Show us your bench vice(s)

[Laurie Tedcastle]

?Is that a little locking tang between the Molegrips and the Molegrip holding device thingumy?

?If so, is it therefore able to hold different sizes?

Here's a couple more pics of the latch - it's spring loaded. If a pair of vice grips gets really tight in the clamp, pressing on the tabs on the end of the latch will release it. The spring latch will accommodate a slight variation in vice grip handle size, but I have some that are a bit slim and don't fit properly and of course my mini vice grips just fall through!

Laurie

 

[CRB]

Lovely little thing, and something which could be so useful so often.

 

[Gareth J]

Parkinson #7
£0.99 eBay gamble.
A bit seized but it's all come apart OK and will clean up fine.
View attachment 68142

Don't think I'll bother painting, never lasts with weld spatter and misdirected oxy-propane action anyway.

Done.

Quite a bit of slop in everything yet doesn't seem to be actually worn much. Guess they were never that tight.

 

[MattF]

That looks a lot better; definitely too nice to spatter up. Doesn't seem to be far off one of their original colours either. What colour is that?

 

[Gareth J]

That looks a lot better; definitely too nice to spatter up. Doesn't seem to be far off one of their original colours either. What colour is that?

No promises I'm not going to weld on it. It's red oxide from a spray can, I noticed the original was a bit darker red and had this lying around.

More workbench required...

 

[MattF]

That looks good for red oxide. Wouldn't have guessed that's what it was.

With their colour, there does seem to have been a bit of variation. I've always taken their usual colour as being more of a maroon/burgundy, but conversely I have a 8A outside which that colour you've used is practically a dead match for, judging from that photo. Not sure if Parkinson went slightly lighter and more orange over the years with their colour choice, or whether their colour choice tended to be dictated, to some degree, by what colour was readily avaiable at the time, but it does seem to vary somewhat.

Edit: This is the one.

Allowing for darkening due to age and use, paint oxidisation and such on this one, not too far apart in colour, to my eye.

 

[Gareth J]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Carplan-C...232?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item418a8cb058

It's this CarPlan brand.

I was going to give it a good coat of ordinary grey enamel on top but decided less thickness would be less likely to chip or flake off in big chunks and just rub off in places where it gets abused. Much like the one above.

Those jaws look snug fitting ^^

I'm intrigued though; whats the little dog on the base, to the right of the mounting hole you can see in my pic for (only on one side)?

 

[CwazyWabbit]

That little dog is a thing ...... it seems to be a feature of Parkinson vices and I've yet to see a good explanation for it's existence.

 

[MattF]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Carplan-C...232?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item418a8cb058

It's this CarPlan brand.

I was going to give it a good coat of ordinary grey enamel on top but decided less thickness would be less likely to chip or flake off in big chunks and just rub off in places where it gets abused. Much like the one above.

Good choice on not going with the grey. I know it's one of my quirks, but I dislike naval grey with a passion. You see it lathered on so many things as a tart it up coat that it's on my list of never to use colours.

The other beauty about the way you've done it is that if the paint does rub through anywhere, you won't see a starkly contrasting primer colour below the paint. I think yours looks lovely as you've done it.

Those jaws look snug fitting ^^

They usually are on the Parkinsons. If they're a bit of an ill fit, it's usually due to them having taken a beating over time, having been replaced else corrosion on the back of the inserts and/or the insert shelves.

Checked the No.7 earlier, and they're the same, as in a snug, tight fit.

I'm intrigued though; whats the little dog on the base, to the right of the mounting hole you can see in my pic for (only on one side)?

As CW says, it's one of those unknowns. I personally think it's just a sprue or such from the casting process which was rarely removed completely. Tends to be on most of them, though I noted, looking at a photo or two of mine, (the No.7), that there's not even a hint of it on that one. Both of the 8A's have it though.

That's a rarity rather than the rule.

 

[Tiggy_dorset]

Just won this little fella for a massive £6.50

 

[Ben - Kinetics]

Not mine, but saw these two beauties at the Llanberis slate museum and thought of this thread:

 

[Solo]

Hello sunbathers! For sale for 100 sovereign (not gold). Some thoughts?

 

[MattF]

Hello sunbathers! For sale for 100 sovereign (not gold). Some thoughts?

Personally, I like that style of vice. Enclosed slide, old style, (blacksmith style vice), jaws, round slide etc.

 

[MattF]

Not mine, but saw these two beauties at the Llanberis slate museum and thought of this thread:

Always nice to see equipment in its original setting.

Funnily enough, I happened to drop on a leg vice recently. Been trying to get hold of one for ages now, and then this one cropped up unexpectedly.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

.....

Makes you wonder what abuse they were giving this one that they decided it needed two more bolts adding.....

 

[Farside]

The drill was put away into his home, I needed some clear space.
The candle is made from a Nisson/Jap Dif from a gear box to give to a friend so she has something to remind her of her departed dad.View attachment 67647

Was he of a Sunny disposition?

 

[Steve J M]

Here's mine …….. the vice was my friends Dad's ( my friend is 65 !) so the vice is pretty old but works perfecto !

 

[harryb94]

There was a 6 inch fortis quick release at the carboot on sunday for 25 quid, had to resist buying it as it would end up with me having yet another vice under the bench not being used, seem to have been infected with the desire to buy every old vice I see!

 

[MattF]

Join the club. You'll be kicking yourself later for not getting that though. A 6" Fortis for £25 was a steal.

 

[harryb94]

Join the club. You'll be kicking yourself later for not getting that though. A 6" Fortis for £25 was a steal.

I already am If it's up there again this Sunday I think the temptation will be too much! What I need is a stand like the one above so I can at least then use some more of my vices!