Show us your bench vice(s)

[GraemeVW]

That doesn't sound right, I'll dig mine out and check later.

I've not turned the cam lock hard yet. I have took it out though and it's all good and fine. It probably needs a bit of a clean though. I suspect when cranked down it may lock both sides.
It may just have a little wear in one direction meaning one side starts to clamp before the other.
Or it may just have dirt in it.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

May also be that it has been taken apart and put back together differently..... I seem to remember on my large one that if you put the wrong jaw stack on the wrong side it they didn't lock simultaneously. Perhaps they were originally hand fitted?

 

[GraemeVW]

May also be that it has been taken apart and put back together differently..... I seem to remember on my large one that if you put the wrong jaw stack on the wrong side it they didn't lock simultaneously. Perhaps they were originally hand fitted?

All seems very possible.
I took one pivot out, it wasn't very easy though, it all moves freely and smoothly as far as using it is concerned, but it's obviously not been apart for a long time.
However it wants to work, as long as it does it reliably, that's all that matters.
Being able to lock one of the stack pair would be handy though, would allow for slight movement to conform to shape when clamping the part.
It will come apart for cleaning so I guess I'll find out.
Then I can measure properly for making the rear (or is that front?) Cam.
I'm tempted to make new top jaws as they have took the worst of the abuse. I could weld the pivots up if the miss drilling ends up bothering me. Not sure I'd weld the jaws though, quite thin and a quick look suggests they are hardened.
If I replace them though I'd have to see what the local steel place charges to grind to thickness as they only stock 6mm and 8mm and the jaws, of course, are 7mm!
I may just leave it though, it doesn't effect it's use, and I bought it to use, not look at.
For £50 I can cope with a few drill divots and having to make a cam lock.

Another thought, anything between the plates, or any slight raised area from a knock, would cause one side to clamp first too. Not sure why turning it the other way would lock the other plate stack though.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

A couple of pictures of the rear pin from my mid sized sevo.

 

[Arc Tourist]

A couple of pictures of the rear pin from my mid sized sevo.
.................

I've been doing a little research on the Sevo vices, and so far know there was one with 70mm wide jaws made. Do you know how many others, and what sizes of these vices were offered ?

Edited.

 

[GraemeVW]

@CwazyWabbit Thanks! That's very helpful! I have my front one to work from, and pics of a broken rear one, bit that answers a couple of questions I had.

Have you put it back in yet? If not, any chance of a measurement from the first sbpylder to the second, and the length of the cam section?
If it's make together, don't worry, I can measure from the vice, just might help make sure I get it right first time.

 

[GraemeVW]

I've been doing a little research on the Sevo vices, and so far know there was a tiny one with about 1 1/2" wide jaws, and another with 70mm wide jaws. Do you know how many other sizes of these vices were made ?

I know there was one more, a larger one with 4 mounting holes. I think, I may have seen another that didn't look thin a any of those 3 though so there may be a 4th too.
Could be loads, but that's all the ones I've seen.

 

[GraemeVW]

Just checked eBay, 2 sizes on there and none of the tint or large ones, so deffinately at least 4 sizes.

 

[Arc Tourist]

I know there was one more, a larger one with 4 mounting holes. I think, I may have seen another that didn't look thin a any of those 3 though so there may be a 4th too.
Could be loads, but that's all the ones I've seen.

I think a 4" jaw Sevo would be about the largest size my mill could comfortably accommodate.

 

[FR518]

fully cleaned up and oiled

 

[Screwdriver]

Very nice. Do like it when people don’t over restore.

 

[Arc Tourist]

Disclaimer: I have no connection to the seller or this vice. I don't need one of these, but the Power-Arm base might be of interest to someone here. Its the same type of base used on my Wilton baby bullet vise. Check out bay of evil item # 3844 7613 4164 . Here is a screenshot.......

 

[Maker]

Very nice. Do like it when people don’t over restore.

Crazy colour schemes are only for lathes and bandsaws then?

