Show us your bench vice(s)

[slim_boy_fat]

On FB... a Fortis swivel jaw vice... not cheap though - £100 - at Truro.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2048660985294761/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp:e18744b8-261b-49bc-9946-f336adb61440

View attachment 353095

That should clean up very nicely. Has it been cracked and welded ahead of the he anvil?

 

[SteveB58]

woops - so is mine, I meant khazi -- I'm actually so posh, I never use any of these words. And I have only lived up north for 53 years, so am new to the lingo.
My grandad had a semi in Wandsworth near the gasworks - there was a tiny room with a genuine flush wc by Crapper on the top floor shared with lodgers until a V1 rocket wiped out the neighbouring pair of semis in 1944, while my great grandad was actually sitting on the mahogany seat (left exposed with trousers down as one wall of our house collapsed, but he survived) - the main loo was outside. My dad (then a med student fixing the wounded) and his brother had their private joke that it wasn't the doodlebug but grandad farting that did the damage, but daren't tell himself.
Long after our family, that house sold for over £3 mill a few years ago. Whoa - who can afford that? For that you could buy the whole one side of our street here in Sheffield, similar date houses, slightly smaller, but all with an indoor bathroom or two

Enough of this scatological banter - I want info on heavy woodworking pre-quick-release vices made in the Bradford area - anyone??

I taught primary aged children for 30 years. You could always tell which children had been taught by me as they would ask,'To visit the lavatory,' as 'Can I go to the toilet' was a medical question that I was not qualified to answer.

 

[dannysheff]

I taught primary aged children for 30 years.

Good for you, -- there was an influential, rather alternative, writer called Bill Copperthwaite who argued that that was the most important job there is, bar none.

 

[SteveB58]

Good for you, -- there was an influential, rather alternative, writer called Bill Copperthwaite who argued that that was the most important job there is, bar none.

Thank you. It was a great job though moving from engineering to education was a bit of a culture shock. BTW any one see Fond It Fix It Flog it tonight? Henry Cole 'restored' a metal bench and vice. If by restoring you mean spraying the entire vice bright red without removing it from the bench or masking it in any way. 4/10 Henry,

Steve

 

[StevieO]

On FB... a Fortis swivel jaw vice... not cheap though - £100 - at Truro.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2048660985294761/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp:e18744b8-261b-49bc-9946-f336adb61440

Cheers I wasn’t sure when they changed it I have a 518 with the flat one and the rest round

View attachment 353104

Wow - 518 1/2 - Steel vice with 81/2" jaws... Wicked - totally wicked.

and 430 shillings of real money in 1935 !

 

[StevieO]

Even at my advanced years it's not something I've ever had the need for, as in the South of England we have indoor plumbing. The chamber pot was also known as the 'thunder jug', a 'jerry' a 'guzunder' or a Jordan. Used to see a lot of them at antique fairs back in the day as the larger ones were popular with Americans who used them as soup tureens. My sister had several as plant pots, no I don't see the attraction either.

Reminds me of that great Arab god of the desert toilet... Mustafa Leak.

Woof Woof Woof.

 

[ranger08]

Hello everyone i was under the impression that Record did not date stamp their vices
however i was cleaning up a No84 and noticed a date and serial number stamped on top of the rear jaw ^1952 C2855

anyone else found date stamps on their Records?

 

[25.4_mechanic]

No84 and noticed a date and serial number stamped on top of the rear jaw ^1952 C2855

The up arrow I think has to do with the Ministry of Defence, so it's more of a property identifier than a manufacturer's identifier.

But those who really know will tell you more.


Carsten

--

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Hello everyone i was under the impression that Record did not date stamp their vices
however i was cleaning up a No84 and noticed a date and serial number stamped on top of the rear jaw ^1952 C2855

anyone else found date stamps on their Records?
View attachment 353830

That is a UK government stamp. Indicating that was government owned.
With out other stamps it is hard to stay what branch it was issued to.

