• Spring 2024 meetup in Calgary - tentative date Saturday, April 20/2024. Other regions are also discussing meet ups. If you want one in your area get going on organizing it! discussion
  • We are having email/registration problems again. Diagnosis is underway. New users sorry if you are having trouble getting registered. We are exploring different options to get registered. Contact the forum via another member or on facebook if you're stuck. Update -> we think it is fixed. Let us know if not.
  • Spring meet up in Ontario, April 6/2024. NEW LOCATION See Post #31 Discussion NEW LOCATION

Low Profile Modular Milling Vice

ducdon

Super User
Premium Member
I'm not getting any younger and every time I move the Kurt Clone off and on my mill table it gains a couple of pounds. I'd like to have a low profile modular vice like the Gerardi but it's waaaay beyond my budget. Does anyone know of an import clone of similar design and were to get?
 

Dabbler

ersatz engineer
How about a 2 piece vise?
There are a lot of variations and prices, but here's one example"
 

Attachments

  • 202-1027Main.jpg
    202-1027Main.jpg
    22.4 KB · Views: 0

ducdon

Super User
Premium Member
Looking for something with 5 to 6 inch jaw width. I think most of the grinder vice are smaller than that. And I don't trust their clamping power for heavy milling.
 

PeterT

Ultra Member
Premium Member
OK, you are looking for something bigger then. The good ones are expensive, you are right. The Chinese Kurt clones seem very hit & miss by what I've read. I don't know what to say there. Maybe if you buy a clone from a bigger supplier that publishes specs, then at least if you get a Monday dud, you can send picture proof of 'not spec' and have a chance of return/credit. Unfortunately they are heavy buggers to return. Sometimes no restocking charge but return at customers expense. If sourced from Asia direct & you are unsatisfied, you are SOL.

A friend of mine bought a GS (Taiwan) that was a few years ago. He said it was as accurate as a Kurt
http://www.sowatool.com/Product/9/330/1559

But as you can see, prices have converged so makes it hard to justify gambling.
https://www.kbctools.ca/products/WO... ACCESSORIES/MILLING MACHINE VISES/10913.aspx

Probably not helping you much. They all tend to be in this ballpark. Even the used ones on Ebay command high % of new.
 

ducdon

Super User
Premium Member
I already have the Vice that came with my Modern Tool Mill. It works OK but takes up a lot of vertical space and is heavy. I removed the rotary base to cut down the height and weight. I'd really like something more like this: http://machinerycanada.com/pdfs/132283170-Girardi.pdf
I used one for awhile at a shop were I worked but the real thing is outside my budget. Was hoping to find an a clone that would fit my budget.
 
Top