4" vise mounting question

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timsch
Posts: 25
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2022 8:31 pm
Location: Brookside Village, Texas

4" vise mounting question

Post by timsch »

I have a Grizzly G4015Z 3-1 and bought a 4" vise to use for milling after seeing these recommended a number of times for these machines. Looking at the current stock vise, its handle is facing toward the tailstock. I'd originally thought I'd mount the vise with the handle facing the operator like I'm used to with larger mills. I see with this one that that cannot be done due to the crossfeed handle being too close. Initially, I only saw two t-slots, both running parallel lengthwise on the machine. Looking again, I see there is another set of t-slots running perpendicular to those. I guess those are my only options for mounting this vise, which looks fine, just different than I'd thought.

How are most people mounting a vise like this on these 3-1s? The one I got is fixed. Would a rotating one be preferable in this case, or more of a hassle? I've only had experience with fixed ones.

(Apologies for the pics being 90deg off. I don't know why the loaded like that.)
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IMG_20220514_121251493_rotated.jpg
IMG_20220514_121244963_rotated.jpg
Last edited by timsch on Sat May 14, 2022 3:32 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Grizzly G4015Z 3-1
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rmac
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Location: Phoenix, Arizona

Re: 4" vise mounting question

Post by rmac »

timsch wrote: (Apologies for the pics being 90deg off. I don't know why the loaded like that.)
This is a continuing problem with the board software. If you're interested, there are some hints for working around the problem here. If you can't get any of those ideas to work, just keep posting anyway and a moderator will fix your pictures as has been done already in this case.

And welcome to the board!

-- Russell Mac
Torch
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Location: Muskoka

Re: 4" vise mounting question

Post by Torch »

I have a very similar machine and vise. I mount mine with the handle towards the tailstock, the keys in the vise engaging the slots of the table, minimizing the need to square things up every time the vise is removed and replaced. Nothing wrong with a rotating base, but requires re-indexing whenever rotated and takes up space between the quill and the workpiece -- fine for thin workpieces, but does limit how tall a piece you can work on.

I do have a tilt table I can use under the vise, and I do have a rotary table. Sometimes you need to mill angles. I prefer the rotary table over the rotating base as the rotab is more precise and also can quickly be converted to a vertical spin indexer when making gears and such.
timsch
Posts: 25
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2022 8:31 pm
Location: Brookside Village, Texas

Re: 4" vise mounting question

Post by timsch »

Thanks Russell.

Glad to get the feedback, Torch. Thats how I'll mount it then. Is your rotary table 4" or another size? Any recommended brand/model?
Grizzly G4015Z 3-1
Torch
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Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2010 7:58 am
Location: Muskoka

Re: 4" vise mounting question

Post by Torch »

Mine's a 6" Grizzly. Nice size for the table.
Torch
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Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2010 7:58 am
Location: Muskoka

Re: 4" vise mounting question

Post by Torch »

I should clarify: I've never tried mounting the 4" milling vise to the 6" rotab. It might be a bit tight. I do mount the 4-jaw chuck to it though.
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