Posted: 11/30/2025 11:18:30 PM EDT
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There was a plant shutdown auction a few months back, and silly me, I didn't fully understand what I was bidding on. In addition to a trigger pull gauge, I got a vise - 6" Hardinge (think I spelled that right) On top of not realizing how bit it would be on my PM25 Mill, well, I underestimated how beaten up it would be. Upside, the guy at pickup offered me a second that someone declined to take, so I have one for parts too! The jaws were, well, in need of some dental work. I may remove the inserts later to clean up or replace properly, but for now I have a workable fixed jaw. I took a few shallow smoothing cuts after getting it aligned width ways (would that be considered X axis because it's along that line of travel, or Y because it's distance from the Y zero point?) It looks bad in the original pic, but it's consistent to a few thousandths on a smooth part of the jaw insert. I'm not sure if it looks better or worse after the smoothing skim cuts. All I'm certain of is there will be no burrs or swells proud of the surface to cause alignment issues. I'll worry about the moving jaw later. Fixed Jaw Before Attached File Fixed Jaw After Attached File |
Disclaimer - OP is bad at knowing things, and might catch on fire.
Vet - Op MMAMA
Every other species kills off their stupid......we cater to them. -- spin-drift
Nobody ever called 911&said I just did something smart. -- TheFlynDutchman
Vet - Op MMAMA
Every other species kills off their stupid......we cater to them. -- spin-drift
Nobody ever called 911&said I just did something smart. -- TheFlynDutchman
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Make certain the horizontal face of the step is dead flat and square to the vertical vise face. Dead flat and planar at minimum. I have to say, that's an ugly baby, but if it works, it works. |
Keep your powder dry, and watch your back trail.
I'm watching my back trail.
I'm watching my back trail.
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Originally Posted By Deerhurst: Hell yeah! Always awesome to see old vises cleaned up! I took this rust ball: https://i.imgur.com/16Rufxbh.jpeg And turned it into this: https://i.imgur.com/nFM442Ch.jpeg That's slightly epic. Thumbs up. |
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Bought one a few years back. Plugged some drill holes, had a buddy surface grind the top and bottom, a quick paint job, done. Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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Originally Posted By sneaker: That looks like one of the cam-lock vises. I fixed a chewed up Heinrich recently myself. I didn't even know that Hardinge made those style vises. You aligned it to the X axis - the one the surface is parallel to. Originally Posted By sneaker: That looks like one of the cam-lock vises. I fixed a chewed up Heinrich recently myself. I didn't even know that Hardinge made those style vises. You aligned it to the X axis - the one the surface is parallel to. Originally Posted By Deerhurst: Hell yeah! Always awesome to see old vises cleaned up! I took this rust ball: ... And turned it into this: Originally Posted By paul463: Bought one a few years back. Plugged some drill holes, had a buddy surface grind the top and bottom, a quick paint job, done. ...  For now, just being generally usable is a win. I've noticed that the top jaw surface is removable. A new item on the project list is now removing those and cleaning them up - or making fresh. I'm really loving the "I want this - wait, I can MAKE this!" moments. This 6" is next to a 3" that's fine for some things, but has proven too small for a 3D printed AR lower jig. If Santa comes through, I have high hopes of replacing the 3" with a 4". Hmmm... or making a set of AR lower soft jaws to bolt on? That has the familiar sharp tang of a Good Idea. 
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Disclaimer - OP is bad at knowing things, and might catch on fire.
Vet - Op MMAMA
Every other species kills off their stupid......we cater to them. -- spin-drift
Nobody ever called 911&said I just did something smart. -- TheFlynDutchman
Vet - Op MMAMA
Every other species kills off their stupid......we cater to them. -- spin-drift
Nobody ever called 911&said I just did something smart. -- TheFlynDutchman
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Originally Posted By AeroE: Make certain the horizontal face of the step is dead flat and square to the vertical vise face. Dead flat and planar at minimum. I have to say, that's an ugly baby, but if it works, it works. I'm taking the lazy man's path to making sure those surfaces are flat and square - - the final cleanup is run full depth with a flat end mill to work both the horizontal and vertical surfaces at the same time. It's only a half answer, as I only touched the fixed jaw. Once I figure out the needed spacers, I'll get the moving jaw clamped down so it can be trimmed with a matching Z and parallel X at the same time. |
Disclaimer - OP is bad at knowing things, and might catch on fire.
Vet - Op MMAMA
Every other species kills off their stupid......we cater to them. -- spin-drift
Nobody ever called 911&said I just did something smart. -- TheFlynDutchman
Vet - Op MMAMA
Every other species kills off their stupid......we cater to them. -- spin-drift
Nobody ever called 911&said I just did something smart. -- TheFlynDutchman
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Originally Posted By paul463: Bought one a few years back. Plugged some drill holes, had a buddy surface grind the top and bottom, a quick paint job, done. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/109172/kurt_vise_jpg-3668504.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/109172/kurt_jpg-3668505.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/109172/kurt2_jpg-3668506.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/109172/kurt4_jpg-3668508.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/109172/kurt5_jpg-3668509.JPG That turned out great! |
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Well Darn... I was not expecting this. If I had the CNC kit installed, this would be a big nothing... but I'm still using the index points on the manual wheels for movement. At least, I WAS using the index marker. Now there's no way to see it. Attached File It only took me a few minutes to figure out the index mark was at an arbitrary location, so it didn't really matter where it was. There's now a fine point sharpy tic on the side of the handwheel housing where it can be seen from the side. I'll see how awkward driving Y from the side is in a day or three. There are bolt slots on the ends too - If I like how this one works I think it will be turned sideways - or sold and replaced with a 4" or two. |
Disclaimer - OP is bad at knowing things, and might catch on fire.
