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Anyone have a Busy Bee coupon code?
- Thread starter DavidR8
- Start date
Tom Kitta
Ultra Member
I have never seen a Busy Bee coupon. If buying Chinese stuff take a look at Amazon, they usually have BB stuff already discounted.
https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=toolmaker...BFO&sprefix=toolma,aps,182&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_6
and say
https://www.amazon.ca/Precision-Gri...&qid=1582221072&sprefix=toolma,aps,182&sr=8-3
or even better deal
https://www.amazon.ca/HHIP-3900-201...763HYM3651T&psc=1&refRID=2GK4ZJA4E763HYM3651T
vs.
https://www.busybeetools.com/search?q=toolmakers+vise&queryAssumption=correction
why pay 2x as much at BB tools? Besides with Amazon you are covered by better warranty and have easier returns.
https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=toolmaker...BFO&sprefix=toolma,aps,182&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_6
and say
https://www.amazon.ca/Precision-Gri...&qid=1582221072&sprefix=toolma,aps,182&sr=8-3
or even better deal
https://www.amazon.ca/HHIP-3900-201...763HYM3651T&psc=1&refRID=2GK4ZJA4E763HYM3651T
vs.
https://www.busybeetools.com/search?q=toolmakers+vise&queryAssumption=correction
why pay 2x as much at BB tools? Besides with Amazon you are covered by better warranty and have easier returns.
Dabbler
ersatz engineer
Are you going for the 5" one like this?
https://www.busybeetools.com/products/5in-precision-machine-vise-craftex-cx.html
-- at $115 it is a pretty good price, but I'd want to check it out in store before buying. The two at the Calgary store are not-so-good.
Pro tip: buy the biggest vise that you need to do forseeable work, and then maybe a little bigger. For really big stuff there are a LOT of options.
I started witha 6" vise with 5" opening, and now have 2 - 6" vises that open to a max of (I think) 14 inches. I also have the old vise, a 5" that opens to 4.75" and a 5" that opens to 6". sigh. too many vises!
https://www.busybeetools.com/products/5in-precision-machine-vise-craftex-cx.html
-- at $115 it is a pretty good price, but I'd want to check it out in store before buying. The two at the Calgary store are not-so-good.
Pro tip: buy the biggest vise that you need to do forseeable work, and then maybe a little bigger. For really big stuff there are a LOT of options.
I started witha 6" vise with 5" opening, and now have 2 - 6" vises that open to a max of (I think) 14 inches. I also have the old vise, a 5" that opens to 4.75" and a 5" that opens to 6". sigh. too many vises!
Thanks @Dabbler I'm torn between 4" and 5"
It was this one that caught my eye.
https://www.busybeetools.com/products/4in-lock-down-milling-vise-craftex-cx.html
It was this one that caught my eye.
https://www.busybeetools.com/products/4in-lock-down-milling-vise-craftex-cx.html
Dabbler
ersatz engineer
The 5" one at just over a third of the price will be more sturdy than your mill. I have the 6" version of that vise. My 5" vise is essentially the one that I linked you to, except Taiwanese brand name. and you don't have to use the rotating collar, which is then essentially the same as the 4" but bigger.
The lock down ones are nice to have. At 300 bucks there are other options, however.
The lock down ones are nice to have. At 300 bucks there are other options, however.
Tom Kitta
Ultra Member
At that price point I would run away - you can do far better or get for 1/2 price same thing on Amazon with free returns if you don't like it. Or just wait for an auction and get a used Kurt or similar that will dance around that BB vise. I used a 4" on a mini mill - it was a bit big for it but I managed. Your mill is much bigger so I would not worry about 5" at all.
Long time ago when I was last time at BB I looked at their "vise like" objects in the 120 range and was amazed that these things actually were sold with "milling" on them. For a drill press, yes. But milling? Maybe rough milling - but who does that. Calgary store. I remember the jaws were even of different height. At least visually KMS were same height.
There is a youtube video where a guy is trying to fix cheap Chinese vise with a grinder etc. No go.
here is side by side
Maybe export machinists could figure out how to deal with a bad vice - for example if the error is repeatable you can simply ... account for it.
Long time ago when I was last time at BB I looked at their "vise like" objects in the 120 range and was amazed that these things actually were sold with "milling" on them. For a drill press, yes. But milling? Maybe rough milling - but who does that. Calgary store. I remember the jaws were even of different height. At least visually KMS were same height.
There is a youtube video where a guy is trying to fix cheap Chinese vise with a grinder etc. No go.
here is side by side
Maybe export machinists could figure out how to deal with a bad vice - for example if the error is repeatable you can simply ... account for it.
Tom Kitta
Ultra Member
Spy system on Amazon just sent me that - https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07KP5LH5Y...ascsubtag=6669d95ec5a94a561e910d01afc3d605_CT
Thanks @Tom Kitta.
As an aside I just tried to register with Border Bee and they no longer serve individuals, only legally registered businesses.
As an aside I just tried to register with Border Bee and they no longer serve individuals, only legally registered businesses.
Dabbler
ersatz engineer
Sooooo, @David_R8 just another hint: the vise in @Tom Kitta link is only 22 lbs. I'll weigh my 5" regular one, but I think it is closer to 38 lbs. The weight will almost always translate into rigidity.
FYI Stefan Gotteswinter uses screwless vises on his mini mill, and he does work in parts of a hundredth of a millimeter (yes that's about 4 tenths of a thousandth of an an inch)
Something like this would work far more accurately than any of the 4" CNC vises you've been looking at:
https://www.shars.com/4-x-4-7-8-precision-toolmakers-vise
FYI Stefan Gotteswinter uses screwless vises on his mini mill, and he does work in parts of a hundredth of a millimeter (yes that's about 4 tenths of a thousandth of an an inch)
Something like this would work far more accurately than any of the 4" CNC vises you've been looking at:
https://www.shars.com/4-x-4-7-8-precision-toolmakers-vise
@David_R8, for what it's worth the 4" Glacern is an excellent choice take it from someone who owns one. I debated between a precision toolmakers vise but the 4" Glacern one out. Been using mine since March of 2010 when I purchased my Craftex CT129N Mill/Drill and yes it appears like an overkill on my smallish mill yet it really isn't. Added the rubber cover over the heal of the vise which keeps the swarf out.
Sent on this very special day of 22-02-2020, Saturday, 22 February, 2020.
Bill
Sent on this very special day of 22-02-2020, Saturday, 22 February, 2020.
Bill
Last edited:
Thanks @Dusty
I debated what to do but in the end I decided the vise was a fundamental piece of tooling that would affect how I use the mill and the accuracy of parts.
The $200 price discount helped swing the decision.
Great looking setup, I like the swarf cover.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I debated what to do but in the end I decided the vise was a fundamental piece of tooling that would affect how I use the mill and the accuracy of parts.
The $200 price discount helped swing the decision.
Great looking setup, I like the swarf cover.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
@David_R8, the 1/8" thick rubber heal cover is simple enough to make as your vise should come with the 2 metric threaded holes facing rearward. I simply added a stainless steel face plate narrow enough to allow the rubber to fold the 90 degrees at the bottom. The rubber doesn't need come all the way back whenever the vise is at rest. I didn't like the handle that came with my vise as I found it far too cumbersome. So I made up a speed handle using a 9/16" (6 sided) deep socket welded to a steel plate then chucked up the socket turning the plate outer circumference down so I could bolt on the outer ring complete with easy spin handle. The easy spin handle simply speeds up opening and closing the vise jaws. Works great and snugs my projects up in a jiffy.
