MetalworkingFun Forum › Machining › General Metalworking Discussion v
Kurt Alternatives?

Thread Modes
Kurt Alternatives?
Roadracer_Al Offline
Junior
****
Posts: 691
Threads: 14
Joined: Feb 2015
Location: Oakland, California
#1
12-31-2015, 11:50 PM (This post was last modified: 12-31-2015, 11:56 PM by Roadracer_Al.)
Hey there gang --

I held on to my 4" ERON vise when I sold my mill/drill. It was a great size for the M/D and has been nothing but good to me.

However, it's really not big enough for a standard vertical mill, so I've been keeping an eye out on Craig's List and sales flyers for Kurt vises. While they are truly a very nice vise, IMHO, you're paying a lot for the name, kind of like buying a Bridgeport brand mill.

I don't have access to a surface grinder, and even though I know how to scrape, I sold my surface plate to move to CA, so tuning up an abused or otherwise sub-par vise isn't a workable proposition at this time.

Has anyone had any good experiences with other, less expensive brands? How about brands to stay away from?

Also, what is the consensus on these 2-piece vises? Seems to me that they couldn't possibly include the "angle-loc" technology into the moving jaw, which would make it somewhat less ideal.

Thanks in advance!
Reply
Thanks given by:
Mayhem Offline
purveyor of mischief
******
Posts: 4,683
Threads: 93
Joined: Feb 2012
Location: Perth, Australia
#2
01-01-2016, 02:13 AM
I have a Taiwanese Vertex vice, which I am happy with. I looked at Glacern and Kurt but shipping from the US to Aus was way too much. I could get a Kurt here but for twice what you pay in the US. The Glacern look to be very nice.
Hunting American dentists since 2015.
Reply
Thanks given by:
johnnyc14 Offline
Freshman
**
Posts: 44
Threads: 3
Joined: Nov 2013
Location: Edmonton, Canada
#3
01-01-2016, 07:45 AM (This post was last modified: 01-01-2016, 07:47 AM by johnnyc14.)
The Homge vises that Matt sells have a good reputation.

http://machinetoolonline.com/VisesHighPrecision.html
johnncyc14, proud to be a member of MetalworkingFun Forum since Nov 2013.
Reply
Thanks given by:
EdK Offline
Whipping Boy
*******
Posts: 8,860
Threads: 319
Joined: Feb 2012
Location: Arizona/Minnesota
#4
01-01-2016, 09:23 AM
(01-01-2016, 07:45 AM)johnnyc14 Wrote: The Homge vises that Matt sells have a good reputation.

http://machinetoolonline.com/VisesHighPrecision.html

I agree, those Homge vises are supposed to be pretty decent. I've heard good things about the Glacern vises also. Smiley-gen163

Ed
Reply
Thanks given by:
wawoodman Offline
Junior
****
Posts: 340
Threads: 24
Joined: Aug 2014
Location: Seattle, WA
#5
01-01-2016, 10:48 AM
I bought the Glacern 5”, and I'm very happy with it.
Mike

SB 10K (1976) Rockwell vertical mill (1967) Rockwell 17" drill press (1946) Me (1949)
Reply
Thanks given by:
Dr Stan Offline
Senior
*****
Posts: 2,328
Threads: 271
Joined: Jun 2014
Location: La Libertad, Philippines
#6
01-01-2016, 11:05 AM
I have an older made in Taiwan Dayton 4" vice that has the angle-loc technology I bought used. All it needed was cleaning up the jaws on my surface grinder.
Reply
Thanks given by:
Roadracer_Al Offline
Junior
****
Posts: 691
Threads: 14
Joined: Feb 2015
Location: Oakland, California
#7
01-02-2016, 12:00 AM
That Glacern 690 sure looks nice! Lifetime warranty, too. That's usually a good indicator.
Reply
Thanks given by:
PixMan Offline
Resident Pariah
******
Posts: 2,344
Threads: 53
Joined: Feb 2012
Location: Spencer MA USA
#8
01-08-2016, 03:53 PM
Glacern, Teco, Orange, all excellent alternatives.
Reply
Thanks given by:
zmotorsports Offline
Sophmore
***
Posts: 173
Threads: 2
Joined: Jun 2015
Location: Utah
The following 1 user Likes zmotorsports's post:
EdK (01-08-2016)
#9
01-08-2016, 04:50 PM
Love my 5" Glacern.
[Image: 2d7g0tf.jpg]

[Image: 1zldg1h.jpg]

Mike.

Reply
Thanks given by:
Roadracer_Al Offline
Junior
****
Posts: 691
Threads: 14
Joined: Feb 2015
Location: Oakland, California
The following 1 user Likes Roadracer_Al's post:
EdK (02-26-2016)
#10
02-26-2016, 04:53 PM
Great news! Patient trawling of Craig's List yielded results. I scored a literally like-new Kurt 688 for $375. The former owner used it on 2 firearm uppers, and lost interest in machining. Only downside is he also lost the handle. It was advertised for $400, so I offered that I'd give him the other $25 when the handle showed up.

I didn't get a lot of "follow-through vibe" from the seller, so I'll build my own handle.

Now I get to make my 4" ERON all clean and shiny, and put it on Craig's List for $100.

Thanks for all the input, I was pretty close to pulling the trigger on a similar sized Glacern with the V blocks to get the price up to $500 for the free shipping, but this came up.
Reply
Thanks given by:




Users browsing this thread: 2 Guest(s)