Best vice

Hi all

Have just finished the new workshop (12' x 10' shed) and bought a new vice for the bench.

I now build only hot-air engines and accessories for lathe and mill so need an accurate bench vice. 4"/100mm about right size.

The one I have just bought is ****, the moving slide is so loose it is useless so I would appreciate some advice as to the best bench vice currently available.

Many thanks for all past help on this forum.

Richard.

Richard,

I would raid the Car Boot sales ... looking for an older Record or Paramo vice

There seem to be quite a few of the smaller ones around.

MichaelG.

Bench Vice and accurate are not two words I would use together. A vice is after all a bench mounted clamp, yes there are vices that are better made than others. The only criteria I would apply is, are the jaws parrallel when closed and do they line up with each other. I would agree with Michael Gilligan a boot sale bargain is the route to go. A wire brush a lick of paint, hey presto.

You might be able to use a machine vice that has been used for drilling practice so is not wanted for its intended use but still retains good slides. It will tend to put the work further back from the front of the bench though.

Well yoou could get a decent Record fitters vice but that would set you back about £500 new, like everything you get what you pay for. As the others have said finding an old one is the most ecconomic way. For small detailed work I have a 1.5" vice screwed to a bit of 3/4" square stock that I can just pop into my Woden 4.5" bench vice.

Edited By JasonB on 20/06/2015 10:22:29

Record!!. They are not that expensive providing the size is kept down. I just googled record 4in vice. The number 3 came up at £80 and also several sub £40. The numbered ones are the "real" ones. I would avoid the swivel versions also any quick release versions

A lot of the cheaper vices don't open very wide - usually pretty obvious even from a photo as little sticks out at the back.

There are usually a number of heavily built older vices for sale on ebay. I spent 6months plus learning to hand file, wish I still could, not a Record vice is sight. The main thing Recod offer against other modern stuff is that they are made out of far better material than many others.

John

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I have a old type record no 3 vice on ebay for £20.00 buy now that is a bargain as i am giving up selling on there you could have it for £15.00 off ebay and arrange your own collection also have a rare no 1 woden for sale very cheap eBay item number: 261923717468 would take £10.00 for it

Edited By paul 1950 on 20/06/2015 15:12:38

As others have said buy an older Record vice (pre Irvin) engineers vice from a car boot sale. Go for a large one No 3 or No 23 which has the quick release for example. Also useful is the No 74 Auto vice which is all steel and totally unbreakable. Other good old makes are Parkinson (No 6 ), Woden, Fortis etc.

I would not be tempted to buy a modern one of Far Eastern origin as a lot seam to be made of rather brittle material.

Which ever sort you buy get rid of the serrated hard jaws and replace them with mild steel.

John as I said the "real" numbered ones are not cheap

A No 23 which is 4.5" has a RRP of just under £500  example the new £40 ones are their DIY range and probably come out the same factory as all the other cheap vices with the record name removed.

Edited By JasonB on 20/06/2015 16:09:36

I bought this new about 40 years ago. The proper price at the time was £90 but I got it for half price in a sale.

Nothing wrong with the swivel action, it's come in very handy.

As I've said before, my No. 3 came free from the local 'tip', followed by a reasonable 4" jobby a week or two later.

Neil

Here is a No3 that google bought up immediately, £80

http://www.building-supplies-online.co.uk/record-irwin-no-3-mechanics-vice-100mm-4-in.html?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=datafeed&utm_campaign=google-shopping&gclid=CMfyg-Cgn8YCFfMZtAodaA0ACQ

There are probably cheaper sources. Dearer too. Machinemart sells them for around £100.

I have had swing vices swing at entirely the wrong moment while bending things and even when sawing after that had happened a couple of times. Perhaps others have had better luck. Some vices don't grip very tightly as well. My 4in Record is fine and I assume they are still the same.

Personally I feel the material they are made of is more important than size. I once had the bright idea of tightening wood joints up with a large Record G lamp and then fitting a cheaper one and then using the Record clamp further along the joint, replacing it with a cheap one and so on. Did that 5 times over a long joint and thought great and then 5min later each of the cheap g clamps fames broke one after another. This made me wish I had bought more of the Record ones when they were cheap.

Personally if I wanted a 6in pro vice I would be looking for a vintage or even older one

John

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My old 3VS pictured is apparently made from cast steel, not cast iron. The clue to this is that the small raised flat area behind the fixed jaw is an "anvil" according to Record at the time, for hammering small stuff on. It has come in handy a few times!

What's the advantages/disadvantages of cast iron/steel when used for a vice?

This is also a very good one, if not better, **LINK** , Niko.

I notice that some of the Stanley vices mention steel rather than cast iron - it's stronger. I'd guess this touches on why my G-clamps broke as well but the term cast iron can cover all sorts of variations.

John

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I believe cast steel is supposed to be less brittle than cast iron.

This is a nice little one, if a bit spendy!

http://www.axminster.co.uk/record-irwin-114-heavy-duty-quick-release-engineers-vice-200mm-8-in

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As a broad generalisation .... Cast Iron is excellent in compression, but brittle in bending and in tension.

i.e. Cast Steel is more rugged.

MichaelG.

Edited By Nick Hughes on 21/06/2015 14:09:48

I believe cast steel is supposed to be less brittle than cast iron.

This is a nice little one, if a bit spendy!

http://www.axminster.co.uk/record-irwin-114-heavy-duty-quick-release-engineers-vice-200mm-8-in