Show us your bench vice(s)

[Arc Tourist]

These beasts?

View attachment 389784

I'd be interested to see a photo of a spring-ping mechanism, if that's what your vice has ?

 

[GraemeVW]

These beasts?

View attachment 389784

Can i have that please?

 

[MattF]

I'd be interested to see a photo of a spring-ping mechanism, if that's what your vice has ?

It doesn't. Just a simple taper pin.

 

[MattF]

Can i have that please?

No.

 

[GraemeVW]

exactly, it's so easy.

or - - - - maybe not - there's a lot of discussion on US vise forums (fora?) about the struggles with old swivel jaws - drilling out pins, breaking jaws when trying to move 'em. I was lucky in some ways with my Parker - so overpainted that 1. the seller didn't know about the swivel and 2. the paint layers protected the interfaces from the worst - even so a heavy job and a somewhat mangled pin, to free it - still a bit stiff. Maybe that's why Parkinson offered the same for only a short while.

must say Graeme - from the outside, yours doesn't look too bad.

Shouldn't be messing with this yet, but had to get the jaw moving.
Compared to freeing off 3 jaw vices, this was easy!
The main nut has a retaining pun, it wouldn't come out, so I had to cut the head off and punch it the wrong way.
That let me get the nut out. Then a 3/4 extension as a drift and some BIG hits, drifted the jaw pin out from the inside. 10 mins with the copper mallet got the jaw moving.
Casting and machining quality isn't what us brits are used to!

 

[GraemeVW]

I'd be interested to see a photo of a spring-ping mechanism, if that's what your vice has ?

It's mine That has that, but its the swivel base, not the swivel jaw

 

[GraemeVW]

No.

Seems a little unfair, but ok.

 

[GraemeVW]

I am still working on the assumption this is a prentiss. It seems to be, but has no markings. It looks like it is between 1911 and 1920, so is in great condition if that's true.
Should have prentiss marking behind the rear jaw, but hasnt.
Also, not sure what the square nose main screw is all about. I've seen a few pics of prentiss with them, but not many. Their bulldog range did though.
No answers over at garage journal so I'll just assume it's a mega rare prototype owned by Mr prentiss himself

 

[MattF]

Casting and machining quality isn't what us brits are used to!

In what way; Better or worse?

 

[GraemeVW]

In what way; Better or worse?

Worse. It's really quite poor in places.

 

[SteveB58]

exactly, it's so easy.

or - - - - maybe not - there's a lot of discussion on US vise forums (fora?) about the struggles with old swivel jaws - drilling out pins, breaking jaws when trying to move 'em. I was lucky in some ways with my Parker - so overpainted that 1. the seller didn't know about the swivel and 2. the paint layers protected the interfaces from the worst - even so a heavy job and a somewhat mangled pin, to free it - still a bit stiff. Maybe that's why Parkinson offered the same for only a short while.

must say Graeme - from the outside, yours doesn't look too bad.

These instructional videos are most detailed. First spray the WD 40 all over the outside of the pin, where using divine guidance it will loosen the pin in a matter of seconds. If after waiting ten or even fifteen seconds the pin does not leap out onto your bench, heat with a blow torch, I think this is to teach the pin a lesson for not coming out in the first place. If this doesn't work grind off the top of the pin, all the while wearing black protective gloves, then using an oversize drill drill out what's left of the pin. A new pin can be made from car filler or carved from a candle. Then paint with the shiniest, glossiest paint you can find.

 

[ranger08]

I see the dovetail ways (for the nut to wedge in ) are cast and not machined
that swivel base design
that swivel base design with spring pin looks very much a prentiss design

 

[GraemeVW]

These instructional videos are most detailed. First spray the WD 40 all over the outside of the pin, where using divine guidance it will loosen the pin in a matter of seconds. If after waiting ten or even fifteen seconds the pin does not leap out onto your bench, heat with a blow torch, I think this is to teach the pin a lesson for not coming out in the first place. If this doesn't work grind off the top of the pin, all the while wearing black protective gloves, then using an oversize drill drill out what's left of the pin. A new pin can be made from car filler or carved from a candle. Then paint with the shiniest, glossiest paint you can find.

