Tell me about these vises...

[ebinmaine 76,474]

 

I'd like to upgrade my capabilities with a couple new or good used vises. 

 

1. This tilting/ angle type.

 

Will this allow me to hold and drill the proper angle in the Wheelhorse steering pillow block? 

I'd like to be able to put new bushings in some. 

 

 

 

2. Cross slide for a drill press. 

 

*** yes I realize that a cross slide vise does NOT make a drill press into a mill. 

 

I want something capable of holding a piece of material while I drill multiple holes or align said piece for precise drilling.  

 

 I DO NOT WANT A CHEAP HF OR OTHER POS ... I already have one. I  need a better quality vise ... but ... not a top dollar unit. 

 

I'm thinking a larger one would be a better long term investment because it would have better usability...??

 

What's a good mid grade cross slide vise??

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

@ri702bill @Handy Don @lynnmor @Achto @Ed Kennell

 

Who else knows these??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[WHX?? 53,703]

Here ya go EB ... I ain't gonna tell ya some bozo threw this one on the scrap pile at my old shop... 

[ri702bill 10,951]

Eric

I almost bought one of those recently..... until.... I took a good look at the locking mechanism. Note the handle lock on one side and the pre-determined pin-goes-into-the -closest-hole gizmo on the other side. Do I really trust that 30 degrees is actually and honestly 30 degrees when you are holding a casting with raw edges id trying to follow an existing hole??? Nope!! What if you are in between pin hole positions?? I have zero confidence in using just the handle lock on one side for drilling in an off-center fashion...  I bought something different to do just that task, let me download some pictures first....

[Bill D 2,499]

18 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

Here ya go EB ... I ain't gonna tell ya some bozo threw this one on the scrap pile at my old shop... 

@ebinmaine that is exactly how I drill out my steering blocks for bushings.  Sorry I haven't had a chance to take pictures of my setup.  

[lynnmor 8,382]

Palmgren and Wilton always made products that were at least usable, I don't know if they degraded in recent years.  Another option is to buy a cross slide table where you can bolt on the vise of your choice and mount it at any angle.  Most everything that is budget priced likely will be imported from you know where and quality will vary widely.  Good quality machine shop equipment will be priced at way more than a hobbyist is willing to pay. 

 

Update: That Palmgren shown above makes no sense if the pin is the only lock for the tilt, I guess they are now off the list.

[ri702bill 10,951]

OK. I bought a 4" Screwless Toolmaker's Vise - finish ground on all surfaces. I mount this vise at an angle in the 5" Milling Machine vise. There ate thru-holes down the entire side - used a 3/8 rod to help set the angle, along with a 3/4" diameter steel dowel in the quill to line up the hole. Narrow C clamps hold the lower part of the casting firmly up against the non-movable back jaw. Vise comes with vertical and horizontal V grooves for round stock work too.

Fly cut the top to clean, bored & reamed for the bushing. Drilled thru the bushing wall at the grease fitting. Last step, not shown, I drill & tap the lower bushing hole for a grease fitting too.

 

[ri702bill 10,951]

6 minutes ago, lynnmor said:

Update: That Palmgren shown above makes no sense if the pin is the only lock for the tilt, I guess they are now off the list.

 Remember that the upper casting hole is not a full diameter all the way down - an interrupted cut tends to make the drill grab.

Edited Thursday at 12:31 AM by ri702bill

[ebinmaine 76,474]

4 minutes ago, lynnmor said:

Palmgren and Wilton always made products that were at least usable, I don't know if they degraded in recent years.  Another option is to buy a cross slide table where you can bolt on the vise of your choice and mount it at any angle.  Most everything that is budget priced likely will be imported from you know where and quality will vary widely.  Good quality machine shop equipment will be priced at way more than a hobbyist is willing to pay. 

 

Agreed...

For me it makes some viable financial sense to invest in decent usable tools because any machine shop around wants a premium.  They should. Not knocking that. But I need work done and can't get reasonable prices. 

