Milling Machine Vice problems

[Steam Geek]

I recently purchased a milling vice from one of the usual internet suppliers in the UK expecting to have to true it up when I received the vice. Needless to say I was not dissappointed, however no mater how much time I have spent tramming up ( and adjusting ) the jaws to make sure they are perpendicular to the milling table, when I clamp a piece of metal in the vice to machine the piece of metal tends to lift up , off the parallel supporting and aligning the piece of metal to be milled.

Is this a feature of milling vices or am I missing something in my approach?

[lordedmond]

Yes you are missing some thing , fear not help is on hand

if you get lift off the parallel two things to do  put a say 5 mm dis round bar between the moving jaw and the work that will help.

but do as well all do get a small hide faced or rubber hammer tighten up the vice a little tap down the work ( do not belt it ) tighten a little more, tap down again

I am sure you will find that the parallels are now tight

look up oxtails on youtube ( Tom )  or Doulbleboost ( John )  john language is a wee bit as you would find in an engineering shop but not after the watershed

both of these guys will always tap down the work  even with Tom and he uses a Kurt vice ( very heavy and expensive renowned for not lifting but he always taps down )


hope that helps

Stuart

[ImIndoors]

Your profile doesn't say where in the world you are located Steamgeek but I recently bought a rubber faced dead blow hammer from Toolstation, who are a cheap tool supplier here in the UK.  It cost about £5.00 and works a treat in the situation you are experiencing.
There are available precision milling vices, which are apparently usually better in this regard, from the usual sources  but they tend to cost a load more than a fiver so I'm sticking with the hammer for now.
Jim

[awemawson]

The ideal thumper in this situation is a 'dead blow hammer' I bought a set years ago and they are indispensable. Look like a normal rubber hammer, but inside they are hollow, and filled with lead shot. You can tell them apart literally by shaking as the shot rattles a bit!

[doubleboost]

Hi
I often use alloy tig welding rod between the moving jaw and the job
A hide hammer "beds" things down nice
John

[Stilldrillin]

My dead blow hammer is my lead tup. 

1/2" of lead, cast into the bottom of a tin can.

Re cycled, over the years. Some of it dates back to 1960's, the centres of grinding wheels......

David D