Show us your bench vice(s)

[Lugh Lámfada]

Yeah, my workbench is a disaster, I actually cleared it last weekend...
Now to spray paint the whole vice hot pink, that's the way restorations work right?

 

[Lugh Lámfada]

And that's as far as I'll go for now, don't actually have a bench that will take one of these, that also is a work in progress.
I completely dismantled it, full clean, and know enough to take plenty of pics during that, and as usual I forgot to take any in progress pics, could really have used them with the quick release, a bit of head scratching there.

 

[SteveB58]

Had the 53 1/2 for years, paid £2 for it at a car boot. Super vice used most days. It's very heavy and a pain to actually mount on the bench.

 

[MattF]

Nice bench too.

 

[dannysheff]

Nice bench too.

looks amazing, but I think he's using that photoshop app that clears off all the crud, fills in the countersinks with wood plugs and gives a couple of coats of varnish

-- you know, the workshop equivalent of those used by teenaged (and older) 'influencers' on their faces and bods (so they, sadly, all look identical)


[{apologies to steve] - my bench also looked fine for one day, when I finally finished it}

 

[SteveB58]

Nice bench too.

Thank you. The photograph is as it was when first assembled, made from timber reclaimed from an old school vaulting horse, fence posts, the old garden shed and painted with yacht varnish. Ten years on it doesn't look so pristine, but has a Record 75 on the left and a huge, ancient leg vice on the right. When the need arises the 75 can be removed and a guitar vice mounted in the middle.

Yes Dan, it no longer looks like that. Its full of patches, soldiers, dowels stuck into holes made for gluing jigs, and all the dings and dents that come with being in constant use. I've thought of replacing the top with scaffold planks, but they'd only look the same in a year or so.

 

[MattF]

it no longer looks like that. Its full of patches, soldiers, dowels stuck into holes made for gluing jigs, and all the dings and dents that come with being in constant use. I've thought of replacing the top with scaffold planks, but they'd only look the same in a year or so.

It's use which gives them their character. You don't want to mask that.

 

[ranger08]

pain to actually mount on the bench.

Ain't that the truth

 

[StevieO]

Anyone near Gloucestershire?

There's a Woden 186E/8a Cast Iron vice going on Easylive auction @ HJ Pugh of Ledbury, Glos. Date 5 November.

https://www.easyliveauction.com/cat...ery-and-tools-seasoned-and-green-saw-lot-324/

It's a 6 inch beast at 45kg.

Not sure what the slotted screw is for - but the vice overall looks decent.
Flat hub.
Oldest cat I have is 1931 and shows flat hub then so not easy to date.

They also have a Record 34 and 24 in the same sale but the 24 looks a bit tired.
Plus further vice - see easylive and search for "vice"

 

[SteveB58]

Here's an updated picture of the bench ten years later. It's rarely this tidy, but just finished making a table for my son's bedroom.

 

[MattF]

Similar to how mine looks.

 

[Arc Tourist]

Here's an updated picture of the bench ten years later. It's rarely this tidy, but just finished making a table for my son's bedroom.

View attachment 370606

That's a great looking bench. I have a feeling this could be the start of a "show us a workbench with character" thread.
By the way, is that square chunk of metal on the side of the Record 75 vice a magnet ?

 

[SteveB58]

That's a great looking bench. I have a feeling this could be the start of a "show us a workbench with character" thread.
By the way, is that square chunk of metal on the side of the Record 75 vice a magnet ?

Thank you. That chunk of metal is the pipe vice attachment, not original but bought on the internet.lt came with a rare earth magnet so I just keep it in on the vice.

 

[Lugh Lámfada]

Here's an updated picture of the bench ten years later. It's rarely this tidy, but just finished making a table for my son's bedroom.

View attachment 370606

I really like that you have a powered vice!

 

[SteveB58]

I really like that you have a powered vice!
View attachment 370650

If only.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

I really like that you have a powered vice!

I'd assumed it was a generator.........

 

[SteveB58]

I'd assumed it was a generator.........

Sadly not an electric powered vice or a bill busting generator, merely the lead to one of the anglepoise lamps on my bench.

 

[Arc Tourist]

HEADS UP !

There is an unusual milling vice on the bay of evil. By the way its listed, it appears to be under the radar. Currently no bids and four hours to go till biding ends, and doesn't have any "watchers" according to my computer.

Listed as " Vintage Dohm Wilson Swivel Jaw Milling Vice " item number 1447 8252 2193

Nothing to do with me, but think it would be of interest here.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

Nice, only the second one of those I've seen. The other one is sitting in my workshop, I even got a spare rotating jaw with it from the original owner who had owned it since new.

 

[dannysheff]

Nice, only the second one of those I've seen. The other one is sitting in my workshop, I even got a spare rotating jaw with it from the original owner who had owned it since new.

I know you have many of the 'sought-afters' - I'd like to know which you're still trying to find - but maybe you best keep that secret?

I have a feeling you did your best hunting before the rest of us were in the 'chase'.

After buying my Parky full-sized mk 1 woodworker in about 1975, a Record a few years later and a Record 74 about 1995, that was (sensibly) it; until I chanced upon a Syers for £10 about 10 years ago then slowly the floodgates cracked open.