I'm at the point where I want to make some soft jaws with cut-in features to hold a particular piece I will be machining.
I'm using a Tormach PCNC 1100 with the Tormach 5" vise.
First question: The bolt holes are 3.175" apart, with 12mm centers and 19mm head cut-outs. However, I don't know what shape the bottom of the bolt holes should have. I don't imagine flat, because that would presumably allow some slop in fastening, by as much as whatever the fastening bolt tolerance is. Instead, I imagine the bottom should be either chamfered, or rounded, so that the bolts will press the jaws to a dead center when fastened.
I notice that, on ebay, I can get soft jaw blanks in "standard" Kurt-style 6" size for $7 for the pair. However, Tormach charges $40 for their pair of standard size.
I don't doubt that the Tormachs are fantastically great pieces of metal -- but if I could find some blanks that were closer to the eBay price, that'd be fantastically great in other ways :-) Does anyone know of a good source? Or am I stuck milling my own? (Takes a couple of hours to face, size, and mill, with my meager set-up and holding skills...)
I'm using a Tormach PCNC 1100 with the Tormach 5" vise.
First question: The bolt holes are 3.175" apart, with 12mm centers and 19mm head cut-outs. However, I don't know what shape the bottom of the bolt holes should have. I don't imagine flat, because that would presumably allow some slop in fastening, by as much as whatever the fastening bolt tolerance is. Instead, I imagine the bottom should be either chamfered, or rounded, so that the bolts will press the jaws to a dead center when fastened.
I notice that, on ebay, I can get soft jaw blanks in "standard" Kurt-style 6" size for $7 for the pair. However, Tormach charges $40 for their pair of standard size.
I don't doubt that the Tormachs are fantastically great pieces of metal -- but if I could find some blanks that were closer to the eBay price, that'd be fantastically great in other ways :-) Does anyone know of a good source? Or am I stuck milling my own? (Takes a couple of hours to face, size, and mill, with my meager set-up and holding skills...)