Recent content by nabs

edit to fix quoting that's right Noel. The EU gave us exactly the deal Johnson asked for, namely a basic FTA. It was this governments decision to leave both the customs union and the single market, not the EUs.

this misses the point that some of these changes are structural and will have a permanent effect on the UK export trade and the supply chains that depend on it. Yes in many cases the costs created by the new trade barriers we have just put up between us and the EU will either be absorbed as...

this is accurate Sploo, but it does miss one important factor in as far as Brexit has allowed the government to dodge the discussion on how a global pandemic requires a global solution. For the time being the EU have avoided entering into an international trade war on vaccine supply, but...

Another Record 52 1/2 without a rear jaw on ebay just now. No 'B' stamped on the face though... I am not sure if it is a huge coincidence or I simply have not noticed this variant on the design (I have looked at hundreds of them but I suppose I generally wasn't looking at the rear...

apologies, I was mistaken - I have just found a picture of an (apparently working) fitters vice with the same housing installed the other way round. sorry!

that is a good point Andy, will be interested to hear if it works with it installed the other way up (I think it might foul on the half nut?) there were several different designs for the housing for the QR mechanism and I have only ever seen this type installed like in the photos and the...

The housing is installed correctly but, as noted in an earlier post, the flat bar/quick release trigger has been installed incorrectly. Try turning it around 180 degrees and feeding the bar above the tang in the housing, rather than below it as shown in your photos. I find it easier to...

thanks Jacob, yes they are standard fare. After 1963: E= Quick release D= adjustable dog with Quick release so I am now pretty confident the B is an unusual and short lived variety without a rear jaw for fitting to a bench with an apron. I wish a Record catalogue from the 1920s/30s would...

I missed Jacob's post where he said he had a modern(ish) model that was stamped B also - I have never seen one of those either. Have you got a pic Jacob? PS the vices with the Registered Design stamped on them were made in the 1920s and 30s.

thanks Dan, that seems to be the mystery solved, the B model is sans rear jaw (as toolsnat says presumably designed for a traditional bench where the rear carriage will be installed behind an apron). Since you appear to be the first person to come across one I think they can't have been very...

apologies Sean, the website was down - it is back up now

thanks for info on Henk Bos's website. I had used his picture of a Rub Wheel in my article and have now updated the citation to show he was the author of the original pamphlet the picture was taken from.

I hope you are all keeping well. In case it is of interest I have written a bit about the history of washita oilstones. Corrections or new information gratefully received. Warning, rather a long article, although some of my fellow tool nerds may enjoy it :)

it does look like a rarity DR, but I'm afraid I can't shed any light on it. As sploo says it was almost certainly made in the 20s/30s but I have no idea what the B would mean. A surviving catalogue from 1935 identifies 'P' type vices (plain screw) and 'A' types (screw and nut cover) but no...

no comment on the materials, but if you don't mind a comment on the design: I ended up raising my potting bench well above the 'normal' bench height of around 3ft to avoid bending down when pricking out seedlings, spreading out seeds etc (mind you, I suffer from all the normal tribulations of...