Show us your bench vice(s)

[MattF]

hello, I am new on this site, I live in France, central region. I watched this vices forum from the start, very informative. I had a aim with a rotating base made in Asia a long time ago. It was very useful to me until one day it finally broke, on the sliding jaw there was in places up to 4mm of coating.

in the meantime I had been offered a Woden brand vice, a 190 / 7A instant grip, that had already been experienced. the front bracket was crooked but it still worked fine. I have used it for ten years like this without a problem. I recently decided to fix it, the screws were damaged and since I only have metric pitch screws I straightened them out and remade the threads with small files. FYI, there aren't many snap-grip vices, it's mostly rotary based. I have to say I used the instant grip more than the rotary base I had before, it is very convenient.

in the meantime I bought another one that I wanted similar to the Woden that I am remaking. I received it today by carrier, I was disappointed, because it must have fallen and a fixing paste of it is broken. I wanted to know what is the material of this vice (Paramo) to give it to weld? have you already done it? electric arc welding, brazing, ... etc. thanks for your advices.

sorry if the translation is not perfect.

Best regards Patrick.

What model number is the broken one?

 

[Onoff]

I presume me posting my vintage cider find is acceptable on the thread? After all, alcohol is one of my many vices...

(Gets coat).

 

[dannysheff]

A Parkinson vice stand on Ebay, (with a flypress):

Denbigh No 3 Flypress. | eBay

<p dir="ltr">Denbigh No 3 Flypress. Lovely condition complete with table Condition is "Used"<br> Cash on collection only</p>

www.ebay.co.uk

and looks like it might have been Shakespeare's, or at least Olivier's (for the 'proper job' before getting stagestruck)

what is he talking about ?

actually --- nice --- if you aren't making one as fine as chips' vice stands are not easy to find (again I'd be keeping quiet if I hadn't acquired two nice ones last year (one of which a Parky adjustable height) - they now need a clean-up)

Onoff -- no need to get coat -I did think of replying with a picture of my home-made cider (but it's still in the barrel and never quite know what the result will be -- 2018 was the last really good year)

matt -- are Bison vices a pretty well made Polish brand?

 

[Patrick Masson]

Quel numéro de modèle est celui cassé?

What model number is the broken one?

hello, thanks for your quick answers, I think it must be cast iron, when I fix it, I’ll take some pictures for you. there is no # but it looks like a Paramo # 41, same jaw length (4 1/4 inches). I have a question, the main screw and handle are not the same between mine and Paramo #41, is mine older or from another manufacturer?

 

[Longhorn6120]

I started a thread about this on Monday, didn’t realise there was a dedicated vice thread so here goes with pics of the restoration.

 

[MattF]

matt -- are Bison vices a pretty well made Polish brand?

Aye.

 

[MattF]

one of which a Parky adjustable height

& the photo's are, where?

 

[Stupoty]

matt -- are Bison vices a pretty well made Polish brand?

Haven't ever seen a bison vice but their lathe chucks are "probably" the best lathe chucks available.

Stu

 

[Arc Tourist]

Haven't ever seen a bison vice but their lathe chucks are "probably" the best lathe chucks available.

Stu

I've seen Bison milling vices, but not bench vices.

 

[Stupoty]

I've seen Bison milling vices, but not bench vices.

are they as awesome as the lathe chucks ?

Stu

 

[Blue Chips]

Haven't ever seen a bison vice but their lathe chucks are "probably" the best lathe chucks available.

I have a Bison 3-jaw rotating tailstock chuck, which I really like. Excellent quality, IMHO.

 

[Arc Tourist]

are they as awesome as the lathe chucks ?

Stu

Given a choice, I would prefer an Abwood or Jones & Shipman milling vice, and am fortunate to have both kinds.

 

[dannysheff]

& the photo's are, where?

let me clean it up just a bit, may also show my cider

 

[MattF]

Screw cleaning it up. Get a photo up.

 

[dannysheff]

Screw cleaning it up. Get a photo up.

ok ok ok - here it is on a dark wet winters day - not going to shuffle it around for a better look ( best part of 200lbs and the Parky 9 version 1 sitting on its foot is approaching another 150lbs from memory) - the adjustable height is via a nice telescoping rounded triangular tube with a screw mech round back -- no actual Parkinsons name that I've found yet, but seen it in the Parkinsons section of 2 different catalogues 1900s and 1920s and best of all it was bought from a guy clearing an old works near Shipley - the vice also came from that area a few months earlier. The only 'defect' is the omission of a strange curved handle for pulling it (has small steel wheels on two corners).

So I have some work to do, but probably not a full strip and rebuild, as all works fine -- will paint and make a cover for it and the vice as it's going to have to live outdoors. Why does it have that squared boss on the front of the base - for the foot of a leg vice or? Is it vandalism if I cut that off? - looks like a trip hazard.

 

[Gragson]

That looks great, I wouldn't even paint it, and don't cut that lug off, it looks original, just watch where you're going!
Height adjustment looks good exercise

 

[MattF]

Yes, it most definitely would be vandalism.

 

[Vono]

Oh wow danny that stand is so cool, fabulous bit of industrial kit. I wouldn't cut that boss of either, it's part of it.
That vice is pretty special too.
Well done on getting them.

 

[dannysheff]

s'pose so, but it's right in my path if I need to add a little nitrogen to the compost heap on a dark winters eve -- maybe a dob of white on top of that boss.

regarding painting, 'fraid I will put some on as these will live (and be used, although I can't make a good case for needing anything nearly as big - except to show off to grand-kids) outdoors --- cleaned up and just oiled or linseeded would rust too quickly - although the later classic Parky colour was red, thay did supply in other colours and it looks like the stand was green originally and the vice has traces of some dark greyish paint (under the later rough re-paints, oil and workshop splatter)

The vice is of course going on the stand, (my weight training for this starts now) and I'll make a top-cover from an old piece of truck flapside I have.

Looking again at the stand -- I'm not a machinist, so I'm extra impressed by the job of machining the rounded corner, non-equilateral triangle, inside and out from the cast-iron to give the telescoping upstand

 

[dannysheff]

got me going now fellas - still puzzling over the function of the boss (nothing to do with the missing handle which would be on the other side) - shows in the catalogues too - any ideas guys n gals??

Started cleaning up both items prior to painting (just ground off a few weld splats but otherwise hand scrape and wirebrush) -the stand was deffo green painted under everything - I got it at a good price as there's a hairline crick on the top tray but not worried as under the top are a couple of cast-in reinforcing braces - the rest looks fine - while not a foundryman I know enough about casting to see that this is not an easy one with thick, thin and hollow sections - it may have always had that crack. Height adjuster looks good, but at top of travel and I could have done with another inch to fit hard against the fence

The layers of paint coming off the vice now show a pale grey under the dark grey - possibly the original colour or a lead primer?

All good so far.