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  1. #1
    Hopefully that title got your attention...

    Well I bought a low profile drill vice for use on my Novamill (due to low Z travel) as it seemed one of the more compact machine vices without the very high price tag.

    It arrived, and is meant to have a milled and ground base, but when I put it on my table, or any table for that matter it rocks from side to side as pressure is applied to different bits of the vice.

    I can push one corner and it rocks that way, then press the other corner and it rocks that way - its not massive, maybe a few mm - but it makes it nearly useless.

    Is that a normal feature of these types of vices?

    I ask as I complained and the supplier contacted the manufacture (I wont name at the moment, but not a small name) and then sent me one direct - but when it arrived it too rocks (though not as much)

    So the question, is it normal to have a wobbly bottom?

    Thanks

  2. #2
    Send them both back. The bottom of the vice must be flat. In some cases precision vices are hand scraped to acheive this.

    Is the bottom is wobbly, I would hate to think what the surface between the jaws is like.

    You sure you didn't buy a drill press vice?
    https://emvioeng.com
    Machine tools and 3D printing supplies. Expanding constantly.

  3. #3
    Even my drill press vices are nice and flat underneath, send 'em back!
    A good milling vice is definitely one of those bits of equipment where the money is well spent and a less than good one will consistently affect work unless it's shortcomings are precisely identified and compensated for,

    - Nick
    You think that's too expensive? You're not a Model Engineer are you? :D

  4. #4
    Interesting - thanks guys I will call them.

    Ref the vice, the reason I dont want to drop 500+ on one is I have such little Z height I wont be using for most jobs, as I plan on using alu fixture plates for most of the stuff (as I will be doing very small batches) so it sucks to drop so much on something that is there just for the odd adhoc job.

    Yes its a drill press vice - wasn't aware that made a difference? Just wanted something low profile for a decent ££ - imagined it would at least have a flat bottom

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Dangle_kt View Post
    Interesting - thanks guys I will call them.

    Ref the vice, the reason I dont want to drop 500+ on one is I have such little Z height I wont be using for most jobs, as I plan on using alu fixture plates for most of the stuff (as I will be doing very small batches) so it sucks to drop so much on something that is there just for the odd adhoc job.

    Yes its a drill press vice - wasn't aware that made a difference? Just wanted something low profile for a decent ££ - imagined it would at least have a flat bottom
    I seem to remember one of the home machining books by the likes of Harold Hall or similar had a way of fixing the drillpress vises for light milling.

    As with most drill press related items they are only meant to take forces in one direction. have a look at low profile milling vices on googles. You do not need to go to the expense of 500.
    https://emvioeng.com
    Machine tools and 3D printing supplies. Expanding constantly.

  6. #6
    Thanks Komatias, I didn't know that... so the X and Y motion of the mill wont agree with the drill press vice? Thats interesting.

    So much to learn :D

  7. #7
    As you have a low Z clearance, you might consider a two part milling vice. Arc do one but it is probably too big. Chronos also have the Vertex ones, which are smaller.

  8. #8
    Someone on here (routercnc I think) linked to a low profile vise that they use...the likes of rdgtools, arceurotrade etc. all stock them I believe...

    Sent from my HUAWEI VNS-L31 using Tapatalk
    Neil...

    Build log...here

  9. #9
    little video I made of the issue as it explains it better than I can

    https://youtu.be/iIlEiHpCyX0
    Last edited by Dangle_kt; 13-01-2017 at 04:38 PM.

  10. #10
    Could, I suppose, bolt it down inverted to parallels on the router bed, using the vice jaws machined surface on the parallels. Then skim the bottom. Pound to a penny, though, that the casting warped after machining and both bottom and "vice jaw face" are similarly distorted.

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