Vet - Op MMAMA
Every other species kills off their stupid......we cater to them. -- spin-drift
Nobody ever called 911&said I just did something smart. -- TheFlynDutchman
Vet - Op MMAMA
Every other species kills off their stupid......we cater to them. -- spin-drift
Nobody ever called 911&said I just did something smart. -- TheFlynDutchman
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Originally Posted By Amish_Bill: Well Darn... I was not expecting this. If I had the CNC kit installed, this would be a big nothing... but I'm still using the index points on the manual wheels for movement. At least, I WAS using the index marker. Now there's no way to see it. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/1410/Big_Vise_A_01_600_jpg-3679722.JPG It only took me a few minutes to figure out the index mark was at an arbitrary location, so it didn't really matter where it was. There's now a fine point sharpy tic on the side of the handwheel housing where it can be seen from the side. I'll see how awkward driving Y from the side is in a day or three. There are bolt slots on the ends too - If I like how this one works I think it will be turned sideways - or sold and replaced with a 4" or two. I wouldn't put too much time or effort into making that vise work. It's a drill press vise that doesn't generate enough clamping pressure to hold a part still for milling operations. |
Life's battles don't always go to the stronger or faster man. In the end, the one who wins is the one who thinks he can! - SCI, NRA
Team Ranstad
Team Ranstad
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Originally Posted By TinSpinner: I wouldn't put too much time or effort into making that vise work. It's a drill press vise that doesn't generate enough clamping pressure to hold a part still for milling operations. |
Disclaimer - OP is bad at knowing things, and might catch on fire.
Vet - Op MMAMA
Every other species kills off their stupid......we cater to them. -- spin-drift
Nobody ever called 911&said I just did something smart. -- TheFlynDutchman
Vet - Op MMAMA
Every other species kills off their stupid......we cater to them. -- spin-drift
Nobody ever called 911&said I just did something smart. -- TheFlynDutchman
|
Originally Posted By TinSpinner: ... It's a drill press vise that doesn't generate enough clamping pressure to hold a part still for milling operations.  No damage was done, so I moved everything back to the tiny vise. PM-25 ... a 6" is too big, and a 3" is too small - Any thoughts on going 4" vs 5"? The main uses are likely to be 80% lowers and hollowing out monocores. |
Disclaimer - OP is bad at knowing things, and might catch on fire.
Vet - Op MMAMA
Every other species kills off their stupid......we cater to them. -- spin-drift
Nobody ever called 911&said I just did something smart. -- TheFlynDutchman
Vet - Op MMAMA
Every other species kills off their stupid......we cater to them. -- spin-drift
Nobody ever called 911&said I just did something smart. -- TheFlynDutchman
|
Originally Posted By Amish_Bill: I went ahead and experimented - everything was fine - till the bit dragged the jig sideways. No damage was done, so I moved everything back to the tiny vise. PM-25 ... a 6" is too big, and a 3" is too small - Any thoughts on going 4" vs 5"? The main uses are likely to be 80% lowers and hollowing out monocores. My spare vise is a Tegara 5". It's been a good little vise. My only complaint is everything seems to be for 6" jaws and hardly any accessories, custom jaws, etc for 5". Make some custom jaws for your fixturing. |
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Originally Posted By Amish_Bill: I went ahead and experimented - everything was fine - till the bit dragged the jig sideways. No damage was done, so I moved everything back to the tiny vise. PM-25 ... a 6" is too big, and a 3" is too small - Any thoughts on going 4" vs 5"? The main uses are likely to be 80% lowers and hollowing out monocores. Originally Posted By Amish_Bill: Originally Posted By TinSpinner: ... It's a drill press vise that doesn't generate enough clamping pressure to hold a part still for milling operations. No damage was done, so I moved everything back to the tiny vise. PM-25 ... a 6" is too big, and a 3" is too small - Any thoughts on going 4" vs 5"? The main uses are likely to be 80% lowers and hollowing out monocores. A 4" vise seems like the right size for your machine. You can always make longer jaws it you need some extra support for longer work pieces. |
Life's battles don't always go to the stronger or faster man. In the end, the one who wins is the one who thinks he can! - SCI, NRA
Team Ranstad
Team Ranstad
|
Originally Posted By TinSpinner: A 4" vise seems like the right size for your machine. You can always make longer jaws it you need some extra support for longer work pieces. |
Disclaimer - OP is bad at knowing things, and might catch on fire.
Vet - Op MMAMA
Every other species kills off their stupid......we cater to them. -- spin-drift
Nobody ever called 911&said I just did something smart. -- TheFlynDutchman
Vet - Op MMAMA
Every other species kills off their stupid......we cater to them. -- spin-drift
Nobody ever called 911&said I just did something smart. -- TheFlynDutchman