife to bits, for this very reason!
Some times a good wife makes all the difference in the health wealth and happiness of a relationship.

 

[Dabbler]

@Proxule We've been married for about the same duration! whodathunkit?

My better half lets me buy whatever is necessary fo the shop, as long as it doesn't affect our monthly budget. Sometimes she grumbles, and then I know I've overdone it a little...