[jdurkin]

Can any one recommend a nice vice to buy of good value?
Ideally of not 2 big a form factor so I could maybe buy another at a later date and mount 2.

I'm based in the UK but don't mind importing for the right price

Cheers

[Rikk]

The VA4 here is quite nice, just take the swivel plate off, closest I've found to a kurt.
Chronos Ltd Engineering Tools Vertex Milling Vices

I have the Vertex K4 further down which is also quite good

This is good value http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster...ces-prod21307/

[Zaggy]

I own the Vertex VA5 bought at Rotagrip
Rotagrip - 08) Vertex 127 x 108mm Swivel Base Vice

It's great and there's no vertical move of the stock.

I use it with or without the swivel base.
Here are VA-5 (left) and the bigger VA-6 (right) on a 840x210 table... I don't have the VA-4 sorry, but it will be smaller.



Hope this helps

[digits]

I think I'd second the VA series of vices - I liked my VA-6 from Chronos so much that I've just bought a second one!

The VA-6's are very big though (and ~35kg without the swivel) - even on a WM18/BF30, but I reckon the VA-4's look every bit as nicely made and would be great on a slightly smaller machine.

They are not the cheapest vices, but then again, you do really get what you pay for this time. My cheap vices haven't seen the light of day since I mounted my first VA6.

[LongRat]

You've got a VA6? Damn, I wrote that idea off when I saw the weight! They are massive! 4" on the smaller machine is ideal though. Personally on the 30 series machine I think 5" would be sweet but I'm always looking for a rigid vice which opens a decent distance. I have a K4 and a huge 6" vice that I don't like moving. It is much bigger than the VA6 but lighter. The key thing being the 15" block you can hold in it. I need a good intermediate size vice really.

[Rikk]

Just ordered a VA4, the vice I have is quite nice but very limited on jaw opening (63mm). I'll buy another in a few weeks then that takes care of holding any longer items
Wish they sold all these vices cheaper without the swivel plate.

[Zaggy]

FIY, the jaws of the VA's can be reversed for really wider opening (315mm for example on the VA-5)

Zaggy

[Rikk]

That's one of the reasons I liked it so much, also that the jaw pulls down when under pressure so no rising(I hope) of the work piece.

Any idea where to get spare jaws, I'd like a set permanently on the outside so it's just a case of removed one or more inside jaw when needed.

[jdurkin]

Just ordered a VA4, the vice I have is quite nice but very limited on jaw opening (63mm). I'll buy another in a few weeks then that takes care of holding any longer items
Wish they sold all these vices cheaper without the swivel plate.

Where from Rikk
Chronos Ltd Engineering Tools Vertex Milling Vices



says out of stock

Cheers

[Rikk]

I normally use chronos/rdg/etc but all out of stock, found them here https://www.gatetooling.co.uk/
Spoke to them this morning to confirm stock and delivery and should have it tomorrow
Now if I can just work out why the hell my machine keeps moving it's X zero that would be fab
Halfway through finishing a project for someone...can't wait till it's done so I can get onto what I want to do

[Rikk]

It arrived today as promised, still needs cleaning but with work and machining I've not had time, makes the old one(4 inch as well) look positively wimpy.

[jdurkin]

It arrived today as promised, still needs cleaning but with work and machining I've not had time, makes the old one(4 inch as well) look positively wimpy.

Holly molly !! thats some size difference Rikk

What ye true thoughts having 2 of these - overkill or OK ?

[Rikk]

In a way for me it's really overkill from the size/rigidity perspective as I work almost exclusively in delrin, with a little ali and a very few steel bits.
BUT, the width of material you can clamp is much better than the current one, 62mm compared to 103mm and the moving jaw pulls down when clamping so stopping the material rising.
If I could find something the same size as the current one but with those two features I'd grab it. What I will do at some point is make some wider jaws for it
For the price it's a steal, if you buy something smaller you'll only end up getting one eventually anyway and if/when the time arrives I need to clamp something much longer I'll certainly be buying another one.

[photomankc]

How much Y travel does it cost you? I put a 4" on my BF-25 type and that coolant trough just ate my Y to under 5". I ended up milling away the trough behind the vice and that gave me back a bit over 3/4" of travel.

[Rikk]

Yep it sticks out about 40mm, at some point I'll trim that trough off as well. Most of my stuff tends to be quite small so it shouldn't be much of a problem for me even with it there.

This is one of the bigger things I've done and they are only 60x180 each, most of my stuff is for model vehicles.