Record Junior vice?

[Fat ferret]

Can a record junior woodworkers vice be bolted to the bench like a 52 1/2? I don't want to use the clamp arrangment as it doesn't seem very practical. Thanks.

 

[bugbear]

Can a record junior woodworkers vice be bolted to the bench like a 52 1/2? I don't want to use the clamp arrangment as it doesn't seem very practical. Thanks.

I think (IIRC) it has screw hole as well as the clamp. However, if you want a "proper" vice, I'd go to a few car boot sales and buy one, rather than adapting the Junior. Vices are common, and cheap.

If you (happen to) buy a q/r vice, make sure the thread (or nut) doesn't slip when you tighten it hard, fully closed.

BugBear

 

[AndyT]

When I built my bench (over 20 years ago, with no cash to spend on it) all I had was two similar Record clamp-on vices. I made the bench with a stout horizontal bar, beneath the top, parallel to the front edge and with its ends fixed into the legs. I could clamp my two little vices anywhere I needed them, and have them come level with the benchtop. I could put the vices side by side or at opposite ends or take them right out of the way.
I found that quite a good system.

 

[Fat ferret]

Trouble with car boot sales round here is all there is to buy at them is old records (as in vinyl) and overgrown marrows :roll: .

I am building a new bench at the moment, from old pine floor joists for working on the new house. I will use it for cutting floorboards to length and sawing up ply and chipboard so nothing fancy. I think the removable vice system is quite a good idea. I will also be making tressles the same height as the bench top to help with sawing long lengths of floorboard and skirting. The bench is quite small to make it easier to move between rooms. So the vice will mainly just hold my bench hook but ocasionally I may need to plane long boards or skirting so two vices might be a good idea.

Andy, can you remember how much lower than the bench top the horizontal bar was? Any chance of a picture?

Thanks.

 

[AndyT]

Andy, can you remember how much lower than the bench top the horizontal bar was? Any chance of a picture?

Thanks.

Here you go - sorry to be a bit slow replying:

This is one end of the bench showing the bar below the surface. (Ignore the complication on the right where there was not enough wood to fit to - remember, this bench was built quickly, entirely from scrap materials!)

And here's a Junior vice clamped onto the bar, with the wooden backing jaws lined up with the bench top.

The left hand end used to be similar, but I sawed that off when I got a 52½ vice and mounted it permanently.
I actually had a gap in the middle (where there are some under-bench drawers) but that was never a problem - wood was either short enough to hold in two vices on one bar, or long enough to span the gap and be held in one vice at each end.

Hth.

 

[Fat ferret]

Thanks Andy I should get said vice any day so will make something similar when it arrives. Cheers.

 

[Fat ferret]

Got my junior, made up some jaws and fixed a stout bar under the bench top. Works well with just the clamp and can be removed if needs be . Thanks everyone.

 

[alan2001]

photo please!

I hope to do something similar myself soonish.

and the boot sales in ayrshire aren't much better mate, I feel your pain.

 

[LuptonM]

I saw one the other day for a massive £4. They're the most common woodworking vice I see (that is the no 57- don't think its the junior but pretty much the same thing)

 

[Fat ferret]

Sorry no camera, spent all my cash on my vices :twisted: . Will borrow girlfriends camera and try to get some pictures up asap.