Vice recommendations

[Vono]

Hello

I'm thinking of getting an old engineers/workshop ( not woodworking) type vice for the garage . Ideally something bigger than the SQ4 Record & Record 74 that I already have.

Can anyone suggest a good maker or model ?

I know it's a difficult ask but there's a lot out there & knowing a good maker would be handy. Obviously I have a couple of Records but, i've seen advertised Paramo, Fortis, Parkinson, Ajax, Woden etc & of course Record but it would be handy to know what are really good makers & which are just ok & which I should maybe avoid.

Also is a steel one better than Iron ??

Any help/ advice much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Nigel Burden]

I have a Record 83 which, IIAC is steel, and a larger Samsonia 7J which is steel. Cast is more fragile, whereas steel will take more abuse. Both are good vices though. A larger option could be a Record 75 or one of the Record 100 series. There's probably nothing to choose between the manufacturers you listed. They all made good quality vices.

Try this from The Mig Welding Forum.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9iwuyy1vzrwvszs/AAApmsWFvTmKRWUj53V7eiwla?dl=0
Nigel.

 

[Vono]

Hello Nigel
That's excellent, thank you for the info' much appreciated. Those scan's of the catalogues are superb, thanks very much for those, great stuff !
Cheers

 

[Jackbequick]

Although used for it vyces are not made to be bashed and belted and of coulse that includes the items held . If you have that in mind a steel vyce will be a better choice than cast. They are readily available as far as I know.

With steel you have a better option than cast both in less invasion of oil, grease, solvents etc into the metal were you to want to weld some fixture to it for particular use.

Ajax made a good vyce in the older times. I haven't had to buy a vyce in 50 years. As with all tools and our planet mankind can be a destructive agent or a carer.

Some of your work might be better done using an anvil perhaps especially a blacksmith's anvil with spots for dogs and pegs to be slipped in or out.

 

[thetyreman]

Eclipse make decent modern vices, I'm happy with mine, I got it from amazon.

 

[Jackbequick]

I notice that the correct spelling 'vyce' brings up a range of DVD's which should be under 'vice' ...like 'program' and 'net' in lieu of 'programme' and 'nett'...and 'thru' in lieu of 'through' and...etc...