# Cleaning up the new LMS milling vise.



## websterz (Feb 13, 2010)

As promised here are the pics of my new toy. We'll start with a side shot. BTW the gunk is dragon fat, not rust:







Next a close-up of the swivel base. Some folks hate them, I plan to use the heck out of mine!






Here's a pic showing more grease, and the nicely ground surfaces (on TOP...the underside's not so nice)


----------



## websterz (Feb 13, 2010)

Okay, time to start pulling this thing apart for a good cleaning.






...and the underside:






The underside of the swivel base is nicely machined, and a good casting to start with too. The scale is well stamped and easy to read. The only thing it lacks is a place to put keys on the underside. I'll get around to that eventually.

Here's the underside of the vise. Not so pretty but it is flat and free of major voids. Seems solid..






And here's the machined surfaces on top of the vise bed. Very nicely ground and extremely flat. Again, that is grease and not tool marks. 






More pics coming...


----------



## websterz (Feb 13, 2010)

Now we start getting to the inside bits. I am not sure what you call this part, but it is very well cast.






until you look INSIDE.






The underside of the moving jaw is none too pretty either.






The circled area is (was) so badly ground that the vise wouldn't open all the way.






I cleaned it up with my dremel and it fits much better now. No close-up of that.


----------



## websterz (Feb 13, 2010)

After a good degreasing and deburring I put the vise back together, eager to try it out. I swept it in with my Last Word and clamped a piece of mild steel in the jaws. The part lifted up about .030" when I closed the vise!!  I tried adjusting the locking collar and the jaw lift setscrew but it wasn't getting any better. The problem is that knowing a part needs to be there, and actually understanding how it works are two different things. Here is a pic of the little hemispherical doohickey that holds the jaw down when pressure is applied. The original Chinese part is the flat-topped one that is .030" too short. The other is the 4140 steel version I made on the lathe to replace it. : No more jaw lift...imagine that!






While I was at it I retapped the setscrew holes for the lift adjustment and locking collar to 1/4-28 and replaced the screws with some nice grade 5's. 

Finally here are a couple of pics of the completed job.











Aside from the two casting voids and the part I had to replace the vise seems to be of better than average quality for a Chinese import and I think it will be a very nice addition to my shop. Plus it fits the x2 mill really well.


----------



## 1hand (Feb 13, 2010)

Deburring???????............Looks like an overhaul! :big:

Matt


----------



## Deanofid (Feb 13, 2010)

You should be able to get good work out of it, Webster. The spherical/ovoid half you made sure looks better than what came with it!
It looks nice on the top side, but man, those Chinese fellers never throw anything back into the casting pot, do they? (Sorry! It's just kind of funny, to me, they way they do things.) 

Thanks for the pics and write up.

Dean


----------



## BigBore (Feb 13, 2010)

As a beginner who hasn't received my lathe or mill, this is great stuff. I had some idea from posts here, but the photos are a super source. Thanks a lot!

Ed


----------



## ksouers (Feb 13, 2010)

websterz  said:
			
		

> BTW the gunk is dragon fat...



I think you have finally discovered what that red gunk is they cover EVERYTHING with  ;D

Very nice review and write up about the vise. I'd been wondering what they were like. Thanks.

I'd like to add something in between my big Bridgeport vise and the small tool makers vise. This size would fit the bill nicely. Now, if only the quality improves to equal some of the other Chinese stuff I have.


----------



## websterz (Feb 13, 2010)

1hand  said:
			
		

> Deburring???????............Looks like an overhaul! :big:
> 
> Matt



Actually I only spent about 45 minutes on it Matt. Most of my time was spent making the little half-round gizmo. I don't have a ball turner (haven't gotten round to building one yet) so that was done on the lathe with a file and emery cloth. ;D

Todd


----------



## 1hand (Feb 13, 2010)

You definitely made the best of a sticky situation. Thm:

Job well done. I sure you'll enjoy the vise for years to come.
Matt


----------



## Chris333 (Feb 15, 2010)

I just got this vise from LMS:
http://www.littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=1590&category=1963256914
The bottom bits are just are nice as the top.


----------



## websterz (Feb 15, 2010)

Chris333  said:
			
		

> I just got this vise from LMS:
> http://www.littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=1590&category=1963256914
> The bottom bits are just are nice as the top.



I have that one too. It now mostly lives over on the surface grinder.


