Cross slide vice - recommendations?

[malcolm]

With the pillar drill coming in under budget I'm tempted to blow the difference on a cross slide vice. Primarily to see if I can use it for light milling.

Has anyone tried the Sealey CV6 6 inch cross slide vice? Looks handier than some of the others as the base can rotate, and also the jaws open wide enough to take my indexing head so some very creative (but also very dodgy) drilling and machining might be possible.

Otherwise any recommendations for a half decent 6 inch cross slide vice or slide table for under £100? Totally the wrong time for me to ask the question as I'm disappearing off to Italy for a week in the morning and won't be back on the forum much, but will order something when I get back.

 

[MrFluffy]

half decent 6 inch cross slide vice or slide table for under £100?

Half decent and sub £100 dont mix. Theyre useless for milling in reality, they do have one great use, thats positioning a workpiece accurately for drilling ops.
The quality of cast iron in every cross slide vice like that which I have seen has been very poor, the locking screws don't last long before the too fine thread tears out. Theres no gibs on the slideways and you are expected to try and take up the slack by winding the locking slide screws into the slideways. You can buy a decent x-y table, that will take a seperate vice and that will be better quality, but these little tables are tat to be honest.
I used to have a angle plate in my lathe that let me mount one on the cross slide for milling ops. I gave up on it very quickly and just bolted workpieces to the plate itself.
Id save my money and buy something better when the time comes around. ALthough for the price of a small but quality x-y table, you could probably rehouse a unloved smaller mill anyway

 

[rtbcomp]

I've got one of these:

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/ccv6b-6in-cross-vice/path/vices

As it's on a Clarke pillar drill I don't think I'd attempt milling though!

The vice isn't brilliant, the plastic handles have broken but even so I've been pleased with it for the money.

 

[MrFluffy]

Here's a thought for you, is there any way you can arrange the drill head, so when swung over it can be above the end of that kerry lathe you have? if so, could then bolt a machine vice in place of the toolpost, and use the cross slide and saddle as your x-y's.
Have to say, not sure how up to being a milling spindle a meddings will be. For light use you probably will get away with it, but remember the chuck is only held on with a jacobs taper, and when they come loose under load it'll just drop off...

 

[Hitch]

I have what looks exactly the same rtb, but mine was from Axminster, £30 iirc

As Fluffer says, next to useless for milling. Did manage some small slots in ally once, but thats about the best you could expect.

I think its something that needs to be looked at before buying.

 

[andypocock]

If you are going to go for a pants one you might as well get it from RDG Tools and save some money

http://tinyurl.com/48srs6

Just as good as the other cheapies ie not very, but at this money it's not so annoying.

 

[malcolm]

Not such a good idea then overall. It's the age old problem of me not understanding how the machinery will behave and then under-buying. Kind of what happens here all the time with welders for exactly the same reason.

Another solution then. Or go much cheaper and put up with the fact it won't work very well.

 

[wyn]

Malcolm... you might also get problems with the chuck falling off the taper with the side loads from a milling cutter.

 

[English Steve]

I also have the same one as RTB. There's loads of slack in the threads and it's not particularly well put together, but for the money it's OK. I find it very useful for positioning stuff under the pillar drill, and it removes the temptation to just hold the workpiece by hand when drilling a quick hole.
I don't think I'd want to trust it for milling though.

 

[jugs]

With the pillar drill coming in under budget I'm tempted to blow the difference on a cross slide vice. Primarily to see if I can use it for light milling.

Has anyone tried the Sealey CV6 6 inch cross slide vice? Looks handier than some of the others as the base can rotate, and also the jaws open wide enough to take my indexing head so some very creative (but also very dodgy) drilling and machining might be possible.

Otherwise any recommendations for a half decent 6 inch cross slide vice or slide table for under £100? Totally the wrong time for me to ask the question as I'm disappearing off to Italy for a week in the morning and won't be back on the forum much, but will order something when I get back.

Half decent and sub £100 dont mix. Theyre useless for milling in reality, they do have one great use, thats positioning a workpiece accurately for drilling ops.
The quality of cast iron in every cross slide vice like that which I have seen has been very poor, the locking screws don't last long before the too fine thread tears out. Theres no gibs on the slideways and you are expected to try and take up the slack by winding the locking slide screws into the slideways. You can buy a decent x-y table, that will take a seperate vice and that will be better quality, but these little tables are tat to be honest.
I used to have a angle plate in my lathe that let me mount one on the cross slide for milling ops. I gave up on it very quickly and just bolted workpieces to the plate itself.
Id save my money and buy something better when the time comes around. ALthough for the price of a small but quality x-y table, you could probably rehouse a unloved smaller mill anyway

Malcolm... you might also get problems with the chuck falling off the taper with the side loads from a milling cutter.

They are no use for "proper" milling, BUT handy for odd jobs. (+/- 1mm)

I had an old one, dont know make, used it a lot instead of stripping one of the millers (they always seem set up for somthing else ).

I did a job, 4000+ 8mm x 16mm slots in 20 x 6 black bar, in a Meddings, no probs.
Must replace as it fell on floor & cracked, so in scrap .

That Sealey CV6 look ok but I'll wait for reports.

 

[snowcat]

As said by fluffy, the lack of jibs and the cheep castings make em next to useless, BTW only use a drill for very very light, milling unless you enjoy wearing spindle bearings......

I bought a cheep ol overarm Harrison Mill, then bolted a drill head on the top, I also bought a slotting head which I did the same with, this is a cheap way of giving you an excellent XYZ table, and it even had the suds and quick traverse, dead handy for clamping up then spotting hole spacings with......

 

[hareng]

Malcolm if you are in my area any time, you can have my 6" compound slide unused for the last 16 years.

Thought exactly the same then, went for if theres such a word half decent ****** drill with 80mm column bargain at £185 and cross slide then £55? Miller driller was £880 then, now approx £670.
As above getting the right height is trial and error but worst of all you my not see the cutter or MT shank dropping out and scrapping the job.
These slides are pretty crap as well. Tension the gib strip up made out of butter and expect it to pick up. Certainly will bow and seriously score.
Guarantee they will not hold a job square for two reasons, the jaws are ms and the one jaw lifts upon tensioning.
Guarantee it wont last long either before the back breaks out.

Have to be very careful buying ******, know its limits.

Only give £240 for a near mint Clark miller/driller 10 year ago. They go for stupid money on ebay same as the lathes.
All made in same factory painted different colour and given different names and pricing. Quality are all the same regardless of brand.
Spares and you will need them at inappropriate times are near on non existent or at best cost half as much as a new complete mill. Clark motor (******) £260 plus postage, a ****** 1hp went on £52. Lead screws and nuts non existent either make or scrap the things.
Done some work though and still going strong, very accurate better than the bigger miller, guarantee within 1/4" 3D at 100 yards runout.