Kurt Klone Kwality
#11
Anyone have one of these? Are the Grizzly or other "name" brands any better than the rest? Up until now I've been using a very badly abused (way overtightened) screwless vise, and I'd like to get something different.

I suppose one option is to re-make the internal parts of the screwless, but I really need a vise to make them. Catch 22.

I have access to a grinder here at work, so maybe I'll take the plunge and plan on having to rebuild the thing as soon as I get it. I'd really like to get something that works correctly right out of the box, but prices on real Kurt vises are pretty steep.
Full of ideas, but slow to produce parts
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#12
I picked up a 6" vise similar to that one, and it even came with a baseplate for setting it at angles. The one I paid $60 for from a Craiglist seller is only a little bit better than that. I have no intention of putting good time into a poor vise. If the big vise would fit on a 6x14 surface grinder I might consider it, but the milling machine it sits on is so rough it's not worth fixing anyhow.

When I replace the Bridgeport I'll treat the new machine to a good used Kurt, or new Parlec or Glacern. The difference in total quality between those and the super-cheap Chinese imports starts with the basic steel casting and every piece from there on it far better. You get what you pay for.
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#13
I bought my 6 inch Vertex from Machine Shop Discount, the price point was good, I probably could have gotten away with a 4 inch but went with the 6 inch for my RF45 clone and am glad I did. Vertex is made in Tiawan I paid about $170 for the vise and swivel base, it is very solid and from what I had it is great. It is more accurate than my tools will measure. tom
Logan 10x26" lathe
SIEG 12x40" lathe
RongFU 45 clone mill
6" import band saw
Baldor Grinder
thousand of tools+tooling pieces 40 yrs of collecting
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#14
After doing a lot of searching, I decided that my cheapness er, frugality has won out. I started making new parts for the current screwless vise. I'll post pics sometime later.
Full of ideas, but slow to produce parts
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#15
Yesterday I discovered my 6" clone is actually a 5.5" clone. It's only taken 10 or more years to come to the revalation.
Ya, the jaws are 6" wide but I thought the opening capacity governed the 6" appellation? Does a real 6" Kurt open to 6+inches?
17428
Busy Bee 12-36 lathe, Busy Bee Mill drill, Busy Bee 4x6 bandsaw, Homemade 9x17 bandsaw, Ad infinitum.
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#16
The current 6 inch Kurt (D688) opens to 8.8 inches.

My older model 6 inch (D675) opens to 7.5 inches.

I think I see a pattern here. Chin (6" jaw - 8.8" opening = 688) 17428
Willie
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#17
Aha, the clones are not even clones!Rant
Thanks Willie!
Busy Bee 12-36 lathe, Busy Bee Mill drill, Busy Bee 4x6 bandsaw, Homemade 9x17 bandsaw, Ad infinitum.
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#18
My 5" Kurt only opens to 4". 17428 An extra inch in that direction would be very useful.

Tom
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#19
Yeah, my 4" Kurt falls a little short too. 3-7/8" Really guys? You couldn't squeak another 1/8" out of it? 17428

But with the jaws in the outer positions I can get 10.3" out of it. Rotfl
Willie
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