----------



## Twmaster (Feb 15, 2010)

That's a real shame. Imagine the poor newbie who does not know any better and tries to use that as-is after a clean up...

Sad.

Glad you were able to work out it's deficiencies though.


----------



## Blogwitch (Feb 15, 2010)

I know it is a bit off topic, but can anyone tell me why our US cousins tend to go for the 'Kurt' style of vice, and we in the UK side towards the 'K' type?


Blogs


----------



## steamer (Feb 15, 2010)

Blogwitch  said:
			
		

> I know it is a bit off topic, but can anyone tell me why our US cousins tend to go for the 'Kurt' style of vice, and we in the UK side towards the 'K' type?
> 
> 
> Blogs



They Work......cheap stuff aside.....I can't speak for the Chinese stuff but my 6" Kurt is a god send and the Jaw doesn't lift...unlike a "K".


Dave


----------



## websterz (Feb 15, 2010)

What's a "K"? Got a pic?


----------



## steamer (Feb 15, 2010)

http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT?PMPXNO=17708937&PMT4NO=79888579

This is a cheap one....The vice closes with a screw only and is gibbed to the vice base.  The moving jaw usually lifts when tightened, which usually lifts the work off the parallels.  Giving the work a clout with a hammer is usually required. The other method is to put a dowel between the moving jaw and the work.  That sometimes solves the problem.

Dave


----------



## Blogwitch (Feb 15, 2010)

I didn't want to start a vice wars Dave, just why the difference of choice between the two sides of the pond.

Blogs


----------



## shred (Feb 15, 2010)

Blogwitch  said:
			
		

> I didn't want to start a vice wars Dave, just why the difference of choice between the two sides of the pond.
> 
> Blogs


My speculation is that Kurts are seen in all the commercial shops in the US and commercial practice is what a the US ME community traditionally aspires to. Now exactly why that is (both the commercial shops and the aspirations) may be another story. Does the traditional UK ME "dream shop" have a Bridgeport in the corner?

I've got a couple Kurts and they're rock solid, but big suckers. The slot in the middle is sometimes a nuisance when they're open a lot.


----------



## steamer (Feb 15, 2010)

Blogwitch  said:
			
		

> I didn't want to start a vice wars Dave, just why the difference of choice between the two sides of the pond.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Blogwitch (Feb 15, 2010)

Thanks Shred, you may be right. The Kurt clone type is only really just making a mass appearance here, whereas the K type has been the mainstay of offerings up until now, and I had never seen a Kurt type in the industry I used to work in over here, they were all styled like the K type, only beefier and better made.
With regards to the Bridgeport, up until recently, I don't think it was. Everyone scrambled for things like a Tom Senior, maybe because not many people have the room for large machinery over here. Everyone went for the most in the smallest available package, and I think they still do, going with the Seig range of machines. Used Bridgeports over here can sell for silly money, maybe half the price of a new X3.

John


----------



## georgeseal (Feb 16, 2010)

Websterz,
Nice write up

I have the same vise from another vendor

The first time I crankedthe handle it didn't feel right. So I took it apart again and found the thrust bearings were SOFT . They Had bearing numbers on them but had never went to heat treat. They must have failed QC and were thrown in a big barrel. Along comes bean counter buys them for nothing thinking they look good

Couldn't find replacements so made my own O-1 steel and a hand made cutter

and I am in the thrust bearing business


----------



## websterz (Feb 19, 2010)

Feels good polishing up a turd and making a good tool out of it, eh George? 8)


----------



## Blogwitch (Feb 19, 2010)

Everyone should have a jar of this in the shop


----------



## websterz (Feb 19, 2010)

Blogwitch  said:
			
		

> Everyone should have a jar of this in the shop



I have one now. Thanks! :bow: :big:


----------



## ChooChooMike (Feb 19, 2010)

Dannnnnnng, now I gotta go buy a truckload of that polish !! Got a sh*tload of uses for it :big: Rof} Rof}


----------



## AR1911 (Jan 3, 2011)

Old thread, I know, but I am doing the exact same process to the same vise, for an X3 mill.
I've milled out the pocket on the moving jaw to some semblance of the shape it should have been.]\
But I'm at a loss what to do with the hemisphere piece. It has to sit between the thing the leadscrew fts into and the moving jaw somehow, but it has no divot or anything to locate it.
Mine was stuck sideways in some hard grease, obviously not where it goes.


----------

