Precision Tool Vice Type 2

It's an Industry Standard design, the solution is only to allow it's use by Industry Standard Non-Idiots.
After all, it's well known that if you make something Idiot Proof then God simply makes a Better Idiot! :D

I have only had my mill a couple of months. I noticed a mark on the table when I moved my vice a few weeks ago.

I just had another look after reading this thread, and I can see a number of marks.

I suppose I should be pleased that now I am aware of the issue.

Not happy though. I was not aware when I was doing it that anything was wrong. I will have a better look tomorrow, but if it is this easy to use wrong it will probably happen again.

Edited By Ian Thomson 2 on 24/11/2019 22:18:11

Ian, 18 months ago the same dings happened to my shiny new mill table, most annoying, I shortened the bolt by about 6mm

Precision Tool Vice Type 2 - 90mm wide

Lofty

In My view one shoud be able to use a machine vice to its capacity without marking the mill table, One solution could be to cut a piece of gauge plate to the size of the vice base and place the plate between the vice base and the table,then it does not matter if the gauge plate is damaged,it should not affect the accuracy of the vice as gauge plate is ground parallel. I was apprenticed to a company that made scientific instruments,a lot went to education establishments,our boss had a saying ,when designing instruments they should be foolproof,idiot proof and then most important student proof. A toolmaker friend always preferred to use aluminium parallels when milling in the vice,his reason was that if he accidentally hit the parallel it did not wreck the cutter and if one is self employed you have to pay for a new cutter out of your pocket.

I have the same model as you Lofty. It is a shame as I have found the vice very accurate, but I am tempted to move to another vice to ensure it cannot happen again. Off to search the old 'which milling voce posts now.

Edited By Ian Thomson 2 on 25/11/2019 12:40:05

Wow, some serious overthinking going on and certainly no need to stop using the vice, I read this post on the phone as I got in and and while the kettle was boiling cured it.

As Per my earlier post the screw on the one I have does project maybe 0.75mm when the jaw is pulled down tight to the body, looking at the screw it's easy to see that where the thread was rolled it has made the screw a bit longer and that the first turn or so is not doing anything useful

So shove it in the chuck and turn off the end, add a small chamfer. You can see I even left the very middle of the concave end so very little taken off.

Now with the screw bottomed out there is clearance between it and the bottom of the vice.

While it is unfortunate that the screw can extend beyond the base as I have said earlier if you are using it in this position then the grip of the vice will be seriously compromised. So learn to use it correctly and shorten the screw to be safe.

Edited By JasonB on 25/11/2019 13:24:12

I did only say 'tempted'. I only found the problem late last night after reading this thread. I will have a proper look at the vice when I get home tonight. Appeciate the advice and pictures Jason. Ta.

I have been following this thread with amusement. While the extent of the knowledge of some posters in many of the threads  is amazingly fantastic it just proves that at times advice can be contrary to just having a good look at all purchased kit just to see what the actual limitations of usage are, to check for problems and at the same time check its accuracy . My type 2 vice won’t be modified for a while as it is semi permanently mounted on a squared sub plate push fitted into to a central trough to give immediate positioning along or across the table as recommended by Marcus Bowman in his recent cnc book. The only reason to remove it will be for the rare use on its edge. The sub plate can get gouged as much as it wants without any problem.

Solutions are often so simple as has just been proven!

Edited By Zan on 25/11/2019 14:30:42

Bolt shortened and vice bolted on and re-aligned.

I will keep a close eye to make sure no more damaged is done.

Thanks Phil for highlighting the issue before I done any more damage.

Thanks also to the people who gave constructive advice.