Thanks.

[krwada]

If it's not to small of a part elevate it with a parallel bar. same technique
if the parts are very small, that's when you brake out the tool makers vise and indicate it in.

Indicate it in ... Also; I am using the precision ground parallels too.

Yup ... That is exactly How I am doing it right now. I had thought you had found an easier way to do all of this.

I figured out how to get my Kurt clone vise to work. It took a huge ton of effort and precision grinding to do this however. Maybe, when I get more funds; I am thinking that getting a 4" Kurt may be the way to go for me.

It appears as if the old machinist tried and true tricks are still the way to go!

I am currently using a Grizzly G0704. From what I can tell, this thing appears to work OK.

I evaluated those bench-top minimills ... and in my opinion, they appear to be wholly inadequate.

[kcstott]

Well like I said it depends on the run out you are willing to accept.

Nothing can be machined perfectly flat, square, parallel, round, what have you. It all comes down to what you are willing to accept.

Most of the stuff I machine with the dowel pin technique turn out to be square with in .001" so plus or minus .0005" and that is for a 2" to 3" part, obviously the larger the part the larger the difference in the sizes. Squareness will not be affected but the total accumulated error will grow with part size. and a Bridgeport is only so good. Brand new they are only rated .003" over 18" working area .005" over the travel of the table. The lead screw is only good for .003" per foot

If I need anything better then that I'm not going to mill it. I'm going to grind it.