 

[MattF]

Crazy colour schemes are only for lathes and bandsaws then?

Purity is fine for virgins, IMHO.

 

[Screwdriver]

Crazy colour schemes are only for lathes and bandsaws then?

Good point but I use the word "restore" deliberately to mean bring back to original working condition. It's nice when you start the process of restoration only to discover the paint that's been hiding for 20 years is still there after a deep clean and if it survives that, it should be good to go.

Painting an item on the other hand with a non-standard or crazy colour is another aspect of "restoration" when the original is no longer there, needs to come off for damage repair or you just don't like the colour. It's also handy for when you want to make a statement.

I would never say this in anyone's thread but one of my pet hates is a primary high gloss BLUE!! Record vice "restoration" that makes the thing look like it's been dipped in a bucket of nasty.

 

[Screwdriver]

View attachment 318004

Look at that picture again. "Patina" isn't just some shabby chic out of place industrial item in a wannabee interior designers kitchen. It is also a sign of history, years of use and the weathered pattern that only time can produce. Graphic designers and video game developers spend half their budget on trying to make things look "real" while we get to find these treasures daily only to miss the obvious attraction.

That 518 is a big handsome vice that screams heavy duty, looks real, looks authentic. I love it.

Oh and it just happens to be a nicely lit, well composed "still life" photo to boot.

 

[dannysheff]

Disclaimer: I have no connection to the seller or this vice. I don't need one of these, but the Power-Arm base might be of interest to someone here. Its the same type of base used on my Wilton baby bullet vise. Check out bay of evil item # 3844 7613 4164 . Here is a screenshot.......

View attachment 318036

interesting - never seen that extra swivel (redundant?) on the base as this one.

 

[dannysheff]

Look at that picture again. "Patina" isn't just some shabby chic out of place industrial item in a wannabee interior designers kitchen. It is also a sign of history, years of use and the weathered pattern that only time can produce. Graphic designers and video game developers spend half their budget on trying to make things look "real" while we get to find these treasures daily only to miss the obvious attraction.

That 518 is a big handsome vice that screams heavy duty, looks real, looks authentic. I love it.

Oh and it just happens to be a nicely lit, well composed "still life" photo to boot.

Each to their own on finish (but please don't hide significant faults if you're selling),

The 518's OK in it's way, but I go for the extra 1/2
-will 518 have a 3/4 or even a mythical 519 next posting? Central Scotland's a good place to look what with shipbuilding, Weir, Motherwell Bridge, etc etc (much sadly gone now, leaving only their huge chipping vices)

 

[dannysheff]

I said I'd post pics when it arrived.
Managed to get myself a sevo.
Few bits of drill damage but not too bad.
Mildly tempted to weld them up but might cause more grief than it solves.
ID'd As Spencer Franklin ltd, the UK distributors. Not 100% sure why these can be badged differently. Official distributor vs other direct imports?

I need to make a cam lock for it. Shouldn't be too hard and will teach me to turn off center.
But what steel to make it from? Hardened or not? I've seen a few of these for sale with broken cam lock things. Not sure if that means they need to be harder or softer.
View attachment 317679m.b

Not in the greatest of conditions, but not too bad either, and the price was right.

Yours isn't too bad compared with some horrors we've seen, ----- I've been waiting for a chance to share this French Serre cartoon
no bulls yet, not even clustering ,

 

[dannysheff]

Disclaimer: I have no connection to the seller or this vice. I don't need one of these, but the Power-Arm base might be of interest to someone here. Its the same type of base used on my Wilton baby bullet vise. Check out bay of evil item # 3844 7613 4164 . Here is a screenshot.......

View attachment 318036

Here's another ball joint swivel ....

No markings - I know nothing about maker, but it's well made, the ball joint holds well, 80mm Jaws, finely machined dovetailed ways, tube-protected screw, fine casting (steel?).

Little used, needs a clean up, cheap on eb about 4 yrs ago. Sitting on my sit-on bench.

Anyone id this or?