 

 

 

4 minutes ago, lynnmor said:

Update: That Palmgren shown above makes no sense if the pin is the only lock for the tilt, I guess they are now off the list.

 

 

I'll look at Wilton. 

[lynnmor 8,382]

I thought of Penn Tool, they may have what you want.  I see they have a wide variety of price levels. 

[WHX?? 53,703]

1 minute ago, lynnmor said:

pin is the only lock for the tilt,

It's not  ... the pin only locks it flat. The handle on the backside locks it at angle. Works fine 

 

We workin on the lunar rover or a garden tractor Bill? 

[ri702bill 10,951]

2 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

workin on the lunar rover or a garden tractor Bill?

Well, both will get the proper respect if either go thru my shop here....

Ironically, the tractor in question is named "Good 'Nuff" - way too much hacked up & butchered tidbits, as @Sparky can attest. Years of machining have taught me valuable lessons in Shop Practices & Safe Operation. Do it once, do it right.  The First Aid Kit is on the door across from the Milling Machine and I dust it off every month or so. And now I have the vise for other tasks.... 

[ebinmaine 76,474]

On 1/7/2026 at 7:33 PM, WHX?? said:

It's not  ... the pin only locks it flat. The handle on the backside locks it at angle.

 

Works fine 

 

 

Good info there Jim. Thanks. 

 

I'll order this one and see how it goes.  

 

 

 

 

@lynnmor Penn tool. Awesome site. 

[WHX?? 53,703]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

I'll order this one and see how it goes.  

 

The one in your first pic? 

[ebinmaine 76,474]

4 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

The one in your first pic? 

 

Yep. 

[WHX?? 53,703]

You won't be sorry then EB  ... It's got a v groove cut in the front jaw for holding round stock. Could be a little deeper but works ok. 

 

Edit: 

Just visited their site EB and oh la la ... If I was a machinist in a past life, working on the lunar rover and had Bill's deep pockets ...Check out their bench vices ...  

Edited yesterday at 01:12 PM by WHX??

[ebinmaine 76,474]

4 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

You won't be sorry then EB  ... It's got a v groove cut in the front jaw for holding round stock. Could be a little deeper but works ok. 

 

I've ordered two new vises. The other one is a Palmgren 6" Cross slide. It has the grooves as well. 

I'm leaning towards leaving the cross slide on the drill press most of the time and swapping to the angle type specifically for the steering blocks. 

 

But.... because my skill level and tool set is often changing - plans do to. 

 

Either way I believe both vises should offer a good quality long term set up for us.  

 

 

[sqrlgtr 1,771]

3 in. Cradle-Style Angle Drill Press Vise 3 in 

@ebinmaine I seen this one the other day at HFT and looked looks to be well made just another option. I don't know how it compares to the unit you're looking at but might be worth checking out.

[WHX?? 53,703]

Day late and a dollar short Squirrelly ... well maybe not short for that short money but EB says he pulled the trigger already. Tell you what tho for that kinda coin be a good Xmas present for a tractor bro. 702Bill's fully rigged moon shot shop aside be great for a hoobyist. 

[squonk 45,055]

4 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

 great for a hoobyist. 

Just don't get you "Hooby Dooby " caught in it! 

[ebinmaine 76,474]

4 hours ago, squonk said:

Just don't get you "Hooby Dooby " caught in it! 

 

[ebinmaine 76,474]

5 hours ago, sqrlgtr said:

3 in. Cradle-Style Angle Drill Press Vise 3 in 

@ebinmaine I seen this one the other day at HFT and looked looks to be well made just another option. I don't know how it compares to the unit you're looking at but might be worth checking out.

 

 

I've looked at those and several similar. 

In this particular case I went with the Palmgren because it was on a good sale.  

 

For the cross slide vise I already have a cheapo and it's.... usable. 

[WHX?? 53,703]

8 hours ago, squonk said:

Just don't get you "Hooby Dooby " caught in it! 

Stevasaurus would say that ...