Vice advice (baby)

[ScaredyCat]

All right stop, Collaborate and listen...

Ok, enough of that...

I'd like to ad a vice to the bench I built myself but really have no idea where to start. It's a solid top bench, with a slab 90mm x 540mm (and 1620mm long). I've looked at vices, not seem to give proper dimensions. Am I looking for the wrong thing? A vice that fits my bench rather than chopping a lump out of my bench to accommodate the vice?

I've looked at a load of different types, for the moment I just want something that works and is relatively easy to fit. Ones like the Faithfull or Irwin appeal. Whilst I'd love one of those whirly ones, I don't think I have the appropriate skillset just yet to fit one - perhaps later as an upgrade.

 

[sunnybob]

Most woodwork vices are made to be flush with the top of the bench, so you might need to do a serious bit of inletting. Of course you could just sling the vice underneath and put some heavy duty face pieces in the jaws to bring it back up to bench height.

I have a record 52 1/2 with the qd lever and lift up dog on the top and am well pleased with it.

 

[nabs]

a record 52 1/2 can be fitted to a bench with an apron or a slab top like yours - where are you anticipating difficulties?

Assuming there is nothing about your bench that prevents you fitting a quick-release vice of this type I'd give it some serious thought. 52 1/2 vices are very popular with woodworkers for a good reason!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Keep an eye on evilbay - the transport cost is prohibitive so often they go for realistic money if you can find one locally.

 

[MattRoberts]

I got a 52 1/2 on ebay, and after a very enjoyable bit of restoration have a really nice vice ready to be installed on the bench I'm making. It's a nice feeling to think that you have restored a lovely old tool ready for years of use

 

[thetyreman]

I got an eclipse in the end because of the stupidly high ebay prices of second hand records in unusable condition, selling it in 'as new' condition. It's an eclipse 9 inch vice, that is an exact copy of a vintage record 52 1/2.

 

[MikeJhn]

Perhaps this is what you need: http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-tr ... e-ax968364 easy to fit and fettle to a usable vice.

Mike

 

[nabs]

having had both the Veritas vice and a Record 52 1/2 I'd say that - while the Veritas is perfectly adequate - I'd go for a used 52 1/2 every time.

The record design is superior in almost every respect: particularly resistance to racking and quick release. If you buy online - assuming you can swallow the postage - and you select one with no visible signs of abuse the odds are it will be fine (the common complaint is the quick-release mechanism slips, and most likely this will be fixed by cleaning out any debris from the mechanism - an easy job).

Having said that, there is no guarantees and if you want peace of mind then get one locally you can look at, or failing that, you wont go far wrong getting a new Veritas - they do work!

you might find the discussion the Veritas model here useful:

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/veri ... 08376.html

 

[sunnybob]

Are they really that much new in the UK?
I bought one here brand spanking for 100 euros, what around 90 quid?

Time you waste time searching, buy it and post it, spend a month cleaning and "fettling" it and then repainting it, is there value in it?
You'll ever need to buy it once after all.

 

[nabs]

the older Record ones are very well made and can be got for a song if you are prepared to pick-up - online good ones seem to go for 70- 80 quid delivered on ebay (still a bargain, in my opinion). As you say, if you don't want the hassle the new ones will still do the job.

 

[ScaredyCat]

What's the difference between a 52 1/2 and a 52? (Please don't say 1/2) ...

Once has popped up near me, looks pretty rusty but it is near me... and going relatively cheaply..

 

[memzey]

52 is smaller. Either can be had with QR mechanism so check if it has this if important to you.

 

[shed9]

I got an eclipse in the end because of the stupidly high ebay prices of second hand records in unusable condition, selling it in 'as new' condition. It's an eclipse 9 inch vice, that is an exact copy of a vintage record 52 1/2.

I've had a play with the Eclipse 9 inch and it's a well made well finished vice. The 9" seems hard to get these days due to stock but I concur this is an excellent option. I appreciate an old Record 52 1/2 would be ideal and preferable to some (including me) but when you factor in the time to refurb an old vice and your not sure if it is issue free then an Eclipse would certainly be a good route.

Also Rutlands have a copy of this type of vice; http://www.rutlands.co.uk/sp+woodworkin ... ota+dk2020

I have three of these and whilst they are perfectly usable and good value, they are not as well built or robust as the Eclipse. I modified them with hand wheels which is why I was happy to buy the cheaper option. I picked them up at £36 each back in early 2016 so looks like Rutlands are making a fair return now.

 

[bugbear]

All right stop, Collaborate and listen...

Ok, enough of that...

I'd like to ad a vice to the bench I built myself but really have no idea where to start. It's a solid top bench, with a slab 90mm x 540mm (and 1620mm long). I've looked at vices, not seem to give proper dimensions. Am I looking for the wrong thing? A vice that fits my bench rather than chopping a lump out of my bench to accommodate the vice?

I've looked at a load of different types, for the moment I just want something that works and is relatively easy to fit. Ones like the Faithfull or Irwin appeal. Whilst I'd love one of those whirly ones, I don't think I have the appropriate skillset just yet to fit one - perhaps later as an upgrade.

A normal Record style vice bolts under a slab top easily - you just need a spacer to the get the vertical offset right.

I found this on the 'net - I've arrowed the spacer.

BugBear

 

[MattRoberts]

What's the difference between a 52 1/2 and a 52? (Please don't say 1/2) ...

Once has popped up near me, looks pretty rusty but it is near me... and going relatively cheaply..

I believe the 52 is 8 inch, and the 52 1/2 is nine inch. Some of us need all the inches we can get

 

[Tasky]

All right stop, Collaborate and listen...

Is it bad that I read that and my brain continued the song in my head, with all the lyrics perfectly intact?
Or is it bad that I also know the singer's real name and that he now has a home improvements show on TV?

 

[MikeJhn]

The Latter.

Mike

 

[novocaine]

I have the faithful, it's ok, not amazing, needed some clean up as the casting was a bit iffy in places, especially where the cover over the halfnut is, nothing five minutes and a file couldn't sort.
it tracks straight and pulls up flat and tight nicely, the threads on the lead screw are clean and didn't have any flashing or burrs to be concerned with. the ground face and edge of the jaws is tidy and the edges were all broken.

fitting it took minutes to my slab top bench but I can't remember if I let it in to the edge or if I put a long face on the jaw, I think maybe the latter but I'll check later.

not having a quick release isn't the end of the world to me although it would be nice, I don't tend to require large changes of size of opening apart from at the beginning of a job.

think it was 35 quid, for that money I really cant complain about it, although the record 23 machine vice that's next to it might.

 

[memzey]

I wish my bench build thread hadn’t been photobucketed as I had all the steps set out with pictures. I may have even recorded the time it took to do. I’ll have to re-host my images at some point but it seems such a faff I can’t face it right now!

 

[MikeJhn]

I use this site now that photbucket has gone silly: https://imgbb.com/ uploads much quicker than photbuchet, but its even easier to use the "Full Editor" in Post instead of Quick Reply.

Mike