tilting vise or insert recomendation

[lost_cause]

i have a mill/drill, so i don't have the option to rotate the head to mill at an angle relative to the table. short of an odd clamping and blocking setup, does anyone have a recommendation for a way to secure small parts so they can have operations done at an angle?

i currently have an import 4" milling vise on the table, and when i bought it i got the swivel base, though i haven't used it. i can add that and have the ability to work some parts at angles, but i would like the option to rotate the part up/down instead of side to side. as an alternative to a separate vise, are there tilting inserts that would fit in a vise and then allow the part to be clamped in them?

like anyone i can look at catalog ads for tilting vises, but i figured i'd ask people what really works. i'll state now that i'm 99% likely to buy an import knockoff of whatever is good. i just don't have the need or budget for most things that are top quality as long as the knockoff isn't too poorly made.

[Toolguy]

Just get a set of angle blocks. You can set the part on an angle block in the vise jaws. For a compound angle, you can add the swivel base. Super easy.

[Harvey Melvin Richards]

I use a block like this (http://www.wttool.com/index/page/product/product_id/18057/product_name/0-60%B0+Precision+Angle+Block+%28WT%29&update_continue_shopping=true) when I'm stuck with difficult to machine angles.

[lost_cause]

I use a block like this (http://www.wttool.com/index/page/product/product_id/18057/product_name/0-60%B0+Precision+Angle+Block+%28WT%29&update_continue_shopping=true) when I'm stuck with difficult to machine angles.

that looks like what i was thinking of. i am sure i saw one browsing through a catalog or something, but i didn't know what to call it. after a second glance, i assume ou use that as a parallel in the vise, and since it it 1 3/16 wide, you can use it wherever you would have something that is at least 1 1/4 wide to clamp between the vise jaws? also, since i use a 4" vise, i think my jaw height is a little less than a 6" vise. i wonder if the block is low enough to get a bite on the work with my jaws?

[Harvey Melvin Richards]

Here is a recent thread on these: http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/how-use-adjustable-angle-block-235275/

[oldtiffie]

These are not the only options ........ but .............

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa294/oldtiffie/Vise/Vise2.jpg

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa294/oldtiffie/Vise/Vise6.jpg

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa294/oldtiffie/Vise/Vise9.jpg

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa294/oldtiffie/Seig_X3_mill/SeigX3_15.jpg

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa294/oldtiffie/Seig_X3_mill/SeigX3_17.jpg

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa294/oldtiffie/Seig_X3_mill/SeigX3_19.jpg

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa294/oldtiffie/Seig_X3_mill/SeigX3_20.jpg

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa294/oldtiffie/Seig_X3_mill/SeigX3_23.jpg

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa294/oldtiffie/Seig_X3_mill/SeigX3_24.jpg

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa294/oldtiffie/Seig_X3_mill/SeigX3_25.jpg

[Lew Hartswick]

I made a couple fixtures to hold small parts at specific angles that may
be a help to you. On my "web page" (it's just a list of the files)
look at the ones labeled Vertical fixture and Horizontal fixture. If the
text pages ( .wpd Word Perfect) aren't readable I can probably do better for you. The pix of the fixtures is OK . I've used these several
times and it's a lot easier than trying to set an angle table to a specific
degree. Any questions please feel free to e-mail me.
...lew... http: home.earthlink.net/~lhartswick

[oldtiffie]

i have a mill/drill, so i don't have the option to rotate the head to mill at an angle relative to the table. short of an odd clamping and blocking setup, does anyone have a recommendation for a way to secure small parts so they can have operations done at an angle?

i currently have an import 4" milling vise on the table, and when i bought it i got the swivel base, though i haven't used it. i can add that and have the ability to work some parts at angles, but i would like the option to rotate the part up/down instead of side to side. as an alternative to a separate vise, are there tilting inserts that would fit in a vise and then allow the part to be clamped in them?

like anyone i can look at catalog ads for tilting vises, but i figured i'd ask people what really works. i'll state now that i'm 99% likely to buy an import knockoff of whatever is good. i just don't have the need or budget for most things that are top quality as long as the knockoff isn't too poorly made.

It may surprise you how accurate (within limits) the 90 degree angle on some rolled steel channels, angles and beams can be. It may seem a bit rough but a good angle grinder and a machinists square and straight edge can work wonders - again within limits. If you are worried about damaging good machine surfaces with the "ground flat" surfaces on the "angle plates" - put one or two sheets of newspaper between the mating/clamped surface/s.

A range of large>small "bought" cast-iron angle plates are even better - mostly (hopefully??).

Bolt an angle plate to the mill table at any angle you require (a good protractor comes in handy here). Bolt the job to the angle plate and tilt it as you require. Or bolt a vise to the angle plate - tilted as required.

Or bolt a second angle plate to the first and then tilt it as required - with or without a vise on it.

My preferred option is to set a rotary table vertically, set it to the front on the table if required and bolt and angle plate or vise or just the job to the angle plate for "tilt" in the vertical plane.

It is surprising how very much you can do with very little with a bit of lateral thinking.

[Your Old Dog]

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa294/oldtiffie/Vise/Vise9.jpg

Tiff, this one reminds me of a girl I once dated. :D

[oldtiffie]

Spare me the gory details YOD as I'm only a poor innocent ex-sailor - and far too old anyway - to even try to imagine it.

[sasquatch]

(Must have been quite an athelete girl friend!!):D

Good to hear from you Tiffie!!!

[lost_cause]

i found them in 3" long, 1" wide, and 1 1/4" high - sounds like a better fit for a 4" vise. $39 shipped for an offshore import sounds better than having to mess with a second vise.

for what it's worth, today i needed to knock the edges off of a small piece at a 45 degree angle. to do it i used a parallel to get the height of the work up, a 45 degree angle plate, and a vise stop to snug the angle plate to the work. while not difficult, getting it all tapped down and angled was a lot more effort than if i had one of those little fixtures. the "v" would do what i had to accomplish with the vise stop, and i'd only need the stop for repeatability if needed.

[David Powell]

Sometimes I have held a small( approx 3") vice in the 6" I usually use on the mill. I set the small vice carefully to the angle required, tighten the large vice and then PUT THE HANDLE FOR THE BIG VICE OUT OF REACH. That way I avoid the easily done stupidity of undoing the wrong vice, and even if the angle is slightly "off" at least all the parts are the same!!

[RussZHC]

Doesn't one run into the issue of ever decreasing work envelop space with all of these holding devices? [thought it was part of the reason for a 3 way tilt vise to exist...so you did not have to do the stacking thing] Not saying those are not valid or used, just that...

thanks, lew [if anyone cares, OoO will open those wpd files natively...Word 2010 will to, at $139]...you just trebled my "to do list" once it warms up next spring :D ...some are sort of what I had in mind for a lathe bit grinding rest...man, do members here do good work!