 

[dannysheff]

That is a UK government stamp. Indicating that was government owned.
With out other stamps it is hard to stay what branch it was issued to.

ie not the mfgr date but the date when it became MoD stores "Item, Vice, Bench, Corps of Eng, No.84, Record" but prob v soon after it was made.

and C2 will mean summat

to some folks, this stamp makes it more collectible

 

[ranger08]

only other unusual marking that i havent seen before, except for the usual cast markings is an "N" with dots up and down

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

only other unusual marking that i havent seen before, except for the usual cast markings is an "N" with dots up and down
View attachment 353839

That is a add on to the mould. It indicates it is for Naval use.

 

[Lugh Lámfada]

Remarkable discovery in my shed.
My work bench, it's been missing the last six months or so. ;-)

And no it won't be getting any cleaner than this any time soon

 

[Arc Tourist]

Anyone else do this? Simply gripped in my vice it allows me to work at a comfortable height on bits and pieces. Find it particularly useful when sharpening chisels, or soldering.

Steve

View attachment 352172

Well that was easy. I just made the front edge extend out past the vice handle to keep any interference with it to a minimum.

View attachment 352268

Update: Making this seems to have been a mistake for me, now, like everywhere else, I have it stacked up with stuff and can't use the vice, lol.

 

[SteveB58]

only other unusual marking that i havent seen before, except for the usual cast markings is an "N" with dots up and down
View attachment 353839

Not saying you're wrong, but never saw it on a vice in the dozen or so years I worked for the RN. Markings I remember were stamped or cast and the markings were always MOD (N) preceded or or followed by a number.

Steve

 

[Gragson]

Hi Vice'ists.

I need to replace the jaw bolts in a Parkinson 37j and a 38 I picked up
All 8 are mullered and odd sizes.

I'm guessing they must be imperial originally - closest I can measure (metric) is M8 1.25. - got rid of all my imperial stuff when I stopped restoring ancient mowers

Appreciate a steer - cheers chaps

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Not saying you're wrong, but never saw it on a vice in the dozen or so years I worked for the RN. Markings I remember were stamped or cast and the markings were always MOD (N) preceded or or followed by a number.

Steve

I said it was for naval use. Not Navy.
Big difference.

 

[MattF]

Hi Vice'ists.

I need to replace the jaw bolts in a Parkinson 37j and a 38 I picked up
All 8 are mullered and odd sizes.

I'm guessing they must be imperial originally - closest I can measure (metric) is M8 1.25. - got rid of all my imperial stuff when I stopped restoring ancient mowers

Appreciate a steer - cheers chaps

8mm would be 5/16“.

 

[StevieO]

I said it was for naval use. Not Navy.
Big difference.

Hi,
Interesting mark in the casting of the main fixed body.
I have no knowledge of this mark in a vice and have never seen it - so no expert on the mark itself.

However, experience tells me that to make a vice mould is one thing, but to make a modification to a vice moulding is not inexpensive, nor is it easy if that modification is not fixed (ie. a complete new/different mould made for the "Naval" mark).
I believe these are all sand castings (as opposed to investment castings).

In this case it may be an insert with recessed .N. which is removable for "normal" production and inserted to make "Naval" production.
The insert itself is recessed (which of course then produces a "raised" mark on the casting).

To make a special separate production of vices with this insert it would seem a massive cost in terms of
1. Modification to the mould for an insert
2. Manufacture and maintenance of the insert
3. Change of production to add a run with the insert
4. Change back after the run to "Normal" production
5. Holding and control of stocks of "Normal" and "Naval"
6. All this 'per size' vice manufactured for "Naval" use.

In my estimation such a insert would require thousands per size to ever be justified. As well, evidence of the insert would show in the "Normal" production castings maybe even over time showing flash or wear in the blank insert area of the castings on "normal" production runs. This is the main fixed body of the vice - a major component.
Unless, of course, if it is not an insert and is a complete new separate mould for "Naval" production!

Most marks I have seen for specialized markets are stamped.... almost no cost, no second stocks of castings and no wear and tear etc etc - as above 6 points.

It may be that some vice manufacturers 'bought-in' some castings from external foundries and let's make a weird guess at one being a mythical "Nuneaton" foundry which cast in their logo .N. on all their production for identication purposes.

I have no answer here, but some thoughts. Hope it's of interest.

br
Steve

 

[Screwdriver]

Looks like a little metal badge "N", mounted to the pattern with drive screws (like an old school machine tag would be).