WEN 4” Angle Vise

[deltaenterprizes]

I bought a WEN 4” angle vise for light work on my mill. It has preset locations for 30, 45 and 90 degrees. I set it for 30 degrees.
I set it up to remove the hump on a few Mauser receivers and it is a good thing that I checked with a level because it is off!

[Scrounge]

I bought a WEN 4” angle vise for light work on my mill. It has preset locations for 30, 45 and 90 degrees. I set it for 30 degrees.
I set it up to remove the hump on a few Mauser receivers and it is a good thing that I checked with a level because it is off!

I am not a machinist. I am taking a class to become one. I was taught that you ALWAYS check the tram on the mill head, vise, and any other equipment you're going to use if you want the work to be successful. Someone may have adjusted it since last you used it, or it could have slipped or been bumped. If you're doing more that one of a part, you should also check that nothing has moved every time you go to do the next part, too. You can bump it, and if it wasn't tight enough, it can move on it's own because of vibration or bumps. Meticulous attention to detail is the key, unless what you're doing doesn't matter. You can have the same problem with an $800 Kurt vise, too. Even if you do everything right, it can still get messed up because tooling breaks, screws shear, etc. Take care of all the variables you can, then do your best.

Bill

[farmbif]

I dont know about wen, but I got a palmgren years ago and its an invaluable tool well worth the cost.

[country gent]

The easiest way to set an accurate angle is a known center distance and gauge blocks. My angle vise has 2 3/4" pins on 5" centers. The machinists hand book and several others have charts that show how much height you need to get the correct angle on 5 or 10" centers. Simple pins can be made for your most used angles to set the vise.

I have a set of angle parallels that are off across the upper ranges by 2-3* some day I will grind them in to right. Or just make a new set.

[deltaenterprizes]

I am not a machinist. I am taking a class to become one. I was taught that you ALWAYS check the tram on the mill head, vise, and any other equipment you're going to use if you want the work to be successful. Someone may have adjusted it since last you used it, or it could have slipped or been bumped. If you're doing more that one of a part, you should also check that nothing has moved every time you go to do the next part, too. You can bump it, and if it wasn't tight enough, it can move on it's own because of vibration or bumps. Meticulous attention to detail is the key, unless what you're doing doesn't matter. You can have the same problem with an $800 Kurt vise, too. Even if you do everything right, it can still get messed up because tooling breaks, screws shear, etc. Take care of all the variables you can, then do your best.

Bill

The vise is brand new, this is the first time I have used it!
It was not very expensive but is a nice vise for the price but you get what you pay for!
I have been a machinist for 21 years that is why I knew to check the accuracy of the angle before taking a cut.
I am posting this as a warning to others that may buy a similar vise.

[Scrounge]

The vise is brand new, this is the first time I have used it!
It was not very expensive but is a nice vise for the price but you get what you pay for!
I have been a machinist for 21 years that is why I knew to check the accuracy of the angle before taking a cut.
I am posting this as a warning to others that may buy a similar vise.

I tend to look at import vises, and Wen is imported, as a kit of parts that I could maybe make into a good tool. That and old vises. I've got a Brown & Sharpe #1 here that I picked up off ebay, as well as the import angle vise I got several decades ago, and the one that came with Smithy 3-in-1 machine my brother bought. I'm probably never going to get a real Kurt vise, being a retired hobbyist. So it's old beat up stuff, or new import, or sometimes old beat up import, for me.

I am nearly done with my class, but need a lot of practice, and still have a lot to learn from that practice. I took a class in machining in high school, in 1973, and didn't do much but dream and read about it after that until 2008, when I was able to buy a very small import lathe for the first time. I'd done some other kinds of metalwork, so kinda know my way around a file, hacksaw, drill, and such. Done a wee bit of blacksmithing, and a tad of armouring, some jewelry work, picking up dribs and drabs of knowledge and techniques as I could.

After not doing to well with that mini-lathe, I griped to my wife, and she suggested that I take another class. Started that in the spring of 2015. Still in it, having been going mostly very part-time. I'm a pretty good mechanic, so most of the machines I've bought are in need of mechanicing. Got two of the 4 lathes running, need to clean the lathe spindle and associated parts, lube and reinstall them, and then the Smithy will be running. It was bought new in 1997, and never actually run, just sat there until recently. I've been working on it for about two or three weeks. Hoped to have it done a week ago, now shooting for a week from now. Gotta finish fixing the parts washer to make it easier.

