wrote in message ...
I have a Sherline vertical mill (the 5000 series) and I keep having a
problem with my aluminum workpiece pulling loose from the mill vise.
I have NEVER had very good luck getting the Sherline mill vise to hold
aluminum terribly well. Is this a deficiency of their mill vise?
Would a different mill vise solve the problem? Is it possible that .
010" cuts are too much?

There has been mention of this on the Sherline Yahoo group lately,
following extensive discussion and evaluation of Sherline chucks
with holding problems.

It appears that (assuming you are using the vise properly) you have
a defective vise. As best I can remember, mine has never let a part
loose even once in several years of use. It grips as well or better than
comparable models you could replace it with. .010" cuts are very
conservative in 6061.

I wonder if people use the trivial procedure of yanking on the
workpiece after gripping it in the vise. I've never had a workpiece
come loose from any vise on any mill if I could not pull it loose
by hand. I also do the obvious things like gripping enough of the
part (probably always 1/8" or more), and always either gripping
in the center of the vise or using a spacer on the opposing side.
If such practices do not yield perfectly reliable hold, then I have
to believe the vise is defective.

Alan