"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
Is there a quick way to square a swivel vise to the direction of
travel? I can get moderately close with a piece of paper and a
piece
of precision rod stock. To get closer I have to cut something and
use
a depth gage of some type horizontally to measure the difference
from
one end to the other.

...
Actually I so rarely need to use the swivel part of the vise I was
thinking about removing it from the mill entirely... maybe throw it
on
the noname mill drill (if it isn't too tall or maybe with swivel
removed) and leave a pair of screwless vises on the RF-30 instead.
Take a little time to square them up to the mill and each other and
leave them on it.

I milled (and filed) a steel bar to a close sliding fit in an RF-31's
table slot, then cut shallow steps along both upper sides to get
vertical surfaces that were dead parallel to the table travel, which
the slots weren't exactly.

I clamped the vise upside down on the bar's steps and slotted its base
between the mounting tabs to fit the tongue on the bar, which became
the locating key.

The slot in the vise base was only deep enough to locate the bar,
perhaps 1/16", to avoid weakening the base which is in tension when
tightened.

jsw