Kurt Klone Kwality

[rleete]

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.

[PixMan]

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.

[TOM REED]

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

[rleete]

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.

[stevec]

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?

[Highpower]

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. (6" jaw - 8.8" opening = 688)

[stevec]

Aha, the clones are not even clones!
Thanks Willie!

[TomG]

My 5" Kurt only opens to 4". An extra inch in that direction would be very useful.

Tom

[Highpower]

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

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