Show us your bench vice(s)

[dannysheff]

Anyone with Heuer vice(s)? - German, drop forged steel body patented in 1920s and still made today - 2 series - the Primus with moveable rear jaw and the Front with moveable front jaw - there's a ton of you-tube on these, even a Dutch guy with 3 half-hours on the history. Seems Heuer will even do a factory resto. Now if only at least a couple of the English vice-makers had held on like Heuer or Wilton, without selling out.

I don't watch such vids usually, but some of these show the different approaches of restoration - eg keep the signs of use or take back to the metal and rebuild including body filler to a high shine 'better than new' - both can be well done but can't see myself doing the latter.

I usually keep to English vices - there's enough of them, and good stuff (esp pre 1970) but somehow seem to have picked up another lump of rust - with Heuer Front just visible! - better get it going, at least.

 

[SteveB58]

Anyone with Heuer vice(s)? - German, drop forged steel body patented in 1920s and still made today - 2 series - the Primus with moveable rear jaw and the Front with moveable front jaw - there's a ton of you-tube on these, even a Dutch guy with 3 half-hours on the history. Seems Heuer will even do a factory resto. Now if only at least a couple of the English vice-makers had held on like Heuer or Wilton, without selling out.

I don't watch such vids usually, but some of these show the different approaches of restoration - eg keep the signs of use or take back to the metal and rebuild including body filler to a high shine 'better than new' - both can be well done but can't see myself doing the latter.

I usually keep to English vices - there's enough of them, and good stuff (esp pre 1970) but somehow seem to have picked up another lump of rust - with Heuer Front just visible! - better get it going, at least.

Any chance of a picture Dan?

 

[bricol]

I gained this at the weekend - although I suppose I gained it in 1996 when my dad died. I remember it being fitted to a heavy duty bench before 1978 when we moved from Dorset to Yorkshire – it never got used after that, but sat in the corner, under the bench in his workshop.

It’s obviously not in its straight ahead position. It’s flippin’ heavy, stands 11” tall, but only 4.5” wide jaws.


I’ve no use for it, so unfortunately I guess ebay is calling, unless the scrap man jangles more pound coins.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

Be a shame to scrap that, don't see movable jaws over here that often. Shame I'm down south.

 

[dannysheff]

I gained this at the weekend - although I suppose I gained it in 1996 when my dad died. I remember it being fitted to a heavy duty bench before 1978 when we moved from Dorset to Yorkshire – it never got used after that, but sat in the corner, under the bench in his workshop.

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It’s obviously not in its straight ahead position. It’s flippin’ heavy, stands 11” tall, but only 4.5” wide jaws.


I’ve no use for it, so unfortunately I guess ebay is calling, unless the scrap man jangles more pound coins.

Even if the swivel base and swivel jaw (hope you knew) are seized, this would be a very collectable vise in USA - someone would drive hundreds of miles for it -- there should be someone on facebk mktplace or ebay or gumtree (or here? (not me)) to give you good money for this

 

[dannysheff]

Any chance of a picture Dan?

ah well - here goes - too busy to work on it now and feel I have cleaned up enough for now

What I will not be doing is finishing up with this (his 'before' was v like mine is now) - there's a u-tube showing his work with high polish and body filler before final 'better than new' .

You can also find Heuer vices new (both front and rear moving), advertised for sale in UK - not to my eyes, quite as fine as the older ones and rather "paint everything" finished, but fine tools, I'm sure.

thank you MM - hope you don't mind me quoting the pic - what an amazing job you did on this. (Mine has the front moving jaw, also pipe grips and is one size up, I think).

 

[bricol]

Even if the swivel base and swivel jaw (hope you knew) are seized, this would be a very collectable vise in USA - someone would drive hundreds of miles for it -- there should be someone on facebk mktplace or ebay or gumtree (or here? (not me)) to give you good money for this

I didn't - that's what this line will be then - only noticed it in the photo after reading your reply, not noticed it on the actual vise. I'll take a closer look this evening.


Its sod ding heavy - shipping it anywhere wouldn't be cheap.

 

[6ply]

We'd need a side-on photo to know.

I took it in to work today to paint during my lunch break. It definitely says record on the side.

 

[MattF]

I didn't - that's what this line will be then - only noticed it in the photo after reading your reply, not noticed it on the actual vise. I'll take a closer look this evening.


Its sod ding heavy - shipping it anywhere wouldn't be cheap.

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Which part of Yorkshire are you in?

 

[Viceman]

Ok, its only tiny, but I like it, latest find, don't think its been used.

 

[SteveB58]

ah well - here goes - too busy to work on it now and feel I have cleaned up enough for now

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What I will not be doing is finishing up with this (his 'before' was v like mine is now) - there's a u-tube showing his work with high polish and body filler before final 'better than new' .

