Show us your bench vice(s)

[Dieselman 63]

View attachment 101410 Since this is the second time I hhave had a vice break, I think my needs are beyond what cheap vices can handle. On the plus side I did fill out the Lifetime Warranty form.

However, I am in the market for a new vice. Will post in the Wanted section. But not sure what I am after so would be keen for advice on the best way forward on how to choose which is best.

Thanks.

Get a Record 34/5/6, they were sold guaranteed unbreakable and have reinforced jaws, and a little anvil on the back. You can get them plain and qr. The jaws are also angled to make filing easier; the original catalogue from the 1930s describes them as suitable for filers and fitters!

 

[Chief Brody]

Fantastic thread, just read all 83 pages!
I have a couple of Parkinson's Model J vices, both have the 'Samsonia' mark on the top of the main body and not on the side. The no.37 has the screw type fitting on the jaws going through the jaw face and the no.38 has the bolts from the rear.
So the main body must have had two different casting moulds, I have seen fewer of the ones with the Samsonia on the top of the body and was wondering if any one of you fine knowledgeable gentlemen could throw an approximate date for that particular casting.
Here is a zoomed in pic

 

[rtbcomp]

Welcome to the forum

Have a look here http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/J._Parkinson_and_Son and scroll down the images on the RHS.

It may be forged rather than cast, see last post here http://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/parkinsons-vice-t98263.html

 

[MattF]

Any photo's of the jaws? The screwed on type inserts was an earlier desgn trait than the bolt through type. A transition period from their Victorian vices to the style we generally see with their last design. Date wise, it's always awkward to say as the catalogues are the only main, general guides, but I' d say those are likely early examples of the Samsonia's.

 

[Chief Brody]

Thanks for your feedback, I'll take it as gospel that my two Parkinson's are original priceless prototypes !
Next step is to ruin them by 'doing them up'!!!!
I won't ever use the word restore in my workshop- not even loosely.
Too many projects on the go to do them any time soon but will post before and after pics as soon as they are done.

 

[MattF]

If you're putting stuff back to usable, good working condition, that is actually a restoration. Dictionaries make no mention of being in original condition under restore, as I recall.

The Samsonias are good vices, btw.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

Would love to see a picture of a Samsonia with the writing on the top Looks like you are in my neck of the woods Brody .... fancy selling one?

 

[Chief Brody]

I only have the two Parkinson's at the moment, on purchasing my first one I did a little research and struggled to find examples with the 'Samsonia' cast on the top of the main body, I kept on looking and one came up for sale with the same casting so I snapped it up, still looking but am now only interested in this type of casting!
Why?, I do not know!
So if I ever decide to part with one I'll let you know.
In the middle of a workshop rebuild right now but will post pics of my vices soon.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

Lol, I know the feeling of not knowing why I would want one. I've quite a few Parkinson's vises now .... so I guess I'm just being greedy, but when anything different/unusual pops up it always gives an itch I want to scratch
If you do ever decide to sell, or perhaps you spot another one give me a shout.

I look forward to your pictures, I think I've posted pictures of most of mine in this thread, and there's also a Parkinson's vise catalogue you can download from the dropbox link in my signature.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

Hmmm, I've just had a look and it seems I have posted very few of my vices in this thread :-/ I might have to correct that.

 

[Chief Brody]

Ha ha, get those pics on - took me 2 days to get through all the pages of this thread and I have to say that I would have been skipping through a lot faster if the vice pics were not present!
I like the way Mattf and a few others staggered their vices through the pages, think I'll play it the same .
The links you guys have put up have been really interesting, love the Parkinson's history page especially where they found a shed load of expensive machining seconds in the canal that the workers had tossed in over the years whilst draining a section!

 

[Scruffywelder]

ISTR someone posting something similar to this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252749920460 previously on this thread. Looks like a stoutly built thing!

 

[CwazyWabbit]

ISTR someone posting something similar to this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252749920460 previously on this thread. Looks like a stoutly built thing!

IIRC that's an Alfred Herbert vice

 

[Turbo]

Been vice shopping again & bought this.

Despite the coating of dirt & surface rust it shows little sign of use, the jaws are near perfect.

It came on a record vice stand.

When it's assembled the vice mounting plate & the tray at an angle, which I assume is incorrect. If you prop the back leg up it levels everything up but it leaves the front legs too vertical making the whole thing unstable.

Could somebody who has one of these please do some measurements for me?

I want the length of the legs from the plate to the floor & how far down each leg the tray sits. That will let me know if the legs have been altered. Also the angle the front legs make with the floor would also be useful. Many thanks.

When I get it straightened I'll swap the pipe vice for a record no4 to give me a portable vice.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

If that is a 574 stand it should look like this.

 

[Seadog]

Maybe someone shortened the leg so they could work on a slope?

 

[Farside]

It's been 'improved' by someone.

 

[Turbo]

Thanks CW, from that picture it looks like the front legs are more upright than the rear leg. I'll study it further tonight, I think the back leg has been shortened.

It's been 'improved' by someone.

The only reason I can think for having the vice on a slope is to improve access to the bottom of a pipe mounted in it, maybe for welding.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

Another possibility may be so that long lengths of pipe held in the vice could have the far end rest on the ground ..... but I'm clutching at straws tbh.

The absence of weld snot all over it makes me think it was probably not used for pipe welding.

 

[Turbo]

Another possibility may be so that long lengths of pipe held in the vice could have the far end rest on the ground ..... but I'm clutching at straws tbh.

The absence of weld snot all over it makes me think it was probably not used for pipe welding.

There's that much accumulated grease & dirt I don't think weld snot would stick!