Don't know exactly which ones you are looking at but you don't want one with a swivelling base. They are only used on the 4th blue moon of the century. Look carefully at where the hold down bolts will be when the fixed jaw is where you want it, like in the middle of the table not off the back. The type with slots along the side are better for that aspect. You don't need extra jaws as you can make the ones you actually need.

The Type 3 is more of a drilling machine style vice, the Type 2 is probably more suitable for a milling machine, I think even the 80mm versatile would look clownishly big on that small machine, maybe a 70mm Type 2.

Have a look at the thread I started on 'Arc Euro Type 2 vices' someone linked some similar vices on sale at a good price, not sure if if they're still on offer though.

Posted by Pete 26/11/2021

Have a look at the thread I started on 'Arc Euro Type 2 vices' someone linked some similar vices on sale at a good price, not sure if if they're still on offer though.

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They still are, on MSC Advantage December as QGVMP 85220J @ £31.99 and QGVMP 85320K @ £41.99 .

John

The MSC ones have a deep groove down both sides for clamping. The catalogue picture is incorrect in showing just a row of holes (At least on the ones I bought about a month ago with the same code number)

I had a Google to find out what a BFE milling machine looks like. There is an old advert for one at Pennyfarthing that has a picture of a vice on the table – fourth picture down. Given the dimensions of the table are 450 x 160mm, the vice in the picture looks to be about the right size for the machine and I would estimate that it is no more than 70mm wide, possibly less. I would personally not pay for a swivelling mount that will, for 99% of the time, be used as a paperweight. I also agree with others that the slotted sides are a more versatile method of clamping the vice to the table.

John

Posted by Thomas Gregory 1 27/11/2021 14:09:28
Oh and whoever mentioned the MSC Advantange brochure, please can you forward me
your contact details so I know where to send my wife when she sees the credit card statment!

Contact me at Neil at My time Media
John Neil

I would add

type2 con no base tenon slot for a swift set up to parallel with the table

type3 pro has a base tenon slot for a swift set up to parallel with the table.

I have an 80mm Accu lock vice (same as the versatile) and confess I have used the swivel base once.

Edited By Dave Halford on 27/11/2021 19:02:29

I'm unconvinced as to the absolute value of a tenon slot on these smaller type 2 and 3 vices for small machines. Better off with separate alignment devices for across the table and parallel to the table mounting. Not forgetting a machinists protractor for angled setting when needed.

Clamping slots down the side for mounting gives more freedom to shift the vice for best position to handle the job rather than being limited by the need to align two mounting lugs and, if fitted, a tenon with the Tee slots. This extra freedom of positioning can be a great help on small machines with short table movements.

The great inherent resistance to moving jaw lift of the type 2 vice comes at the cost of relatively less gripping power. The clamping screw works at around 45° to both work and vice top so the imparted force is divided roughly equally between gripping the job and holding the jaw down. In practice the downwards force probably stops the jaw moving further against the work at a gripping force rather less than that produced by a conventional in-line screw vice. The clamping screw on type 2 and similar style vices is almost always a relatively small caphead. So the maximum force is further limited by the short allen key. Conventional vices have a larger screw and longer handle so more scope for heaving up good'n tight. Whether needful or not.

If you fancy making something for larger jobs consider adapting the jaw layout used on this planer vice to make a simple "endless vice" aligned along the Tee slots, rather than across the table as shown, to hold work direct to the table.

Forget the base and key. Scale down sizes as appropriate. Simply fix the jaws to the table with appropriate Tee nuts. Perhaps not as strong as the usual commercial and DIY versions, which are too big for your machine anyway, but much easier to make and adequate for smaller work. Its likely that a small cast iron angle plate could be found of appropriate size for the fixed jaw. Or just go crude and effective with a squared off block.

Speaking of creative crudity I recently had to produce a 9 ft long by 3 inches wide light alloy wedge tapering from 6 mm thickness to 1 mm. Fortunately do-able in 4 sections that just fitted into the Bridgeport table travel. To get the wedge angle I set-up a piece of ex-kitchen cabinet chipboard at the correct angle and milled it flat. Creative use of short bolts, tapped holes and wood screws held the alloy bar to the base which in turn was held on the table with clamping kit components. Job went reasonably straightforwardly but the short bolts, woodscrews and tapered base were sacrificed in the process.

Most of we home shop types tend to overlook how many jobs can be made much easier if sacrificial work holding can be employed. I'm certainly far too inclined to try and preserve / hang onto things that "might be useful someday" rather than get value today from a one time sacrifice.

Clive

Edited By Clive Foster on 27/11/2021 20:05:13

If you get the ARC versatile, the swivel base comes as standard but doesn't have to be attached. Having the base available which may only be needed once in a blue moon might be a bother to some, but I personally would never dream of getting rid of the 2 swivel bases at the museum even if the rotary table gets used a hundred times more often.