There does also seem to be a bit of a trend of restoring things to such an extent they look like a Disneyland prop and not a tool.

 

[GraemeVW]

I see the dovetail ways (for the nut to wedge in ) are cast and not machined
that swivel base design
that swivel base design with spring pin looks very much a prentiss design

I don't know if they are machined too, can't tell untill I've cleaned it.
The machining on the nut is a little agricultural too, but that could have been replaced, along with the screw.

It's heavier than it looks like it should be, I think that's down to the dynamic jaw being a more solid lump than British vices are.

 

[Arc Tourist]

It's mine That has that, but its the swivel base, not the swivel jaw
View attachment 389815

Ahh, think I got lost in translation somewhere. I have seen one with the spring loaded base pin before.

 

[Craig-SM]

I picked up the vice that a client had got for me. Looks like a Parkinsons and from the dimensions, 4" jaws with a 6" opening it would be a Model F No7.

View attachment 371860
View attachment 371861
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View attachment 371863View attachment 371864

After 4 months sat in the garage taking up space I’ve started on the Parkinson vice. Stripped down nicely with no broken bolts or screws. Degreasing took a while but revealed some of the original Parkinson red. It’s currently covered in oven cleaner to try to remove as much of the horrible paint as possible.
Previously used the angle grinder and drill with wire brushes to de-rust handles, screw etc but used a Sonnenflex wire wheel (recommended on this forum) on the bench grinder and it made light work of the cleaning.
I was going to replace the bolts for the jaws but they have a slight dome to them which you don’t get now so will just clean the heads up with a file and reuse them.
Once I’ve cleaned the paint off I’ll get some pictures up before I get it painted up.

 

[SteveB58]

After 4 months sat in the garage taking up space I’ve started on the Parkinson vice. Stripped down nicely with no broken bolts or screws. Degreasing took a while but revealed some of the original Parkinson red. It’s currently covered in oven cleaner to try to remove as much of the horrible paint as possible.
Previously used the angle grinder and drill with wire brushes to de-rust handles, screw etc but used a Sonnenflex wire wheel (recommended on this forum) on the bench grinder and it made light work of the cleaning.
I was going to replace the bolts for the jaws but they have a slight dome to them which you don’t get now so will just clean the heads up with a file and reuse them.
Once I’ve cleaned the paint off I’ll get some pictures up before I get it painted up.

Is oven cleaner any good for stripping paint? Still looking for something better than the new recipe Nitromors, which is nowhere as effective as it used to be.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

Shouldn't be messing with this yet, but had to get the jaw moving.
Compared to freeing off 3 jaw vices, this was easy!
The main nut has a retaining pun, it wouldn't come out, so I had to cut the head off and punch it the wrong way.
That let me get the nut out. Then a 3/4 extension as a drift and some BIG hits, drifted the jaw pin out from the inside. 10 mins with the copper mallet got the jaw moving.
Casting and machining quality isn't what us brits are used to!
View attachment 389809

Not sure if it has been mentioned yet, the top of the swivel jaw lock pin is usually tapered the same as the bottom (but the opposite direction). So when you are using it in swivelling jaw mode you can pop the pin back in upside down so you don't lose it.

 

[GraemeVW]

Not sure if it has been mentioned yet, the top of the swivel jaw lock pin is usually tapered the same as the bottom (but the opposite direction). So when you are using it in swivelling jaw mode you can pop the pin back in upside down so you don't lose it.

That's brilliant!
I was thinking of making something that mounted to the base to hold the pin, no need now!
Currently using Sharpe as engineers blue and spending hours filing to get the swiveling jaw to swivel. Even though it's all clean, it needed hitting with a mallet to move the jaw.
It's nearly there now, but it's a faff.
I assume it's just distorted over time/use

 

[Craig-SM]

Is oven cleaner any good for stripping paint? Still looking for something better than the new recipe Nitromors, which is nowhere as effective as it used to be.

I'd like to give you good news but it’s useless. It had softened up some small patches but after being left nearly 24 hours in an airtight container to prevent it drying it was very disappointing. I removed more using the pressure washer. I’m going to use the sand blaster with crushed glass on it next but that probably won’t be until the weekend now.