Vise: Size, Kurt Style vs Screwless

I recently acquired a small knee mill with a 5 x 20 table. I am unsure on what is a best size vise, 3" or 4". I am not sure what I would lose with a 4", hence the question. I was looking at the Kurt style clones as well as the screwless vises. What are pros and cons on these? The screwless are compact, which on a small mill, would be a plus.

Thanks.

- Phil

The Kurt style 4" would be the better choice. More capacity, etc.

You are aware that it doesn't end with a vise. By the time you gather all the cutters and do-dads it takes to run a milling machine you'll have more than the price of the mill invested in them. It's worse than woment and shoes.

I had a bench-top miller that I put a 6 inch vise on. The reason was for the added mass, which helps when cutting. The table was so light that, with the smaller vise, you had to lock it down whenever possible or you couldn't take much of a cut with it. Just a thought; I'd go for the bigger, heavier vise that won't be in the way.

I have found the screwless vises are lousy for milling. They don't grip tight enough to allow productive cuts. In addition, it's easy to cock the moving jaw when gripping parts on parallels, especially when the parallels are nearly the full height of the jaws.

Forrest Addy said:

The Kurt style 4" would be the better choice. More capacity, etc.

You are aware that it doesn't end with a vise. By the time you gather all the cutters and do-dads it takes to run a milling machine you'll have more than the price of the mill invested in them. It's worse than woment and shoes.

Click to expand...

I got on Travers to buy a $12.50 end-mill Saturday night. While there I realized I needed a few other things.

All said and done that 1/8" cutter cost me $852.xx. Of course it's coming with a new boring head and bars etc....

GerryR said:

I had a bench-top miller that I put a 6 inch vise on. The reason was for the added mass, which helps when cutting. The table was so light that, with the smaller vise, you had to lock it down whenever possible or you couldn't take much of a cut with it. Just a thought; I'd go for the bigger, heavier vise that won't be in the way.

Click to expand...

The 6" Kurt is also cheaper...

I am new to machining, but have experienced the tool costs. My Southbend 9A purchase has already got me going down that path. This mill could be worse. It is a horizontal AND vertical machine, providing even more ways to spend money!

- Phil

Forrest Addy said:

The Kurt style 4" would be the better choice. More capacity, etc.

You are aware that it doesn't end with a vise. By the time you gather all the cutters and do-dads it takes to run a milling machine you'll have more than the price of the mill invested in them. It's worse than woment and shoes.

Click to expand...

I just measured the dimensions of the vise that is on the 5 x 20 table of my recently acquired Rotex mill and was surprised. And now more uncertain of what to get.

The existing vise (has holes drilled into bottom unfortunately), but is 11.5" long, with jaws 1-3/8" deep and 4.125" wide. with the distance between mounting hole centers only 4" apart. The total height is 3-5/8" and jaws open to 3.25". The only thing I don't like is the length (given the table is just 5"), but even a 3" vise is at best that I can find, 10.25" long, just 1.25" shorter, but with substantially less capacity. A 4" is relatively huge compared to what I have on there now. That vise is a model K.K.K. brand, model 100, made in Gifu, Japan. I was surprised to see it is has scraping on the ways. Just wish it was in better shape, and shorter. The length is somewhat in the way, especially with more than half of it hanging off the table. Is 3" really going to be my only choice. I found a Kurt D30, for a whopping $615, so will probably have to settle for something else.

- Phil

I have a 3" Kurt-type on a smaller mill with a 4x16 table, and it's about right.
I think you want a 4"
You might look for a 4" Palmgren, they were a bit smaller for the Jaw size. I have one on a 8x36 table and it looks small. I'm shopping for a 4" Kurt or Glacern for it.

what do you mean by a screwless vise; like as in a grinding vise? I'd go mental trying to use a grinding vise on the mill, they're a pita to set up for different sizes and not not heavy enough for milling (you tighten a milling vise much more than a grinding vise), don't have a spot for T slot registers or lugs for bolts....keep those for grinding would be my suggestion...or are you talking about some other kind of vise?

can't go wrong with Kurt style and it looks like there are some good clones for reasonable dollars. If its not known to you, on these the moving jaw pulls down as its tightened, such luxury. I would not go back to the days of tapping the work back down after tightening like you have to with the old school mill vise