Then I have a Lewis shaper than needs a new jackshaft, and a good clean and lube, and about then it will be time to work on the South Bend Heavy 10L. It's about 80 years old, and spent five of those in a leaky barn before I laid hands on it. About two thirds of the clean up still to do, before it's ready for paint and reassembly. Then I'm going to have to learn to use all of them properly. I do have enough experience to not expect an import vise to be accurate off the shelf. Played with too many of them over the years. If you're talking the one I think you are, i.e., this one: https://www.homedepot.com/p/WEN-4-25...34TV/304665580 they're the same as the ones I have, though one of mine is a no-name, and the other branded Smithy. According to the link, there, it's under a 2 year warranty, so you might be able to get it fixed, or replaced with one that is more accurate. Though with the experience you have, you can probably do a better job fixing it yourself.

Bill

[deltaenterprizes]

I tend to look at import vises, and Wen is imported, as a kit of parts that I could maybe make into a good tool. That and old vises. I've got a Brown & Sharpe #1 here that I picked up off ebay, as well as the import angle vise I got several decades ago, and the one that came with Smithy 3-in-1 machine my brother bought. I'm probably never going to get a real Kurt vise, being a retired hobbyist. So it's old beat up stuff, or new import, or sometimes old beat up import, for me.
I am nearly done with my class, but need a lot of practice, and still have a lot to learn from that practice. I took a class in machining in high school, in 1973, and didn't do much but dream and read about it after that until 2008, when I was able to buy a very small import lathe for the first time. I'd done some other kinds of metalwork, so kinda know my way around a file, hacksaw, drill, and such. Done a wee bit of blacksmithing, and a tad of armouring, some jewelry work, picking up dribs and drabs of knowledge and techniques as I could.

After not doing to well with that mini-lathe, I griped to my wife, and she suggested that I take another class. Started that in the spring of 2015. Still in it, having been going mostly very part-time. I'm a pretty good mechanic, so most of the machines I've bought are in need of mechanicing. Got two of the 4 lathes running, need to clean the lathe spindle and associated parts, lube and reinstall them, and then the Smithy will be running. It was bought new in 1997, and never actually run, just sat there until recently. I've been working on it for about two or three weeks. Hoped to have it done a week ago, now shooting for a week from now. Gotta finish fixing the parts washer to make it easier.

Then I have a Lewis shaper than needs a new jackshaft, and a good clean and lube, and about then it will be time to work on the South Bend Heavy 10L. It's about 80 years old, and spent five of those in a leaky barn before I laid hands on it. About two thirds of the clean up still to do, before it's ready for paint and reassembly. Then I'm going to have to learn to use all of them properly. I do have enough experience to not expect an import vise to be accurate off the shelf. Played with too many of them over the years. If you're talking the one I think you are, i.e., this one: https://www.homedepot.com/p/WEN-4-25...34TV/304665580 they're the same as the ones I have, though one of mine is a no-name, and the other branded Smithy. According to the link, there, it's under a 2 year warranty, so you might be able to get it fixed, or replaced with one that is more accurate. Though with the experience you have, you can probably do a better job fixing it yourself.

Bill

Yes that is the vise! It is more of a drill press vise than a mill vise but I bought to use for small parts with light cuts.
I got lucky today! I have an import 2 axis with swivel base that went under water 16 years ago and I thought that it was frozen solid with rust.
The WEN vise made me examine it to see if I could loosen it up. To my surprise it came apart with very little effort and just needs cleaning with Scotch Brite or steel wool and some diesel and reassembled!
I hope that my 6” rotary table is the same way!
I bought the WEN because I thought that the other vise was junk, I am pleasantly surprised!

[country gent]

It would be interesting to check a few and see if they are all off and it its the same. When It comes to the small vises they are more a "Kit". needing fine tuning and finishing to get truly accurate.

We did a group buy in one tool room I worked got small grinder vises with the angled clamp screw 4" was 89.00 the 3" was 75.00. All were out of square with the bed .004-.005 length wise. Just had to set them up and grind them in. but they saved a lot of sawing milling and machining. Some of us also remade the t bar and screw for a better thread.