Recommendation for mechanical edge finder and precision vise

Could some one please recommend a fairly accurate mechanical edge finer that I can buy in UK? I have used the cheap ones which I bought from Aliexpress, but they are not accurate enough it seems.

Also, I like to get some recommendations for 100mm (or similar) sized vise. I have used one of these but it lifts the work piece when tightened.
https://www.cromwell.co.uk/shop/hand...s-vices/f/3250


Would these ones be any better as they have a 45 degree angle in the tightening screw?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/VS-SLV2A-To.../dp/B003042IPS

Please note that this is for hobby/home use so very expensive equipment will not work for me.

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Originally Posted by suspension

Could some one please recommend a fairly accurate mechanical edge finer that I can buy in UK? I have used the cheap ones which I bought from Aliexpress, but they are not accurate enough it seems.

Please note that this is for hobby/home use so very expensive equipment will not work for me.

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And therein lies your problem.!! . . . . you get what you pay for. Quality cost's money and I've found it's better to just lube up and take the pain because it's cheaper and less frustrating long term.

Try Cutwell tools for quality vise's, cheap vises are just expensive future paperweights.!!

You might have noticed that no self-respecting Youtube Workshop Warrior in the US feels able to approach a machine tool that isn't equipped with the obligatory Kurt vise - or two would be even better. However, the real benefit of the Kurt vise and its myriad copies is the "angle lock" feature that pulls the jaws down as they are clamped. The tighter you make it, the more the jaws are pulled down. There are loads of indifferent copies out there and I bought one of those Chinesium versions a few years back. The angle lock part itself turned out to be barely functional, as the tolerances were so far out. I ended up remachining that bit but of course that's basically ladling lipstick on a pig.

If you can get a half decent angle lock type vise without having to cough up the full price of a new Kurt (best part of a grand), you can find a workable half way house. I got a 6" version from Arc Euro Trade last year and it's been fairly well made. Ketan's done a decent job of quality controlling his Chinese supplier there.
https://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catal...-Milling-Vices They also do a 4" version I see - and the price isn't bad. Shipping a POS lump of scrap cast iron from AliExpress over to the UK is an expensive business, which doesn't leave much for the "vise" itself..

I used the 100mm Arc Euro Trade Vice on a small mill and it was very good for the price.

As for edge finder, I bought one of these when doing my apprenticeship twenty years, I still have it and is is accurate, although it has been mostly replaced with a haimer probe.

https://www.cromwell.co.uk/shop/hand...s-sets/f/64760

I prefer this sort of edge finder, although I must admit I've not tried the "wobbler" sort jamesgates1000 mentions. I'm starting to sound like a shill for Arc Euro but Cromwell don't seem to sell them and this came to hand. https://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catal...l-Edge-Finders

Forget where I got mine but it's 10mm shank and 4mmm tip, looking like their "Type C".

Have to admit I didn't know how to use it until I found one of these dummy guides on YT. Then it started to make sense and I realised how sensitive some of these tools can be.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0od-cp_9dg

Any non angle lock vice will nearly always cause stock to lift, as the moving jaw will lift up when tightening.

If it's a high enough bit of stock, put a bit round bar between the moving jaw and the work piece, snug it up, then give the material a tap down with a hammer (ideally made from something softer than the material you're hitting, unless you're not worried about leaving marks) to make sure the materials seated against the base.

But as per Jazz's post, I love my Gerardi vice from Cutwel, but they're probably a touch expensive (even when on offer!) for hobby use.

I am refering to this:


https://m.aliexpress.com/item/330612...d=7573amp-xll8

Could you please provide me a link to a video or tutorial which has instructions on how to use this properly? In my case amount of movement required to make the tip move to side is from centered position is fairly high.

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been looking for a precision vice too, i started a thread on it and soon will be making a decision.

Im torn between these 2, not sure if they are helpful to you -

https://saundersmachineworks.com/pro...ise-system-1-2

https://www.zoro.co.uk/shop/hand-too...m/p/ZT1011146X

AS you may be aware, the Saunders vise requires several sets of Mitee Bite Talon thingies as well as the Saunders fixture plate to mount it on - or your own equivalent. The adjustment range is almost zero, as you fix the vise up against the work, then nip up the Talons. That's good for repetitive work but a PITA for the more normal stuff I do and the cost would fairly add up by the time you have a workable system.

I like the look of those Zoro / Geradi etc vises. I'd like to acquire one some day when I can find an excuse....

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Originally Posted by Muzzer

AS you may be aware, the Saunders vise requires several sets of Mitee Bite Talon thingies as well as the Saunders fixture plate to mount it on - or your own equivalent. The adjustment range is almost zero, as you fix the vise up against the work, then nip up the Talons. That's good for repetitive work but a PITA for the more normal stuff I do and the cost would fairly add up by the time you have a workable system.

I like the look of those Zoro / Geradi etc vises. I'd like to acquire one some day when I can find an excuse....

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I believe it comes with 2 Reversible 4" Talon / Solid Jaws which im guessing are their own in house version so you dont necessarily need the mitee bite, i could be wrong.

And yes, it does need a fixture plate, i dont have one yet on my cnc so if I do end up getting it I can make the fixture plate for it.

I guess if you are looking for cheap, sub 200 range then the precision toolmakers vice you linked to will do the job fine. Ive heard it can be a PITA to screw it down as the bottom pin doesnt always sit correctly in the grooves

I can't comment too much on the cheaper end of the vise market, but Gerardi make some really nice stuff if you can hold out until it fits with your budget..

With the edge finders, if you want accuracy you'll have to dig a bit deeper and avoid the cheaper 'wobbler' type ones. But like others have said you should be able to get within 0.1mm quite easily with this type if your using it correctly https://www.cutwel.co.uk/10mm-x-6mm-...-insize-6567-1

I use one of these at work (admittedly, when my mills running at home it would be way out of my budget) https://www.cutwel.co.uk/martest-3d-...s-mahr-4304311
Nice thing about these is it takes the human error out compared to the ones where you use a visual indicator like a buzzer, light or physical movement for you to stop moving the table. As long as its running concentric you just bring the dial to zero and your done.. spec says repeatability is 0.01mm.

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Originally Posted by JimJam

I can't comment too much on the cheaper end of the vise market, but Gerardi make some really nice stuff if you can hold out until it fits with your budget..

With the edge finders, if you want accuracy you'll have to dig a bit deeper and avoid the cheaper 'wobbler' type ones. But like others have said you should be able to get within 0.1mm quite easily with this type if your using it correctly https://www.cutwel.co.uk/10mm-x-6mm-...-insize-6567-1

I use one of these at work (admittedly, when my mills running at home it would be way out of my budget) https://www.cutwel.co.uk/martest-3d-...s-mahr-4304311
Nice thing about these is it takes the human error out compared to the ones where you use a visual indicator like a buzzer, light or physical movement for you to stop moving the table. As long as its running concentric you just bring the dial to zero and your done.. spec says repeatability is 0.01mm.

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yes i posted another thread asking for comparison between the Gerardi and cheaper alternatives. Still not sure if its worth just getting the cheapest knock off version of the gerardi, its a good £200 cheaper approx.