Are these Soba's really good quality?

Morning, looking for items such as a drill vice and such, I have been pointed to Soba at Chronos, whilst I am on a reasonable budget I have read mixed reviews on them, I do not mind second hand so long as the quality is very good as I cannot be doing with shoddy or make do tools. I would appreciate any advice please.

I bought a Soba tilting/swivelling vice, I was a bit disappointed.

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What size are you looking for and is it for just drilling or milling also as that can alter the price considerably.

Either way ARCeurotrade (clickable advert on this page) do quality value for money items (that I personally can vouch for) that will probably fit your needs and budget.

Nick

Problem is one mans Shoddy is another mans will do the job perfectly well.

If you want very good quality them maybe a £300 Gibraltar drill vice is the way to go, personally I would be hard pushed to drill better holes with that than with say a £60 Arc industrial one.

I have Soba and Arc tooling and it does the job but I'm not a tool tart who spends my time polishing the tooling and dropping makers names

Edited By JasonB on 08/09/2017 10:18:28

It's a cruel, cruel world for those of us who 'cannot be doing with shoddy or make do tools' who are also held back by a 'reasonable budget'! I want a Red Bugatti Veyron and can only afford a dented third-hand Citroen C1 in girlie Pink.

New quality tools are available if you look hard enough - the trade sell to industry rather than individuals, and don't seem to advertise much. Unfortunately once found their prices are often eye watering. Very much a case of 'If you have to ask you can't afford it'.

Second-hand is a different game entirely. You have to find the item you need and then, fully aware that it may be damaged or worn, assess whether or not it's any good. Some second-hand kit attracts premium prices irrespective of condition, so a negotiating a sensible price may not be easy. Buying second-hand suits those who know what they're doing, have good contacts, time to find a good example, or are lucky.

What suits me is to buy new hobby range tools and live with the limitations. I find they work plenty well enough for me but understand the same set-up might irritate anyone who has enjoyed better. I don't think there's an easy answer. In the end you just have to make the best of your circumstances and manage your expectations.

Beware of brand-names.  These days they don't necessarily mean much either way.  The best way to find out if that Soba Vice is any good is to buy one.  If it's rubbish send it back, but don't expect it to be as good as the best vice available to a big spender.

Dave

Edited By SillyOldDuffer on 08/09/2017 10:35:51

Don't expect a Rolls Royce for a mini price springs to mind. I have bought from both Arc & Chronos (usual disclaimer ) & other traders in China, all have done / do the job that I got them for, but there again I'm on budgetary restraints so...

George.

Many Thanks for your advice, I am prepared to buy vintage of better quality, it is knowing which brands were best way back when?!

I think I may have to go to the machinery fair at Newark. I have bought unbranded, even some expensive brand names have failed, my late father was a highly skilled engineer and made small stationary engines to locks for desks, he always amazed me with what he could do, now he has left us and I am in a different trade, it is now I could use his advice too, so I do come from an engineering background but am somewhat of an older newbie.

So did I, a long time ago. I was quite pleased with it - there didn't appear to be any slop or backlash, there was nothing wrong with the finish & it did what I expected. Perhaps a combination of my naivety, innocence & inexperience meant that there is/was something wrong with it that I haven't spotted yet.

Just curious - what aspect of it disappointed you?

Brian

Really??

Would not have anything to do with a large delivery of tooling that recently arrived, would it??????

Edited By Sam Longley 1 on 08/09/2017 13:21:07

Come on Sam, that's a bit strong isn't it? Jason's opinions seem well balanced to me. I don't think he's anyone's stooge. Not Guilty!

Dave

It was in Jest !!!!- Can you not see that or are you just too stuffy ????

Lighten up

.

I also mentioned ARC in a positive light and I have not had a box of goodies from them. ........................ Yet.

Besides. Jasons deliveries ain't all free apple pie. Like most things in this world there is a price to pay along the way. ARC is a well established long running business. Not a charity. In other words don't let your imagination run away and manufacture scenarios.

As it happens I was chatting to Ketan the other day. He seems to be of the opinion that he is still on the debt side to Jason.

Nick

Edit :- I was typing while Sam had already posted.

Edited By Nick_G on 08/09/2017 14:09:35

really good quality?

No, but considered adequate, or more than adequate, by some, and they are likely as good as the other cheaper ranges. As with most things in life, 'you pays your money and get what you pays for'.

Of course Chronos push them - that is what they sell. I buy from Chronos and other outlets. Arceuro are, I think, current favourites overall.

I have one of the better range of vises (precision type 2) from Arceuro and a larger vise from Chester. The smaller one is very good (better than my ability, but was awkward to get used to). I am now warming to that one because the finish is so much better than the larger vice. It also has the thoughtful addition of threaded drillings for the fitting of stops - but it did only come with a plain key (which has been replaced by a better T-key, which is less likely to be temporarily misplaced!)

I would say spend the most you can afford from your budget, as it is an item you will be using often and it should not wear out.

So, I'm still not sure where the emphasis in your title should be - on the 'really' or as 'really good'. I would really say Soba is 'fair' but not "supa dupa".

Jaw lift. The moving jaw slides on "dovetails" that are square rather than mitred. They are clamped together with steel strips bolted through spring washers, to allow the jaw to slide by not fully tightening the bolts. This means that the jaw can lift against the spring washers, unless of course you fully tighten the bolts in which case the jaw doesn't slide.

SOBA/SHOBA stuff is probably some of the better hobby stuff coming out of India, with Zither being very good.

I bought a small SOBA perhaps about 2000 and had to remachine the jaw seats as they were at about 85 degrees... but I haven't heard of issue like that with one of their products for a very long time.

Neil

What you need to remember about Soba is that it's only an Indian trading name , much like Vertex from Taiwan.

Soba buy in from whoever is the cheapest at the time so for example a vise bought one month will come from a different supplier than one bought a month or two on with variable quality control.

Like most things it's all cost related and some of these very small and cheap rotary tables for instance can be best described as fit for purse as opposed to fit for purpose.

You cut your cloth according to your measure Old Chinese saying.

Sam, don't blame me! My only faults are cannibalism and unlimited fornication.

Dave

Some one there mentioned "Brand Names", in my experience you can take them with a large pinch of salt,they mean NOTHING ! As Bill Shakspoke said,"What,s in a name ? junk by any other name is still junk" I have several "Brand Name" tools which are nothing but rubbish,these were bought before I learned that good names were being sold on to makers of crap tools [of which I have a few ] I have also bought some stuff in good faith which left much to be desired,to put it mildly . The best advice here is not to buy from the same supplier again,I never did.

No-one expects Grade A when paying Grade C prices,but there should be some standards,sadly this is not always the case.Some of the stuff supplied is little better than junk,or as they used to say "Mutton dressed as lamb "

Our friend will just have to live in the real world and remember the advice given by Herod to Cladius when he said "Trust no-one,and when Claudius asked ,not even you,my friend ? Herod replied Trust no-one".

Still good advice after all those years !

.

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And since when has either of those been considered a bad thing. ............. Now what shall I have for dinner.

Nick