Show us your bench vice(s)

[Viceman]

Nearly ready for painting

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Nearly ready for painting

Seems a shame to hide that under paint - new jaws going in?

 

[Viceman]

The original jaws are still very good, I'll just surface grind the tops over to get rid of a few file/ hacksaw marks

 

[Viceman]

Nearly finished, just needs touching up here and there

 

[balmerchris]

The stickers are a nice touch.

 

[col45]

Twenty quid on ebay... I have broken more than a few, why put a hammering section on them when they crack when hammered? ,,, so I'm going to make one from box section and threaded rod when this one goes.

 

[Memmeddu]

This is my first bench vise, fresh of paint.
I painted it this morning.
I know it's not the best vise in the world but it's a good old school Ariex forged steel vice .
The jaws are remaked from flat profile o carbon steel ,and welded up because unfortunally the old owner destroied the screws and aptenting to pull out the broken studs, the left handed extractor is broken it ,and I can't drill it to make a new treath
So this is what i can did, hope you like it

 

[Rig Pig]

Twenty quid on ebay... I have broken more than a few, why put a hammering section on them when they crack when hammered? ,,, so I'm going to make one from box section and threaded rod when this one goes.

I'm afraid cheap vices are just that, a second hand quality one would be a better option but even then they aren't suppose to be a substitute for an anvil! A nice lump of scrap metal saves battering your vice.

 

[Memmeddu]

Twenty quid on ebay... I have broken more than a few, why put a hammering section on them when they crack when hammered? ,,, so I'm going to make one from box section and threaded rod when this one goes.

Think you need the chucke2009 bench vise

 

[Screwdriver]

I'm afraid cheap vices are just that, a second hand quality one would be a better option but even then they aren't suppose to be a substitute for an anvil! A nice lump of scrap metal saves battering your vice.

If it has an anvil it should be capable of taking a pounding. But I sort of agree, later vices tend to be cast iron rather than cast steel and cast iron is brittle.

For the uninitiated, a good clue is the shape of the nose on the main screw where the handle is fitted. If it is turned into a ball shape, it shows the manufacturer is prepared to spend time/money on their product and may be of a much earlier vintage when they used high grade steel. If on the other hand it's a plain turned cylinder, it will almost certainly be a much later, more modern version where everything is built down to a price, typically including the quality of the steel.

I believe that "nose" shape defines a transition period for "Record" vices where one assumes they became cheap copies of their former glory.

 

[MattF]

Few vices were ever steel. Malleable/ductile or cast iron, yes, but steel was almost always a specific range within a brand. All of the older English vices were sturdy & good quality metal, regardless of which metal they were composed of. Record only started going to pot towards the end of English manufacture.

However, there's a difference between light to medium pounding on a vice table/anvil, and just plain abuse. No matter how good the metal, you can't expect a hollow structure to supply the same benefits as a solid block of metal, and apes can destroy the best of equipment.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

and apes can destroy the best of equipment.

Them's fighting words...

 

[rosinante]

When I got my vice the anvil part was distorted where it was beaten , it wasn't until I came across this thread that I found it was a Facom 5 inch and further examination it is an all steel version, not bad for free!,, the only and very minor drawback is that it has no quick release but I can live with that,the welds can be seen joining the main forgings
Chris

 

[Screwdriver]

Few vices were ever steel. Malleable/ductile or cast iron, yes, but steel was almost always a specific range within a brand. All of the older English vices were sturdy & good quality metal, regardless of which metal they were composed of. Record only started going to pot towards the end of English manufacture.

I don't honestly know how true that comment is. Certainly I have come accross many cast steel vices. The Swindens are all made from cast steel for example. A lot of the early Record vices I look out for are also advertised as "indestructible" cast steel. I'm going to take a flying guess that my precious Wilton will be steel too (I'll go ask Google now...)

<edit> Google suggests Wilton vices are made from ductile iron. I should modify my statement above to say "older vices or high quality vices are typically made from cast steel or ductile iron" rather than cheaper and less durable cast iron. Happy?

 

[MattF]

Cast iron doesn't mean low quality. Most vices will be made from cast. With cast iron, you can have such variation that it's not a guide as to quality. Poor quality metal, crappy foundry work, poor design, (look at the problem Parker? created by shoving a length of steel into the mould along the length of the slide), are all factors which make or break quality.

Take a look at the vice in most commercial garages. You'll usually find most of those have been thrashed within an inch of their life by mechanics, (who don't tend to be renowned for subtlety), but nearly all will be cast iron models yet still going strong. Look at the Swindens on here where someone made the front jaw part company from the slide by using it as a press. Quality is quality, but everything has its limit.

Now, if we're talking about the generic cast iron vices currently coming out of China, then obviously metal & foundry work quality, plus machining/finishing quality, there leave something to be desired, but that's a prime example of how much deviation there can be. Compare that against a Parkinson, Woden or an English Record cast iron vice, and the two will be worlds apart on all fronts. Good cast iron vices have stood the test of time just as well as ductile iron or steel vices. It all boils down to design, quality of metal & foundry capability, in a nutshell.

 

[Screwdriver]

I guess the problem is then that one can never be sure of the quality of a cast iron vice. Might be good, might not be. Whereas you can't go wrong if the manufacturer has gone the extra mile and used a more expensive product to produce an item. I suppose it's more of a clue or a sign of potential quality than a "cast iron" fact. Bit like the rounded end of an older vice being an indicator of quality rather than a guarantee.

 

[MattF]

Pretty much, IMHO. Even good brands turned out the odd ringer, but time is the main testament to which are good & bad. I always tend to think visual appeatance is one of the best indicators. If you can see a virtually blemish free cast surface, it shows the foundry knew their job, whereas one with blowholes or porosity indicates otherwise. Same with machining. If the surfaces are finished well, a better indication. If they're usually willing to go to great lengths to make a good cast & finish it well, you can likely bet they haven't skimped in any other dept. either.

 

[Screwdriver]

Agreed with the possible exception of cast steel, Swindens for example. It is apparently notoriously difficult to cast and castings are typically flawed but being cast steel still very strong.

The exception that proves the rule??

 

[CwazyWabbit]

--SNIP--
However, there's a difference between light to medium pounding on a vice table/anvil, and just plain abuse. No matter how good the metal, you can't expect a hollow structure to supply the same benefits as a solid block of metal, and apes can destroy the best of equipment.

Also worth noting that proper anvils are supposed to be used to work hot metal not cold, working cold metal can ruin any anvil.

 

[JBanner]

Hi, my apologies that my first post is a request for assistance but hopefully some vice pictures will serve as payment? I was recently gifted a lovely Record vice and I am cleaning it up. I have disassembled it, gently removed most of the paint and rust and will be setting up a stripping tank for it shortly. It is my intention to leave it pretty much as is, and not fill any cuts etc. Can someone tell me a bit about it though? It's a lovely lump of a thing and appears to be from the time C & J Hampton had their factory in Sheffield. Any information greatly appreciated!

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