You can also find Heuer vices new (both front and rear moving), advertised for sale in UK - not to my eyes, quite as fine as the older ones and rather "paint everything" finished, but fine tools, I'm sure.

View attachment 420643

thank you MM - hope you don't mind me quoting the pic - what an amazing job you did on this. (Mine has the front moving jaw, also pipe grips and is one size up, I think).

Thanks to catching Covid I spent several hours watching MM videos. I enjoyed them, you have to admire the skill and application, but I kept asking why would you?

 

[dannysheff]

Thanks to catching Covid I spent several hours watching MM videos. I enjoyed them, you have to admire the skill and application, but I kept asking why would you?

why does MM do it - to make a living with the side ads while everyone with covid spends hours watching??

why should we do it --- dunno - self-satisfaction? -- as I hinted, I won't be spending more than maybe an hour or so refurbing a vice, including being distracted by other things on the workbench. However I do think that, unlike some passtimes, although we may be kidding ourselves that we need the next vice, to collect and rehab does tend to move good things forward and hopefully they'll be re-used down the line, rather than turned into scrap or worse, landfill. Long live tool, vice -rehabbing/collecting etc, I say.

 

[SteveB58]

why does MM do it - to make a living with the side ads while everyone with covid spends hours watching??

why should we do it --- dunno - self-satisfaction? -- as I hinted, I won't be spending more than maybe an hour or so refurbing a vice, including being distracted by other things on the workbench. However I do think that, unlike some passtimes, although we may be kidding ourselves that we need the next vice, to collect and rehab does tend to move good things forward and hopefully they'll be re-used down the line, rather than turned into scrap or worse, landfill. Long live tool, vice -rehabbing/collecting etc, I say.

I would certainly endorse the sentiment of reusing, refurbishing and restoring almost anything. There are few better feelings than being able to restore what was little more than a lump of rust into something it's original owner would recognise. Restoring my post drill being a case in point ; something that was due to be weighed in is now a regularly used piece of workshop equipment. However, if I'd have gone as far as MM I don't think I'd be using it for fear of damaging the finish. As Bertie Basset once said 'It takes all sorts.'
Gaude quod facis et fac quod gaudes!

 

[dannysheff]

The tension's rising --- just a couple of days to go on an -bay 'find' ---- title "Rare, very old, vintage, antique woodworking vice" ---- could it be that the starting price of £6000.00 (yup) is putting you off? or the lumps out of the rear jaw?

now I do believe this is fairly rare, I think it is one of the Bradford-made predecessors to the QR Entwhistle or Syers vices of the 1870s -- eg shares that upward arrow with the Syers, and similar construction - I have two like this - both bought near Bradford, one the same but better condition, the other with a few differences - I do think its type is historically important and if refurbed, makes a wonderfully strong vice that will go on forever (but remember that rear jaw is not an anvil)


so why no bids???

 

[ranger08]

60 pounds Danny, the damage to the rear jaw would put me off, interesting chassis on it.

 

[6ply]

Finished making replacement jaws for Record 34P. Didn't have suitable screws so made those too.

 

[6ply]

I previously posted photos of this vice - swindens 6" - and explained I was having problems dismantling. Yes, I have the other bits. It's seized up with rust and I've tried electrolysis, heat, oil, etc. I finally sought assistance of my very friendly local garage and we couldn't shift it with just over 10t from a 20t hydraulic press. We also tried heat but agreed we really needed more heat which we didn't have. I reckon it would shift if heated HOT and hydraulic press, but who knows?
I'm wondering if anyone local (Dorset) would be able to help out or take this on as a project. I'm not sure what it's worth as it may not be repairable.

 

[dannysheff]

I previously posted photos of this vice - swindens 6" - and explained I was having problems dismantling. Yes, I have the other bits. It's seized up with rust and I've tried electrolysis, heat, oil, etc. I finally sought assistance of my very friendly local garage and we couldn't shift it with just over 10t from a 20t hydraulic press. We also tried heat but agreed we really needed more heat which we didn't have. I reckon it would shift if heated HOT and hydraulic press, but who knows?
I'm wondering if anyone local (Dorset) would be able to help out or take this on as a project. I'm not sure what it's worth as it may not be repairable.
View attachment 421868

Not a swivel like this, but I was just about to start beating the sticking out end to free a rusted up vice, when i thought, 'hang on, the hammering could swage the end so it never frees' - do you think something like that might be in the past of this one?

 

[JOEPRO]

Leave it in evaporust for a month

 

[6ply]

Not a swivel like this, but I was just about to start beating the sticking out end to free a rusted up vice, when i thought, 'hang on, the hammering could swage the end so it never frees' - do you think something like that might be in the past of this one?

Doesn't show any signs of abuse like that. Just neglect by rust.