# Quick squaring in the milling vise



## Anko (Jul 19, 2011)

I just discover this little trick:

This work when you have a irregular piece and make a first cut in one face, and want to cut to 90° the next face

1) put the piece in the vise and tighten just a little to prevent the piece from falling, but make sure you still can move the piece in the jaws (with reasonable strength)

then put the machinist square in the bottom of the vise (make sure to clean with a finger the bottom of the vise to remove chips and dust), then push the square against the bottom to make sure that the surfaces are in full contact.

2) now move the square to the right with a 45° degree force vector, this prevent a loose of alineation between the square and the vise bottom

move the square until reach the piece and start to push it, move all the necesary way to make sure that all the straight edge is in full contact with the square, in this point start to tighten the vise slowly until you cant push the piece no more with the square, then full tight the vise

now your workpiece is in 90° respect the previus cut, and in just a seconds







dont know if a common practice , but is very usefull! at least for me ;D

saludos!


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## George_Race (Jul 19, 2011)

I use a 1-2-3 block in much the same manner. I hold the block against the flush end of the jaws, while sitting on the table top, and then simply push the work piece against the block. You can very quickly tell if the work piece is being held correctly as your fingers can detect the slightest difference, if there is any, where the work piece is flush with the end of the vice jaws.

If the 1-2-3 block is not large enough to span the work piece, I use a precision ground 4 to 6 inch angle block, using the same steps as above.

George


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## mzetati (Jul 19, 2011)

I put the already machined face against the fixed jaw, and a round rod in a conveninent position between the workpiece and the movable jaw.
When it comes to machining the end faces square to the sides, I clamp a bar to the side of the vice and then the workpiece to the bar itself: then I tighten the movable jaw.
Marcello


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## jonesie (Jul 19, 2011)

i do as marcello does with a round piece, i never clamp on my square especially my good solid square or my 1 2 3 blocks, just me and i do this for a living.put the best side to the solid jaw up on a low parallel then a round rod between the movable jaw and the piece and tighten cut that side and then put that side to the solid jaw and repeat, then you have 2 sides square to each other.i use my solid sq. and 1 2 3 blocks for checking and set ups on the grinders, or surface plates, but just my way good luck jonesie


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## mzetati (Jul 19, 2011)

jonesie  said:
			
		

> i do as marcello does with a round piece, i never clamp on my square especially my good solid square or my 1 2 3 blocks, just me and i do this for a living.put the best side to the solid jaw up on a low parallel then a round rod between the movable jaw and the piece and tighten cut that side and then put that side to the solid jaw and repeat, then you have 2 sides square to each other.i use my solid sq. and 1 2 3 blocks for checking and set ups on the grinders, or surface plates, but just my way good luck jonesie



The round rod trick is OK for me when machining a surface square to an adiacent one, usually repeated repeated till I get four. Then I have the 'problem' of setting the workpiece vertical in the vice to machine one of the ends square to the adiacent 4 surfaces. Trusting my toolmaker's vise, I clamp a reasonably flat bar (usually an HSS blank) on the side of the fixed jaw so to have two reference surfaces at 90deg each other. Then I lightly clamp the workpiece to the bar (especially when the wp. is havy) and close the movable jaw. A check with a try square and I start the motor...
There are better ways to get it done, but I do not know of them.
Marcello


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## hobby (Jul 19, 2011)

Anko,
Great tip,
thanks for sharing it.


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## steamer (Jul 19, 2011)

mzetati  said:
			
		

> I put the already machined face against the fixed jaw, and a round rod in a conveninent position between the workpiece and the movable jaw.
> When it comes to machining the end faces square to the sides, I clamp a bar to the side of the vice and then the workpiece to the bar itself: then I tighten the movable jaw.
> Marcello



 I have this 5/16 round rod I leave on the table of my mill.  It's for just this purpose.


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## BMyers (Jul 19, 2011)

that sure looks like a Van Norman there Steamer


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## steamer (Jul 20, 2011)

YYYYYYUP!

 ;D

"Norm" and I go way back...


Dave


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