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How to clamp mill vice to table?

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John Hill:
Every time I need to mount my vice on the mill table it becomes an exercise in frustration as the very last bit of movement with the wrench caused the vice to move a little... :bang:

There must be a cause and a way around this?

awemawson:
Turn vice over, accurately (*) mill a slot in the base for a key to engage your Tee slots, revert to vice correct way up, and slide / press the key against the wall of the Tee slot as you tighten your hold down bolts. If your slot is accurate then the vice should already be set parallel.

(*if you grip a piece of flat bar in the vice jaws before inversion, and slide it against the Tee slot wall your alignment should be bang on)

seadog:
John, it's fairly common to machine the base of the vice and insert dowels or keys that are a snug fit a slot. No amount of heaving on the spanner should then allow misalignment of the vice.



Graham

John Hill:
Thanks very much, I know what I will be doing on my next session in the shop!

PK:
I'm sure this is what everyone is saying, but it was explained slightly differently to me so I'll chip in here.

* Buy some keyway steel that is the same size as the slot in your table.
* Tap it into the table slot about half way.
* Flip the vice upside down and clamp it over the keyway steel.
* Clamp the vice to the table with the usual clamping apparatus.
* Mill a slot in the bottom of the vice to take some of the keyway steel. It should be a tight fit.
* Push the key steel into the slot in the vice, maybe retain it with some loctite if the fit isn't so good..Now your vice will always go in straight..

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