Show us your bench vice(s)

[StevieO]

I have tried in vain to find out about this Westinghouse vice, is it worth buying and if so how much should be considered.

View attachment 346300

That’s a strange one.
Looks like an actuator cylinder at the moving jaw end. One connection to it unless another is at the other side. Screw at the rear would indicate an adjustment for the actuating stroke.
Some UK manufacturers made pneumatic actuated vice where say a foot pedal operated an air solenoid which would actuate the moving jaw.

Bit like this post from 2015


Value. No idea but it’s very rare IMHO.

 

[Vono]

I can say no, but yes, it is a struggle.
Did anyone here win the bid this evening on the bay of evil's British " Bingh " swivel vice ?

I was watching that. It was interesting but not really my thing, also I wasn't sure if there was a crack on the lower slide near the jaws on it. I was sure if I zoomed in on pics I could see something.

 

[MattF]

I have tried in vain to find out about this Westinghouse vice, is it worth buying and if so how much should be considered.

View attachment 346300

Best place to ask for info on that vice is here:

The VISES of Garage Journal

We have seen everyone's toolboxes so let's see the vises! (no, not vices :)) I'm sure there are some really cool ones out there. Large or small, let's see them all! Here's my Charles Parker 107 and my Wilton 1780: The Wilton has an 8" jaw and weighs about 110 lbs. The CP has a 6" jaw and...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[Barking Mat]

Best place to ask for info on that vice is here:

The VISES of Garage Journal

We have seen everyone's toolboxes so let's see the vises! (no, not vices :)) I'm sure there are some really cool ones out there. Large or small, let's see them all! Here's my Charles Parker 107 and my Wilton 1780: The Wilton has an 8" jaw and weighs about 110 lbs. The CP has a 6" jaw and...

www.garagejournal.com

Yeek, horrible juddery site full of photobucket images.

2000+ posts.

Hmm , post 6000 posts here....

 

[MattF]

There are certain members who know their stuff though, & can likely even dig out some info on it.

 

[dannysheff]

I have tried in vain to find out about this Westinghouse vice, is it worth buying and if so how much should be considered.

View attachment 346300

As you prob know, Westingouse was a huge US eng co. Everything up to nuclear reactors.

I haven't done a search, but I believe the product that boosted them most in the early years was hydraulic and air braking systems for locos and trucks so not surprising to see such on their vise, but can't figure how it might operate alongside the usual manual screw.

 

[ranger08]

Steel.

nope not steel!

 

[ranger08]

Yeek, horrible juddery site full of photobucket images.

2000+ posts.

Hmm , post 6000 posts here....

its an excellent site, on it you can find an excel spreadsheet with almost every vice made and its details, also if one has been covered in the forum it has a direct link to that post or posts so you dont have to scroll through hundreds of pages. its a great site however many covers americano

 

[Screwdriver]

nope not steel!

It's one of those situations where they used to be cast steel (Record 110) and later went for cheaper cast iron.

Two clues: the shape of the main screw end is squared off and not (expensively) rounded which indicates its vintage and the biggie, it doesn't say so on the side. They used to say Heavy duty STEEL, now they don't.

 

[MattF]

nope not steel!

Post general dates, telltale signs etc. for the changeover so that it's on here for future reference then. That way anyone looking for info on them in future should be readily able to find it.

 

[SteveB58]

That’s a strange one.
Looks like an actuator cylinder at the moving jaw end. One connection to it unless another is at the other side. Screw at the rear would indicate an adjustment for the actuating stroke.
Some UK manufacturers made pneumatic actuated vice where say a foot pedal operated an air solenoid which would actuate the moving jaw.

Bit like this post from 2015


Value. No idea but it’s very rare IMHO.

Bit of an odd one there. Does it work via a pneumatic ram, or is there a pecker motor affair under the slide? Exhaust air? Where would that go? Handle suggests it can be use independent of an air supply, is this via a thread in which case how does this work with the ram/pecker set up? Lot of questions but a very interesting piece, definitely worth adding to a collection at the right price, but as to what that price is I have no idea..

Steve

 

[ranger08]

Post general dates, telltale signs etc. for the changeover so that it's on here for future reference then. That way anyone looking for info on them in future should be readily able to find it.

the steel castings for the public stopped during the course of ww2 due to the short supply steel needed for the war effort, advancements in castings using ductile iron during the war meant they produced a superior product to general cast iron and close qualities to steel that were way easier to cast, most of records quality vices changed to ductile iron in the 1950s, all except the cast iron imp, 74s and the basic engineers model, they did produce model 80s series and the 30 series were still steel though these were clearly labeled as steel vices were very expensive, both the 80 and 30 series vices had changed to ductile iron by 1960, leader started producing steel vices for record in 1963
changes are recorded below, note there is a missing catalogue no15 that was issued late 40s early 50s i think, thats the reason for the large gap in dates, anyone who has that catalogue could fill in the gap

pre ww2

1960

1967

 

[MattF]

Cheers.

 

[Screwdriver]

I would just note however that all Swinden's vices are cast steel...

 

[ranger08]

would anyone be able to help me with this odd ball. a small aluminum vice, 1.5 inch jaws with a completely flat side. apparently made by a firm "Thomas" in Bridgend.
anyone know what it was used for?

 

[roblane65]

It was probably used for clamping stuff !

 

[Viceman]

It was probably used for clamping stuff !

 

[25.4_mechanic]

It was probably used for clamping stuff !

You sure?

Carsten

--

 

[StevieO]

Because it had one side flat, could it be a combination machine vice and bench mounted vice??

Woof woof woof

 

[SteveB58]

would anyone be able to help me with this odd ball. a small aluminum vice, 1.5 inch jaws with a completely flat side. apparently made by a firm "Thomas" in Bridgend.
anyone know what it was used for?
View attachment 346513
View attachment 346514

Almost certainly not a machine or drill vice, if it were I'd expect it to have more of a bed and the handle to be removeable. There is one on the net for £20, https://vintagetoolshop.com/collect...ge-indian-table-clamp-vice-w-1-1-2-jaws-44103

Bizarrely, this one claims to be made in Wales, whereas yours was manufactured in England.