On 2012-07-05, Bob La Londe wrote:
A few days ago I needed a little more grip range on the RF-30, so I pulled
the machine vise with the swivel base. I threw on a couple large
"screwless" vises and got what I needed done.

Yesterday I was tinkering in the shop and thought that vise with swivel base
might be handy on the no name mill drill. I set it on the table only to
find it didn't set down flat no matter what I did. I flipped it over and
found where somebody had machined a nice slot in the bottom of the swivel
and installed a couple keys that matched the slots on the RF-30.

Ok, I just don't see the purpose. It's a freaking swivel base. Why?

Does the base have an angle scale for the vise? If so, the keys
are likely for repeatability of the setting with the angle scale without
having to test it each time you put it on the mill.

I pulled the keys and mounted the vise.

While you could make an extra set of keys to do the same on the
no-name mill drill if the T-slot dimensions are different.

Maybe even make a set of keys which fit one machine with one
side up, and fit the other machine if you flip them over.

I keep keys on my vises most of the time -- but if I need to
mount them at an angle (e.g. a Kurt-II vise needed to go on at 45
degrees on my horizontal mill), I set the angle with a bevel protractor
and clamp down with a hold-down kit (no mounting ears on the Kurt-II,
and *no* I did not buy it new. :-)

Good Luck,
DoN.

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