# Jerrims Engineers Vice - what to do with it.



## Peri (26 Mar 2022)

I picked up this Jerrims vice that was destined for the scrap.

My wife has asked if I'd like to donate it to the small firm she works at, but it's so unusual I'd like to know a bit more about it, especially if it might be worth anything, before I blindly give it away.

The normally 'fixed' jaws have locating pins that can be removed, allowing them to rotate, and it's a bit of a beast - must be 30 kilos or so at least.

Any one have any thoughts?


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## TFrench (26 Mar 2022)

I have a tiny version of this. I've a feeling it's too small for the jerrims patent to be cast in and it just has fixie. Looks like yours has been a little abused over the years, but certainly too good to scrap or give away. Unless it's to me


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## Alpha-Dave (27 Mar 2022)

On the point of the utility of the vice, the mobile jaws are very useful for holding round objects, but I suspect lose some accuracy compared to a solid fixed-jaw that is generally used as the reference surface on a milling machine. Hence these things are very useful if you need them for the occasional odd shape, but most jobs either need the repeatable precision of the fixed rear jaw, or if repeatedly working with odd shapes then someone would make a custom set of jaws to hold the shape snugly.

Example of my Sevo holding round things:









Given the size of your example, it would need to go on a pretty hefty machine. Unfortunately that significantly reduces the potential market who may want to buy it, but also makes it more valuable for someone who needs it.

On the point of whether to gift it to the company, if they are a charity that can make use of it, then it seems reasonable, if they are a ‘normal’ business, then my experience is that it may be more of a pain for them than a help; if they needed such a thing, they would already have it, and this is very unlikely to fit with their current work flow unless they already have identical ones set up on machines. This is based on my experience that as a ‘hobbyist’, collecting, storing and occasional using tools is part of the fun, but at ‘work’, everything has its own place, is used, maintained or if not needed then put in to storage or sold off; storing things costs money, or someone’s time or just being less-easy to find other things.

As an alternative, I’m sure someone would turn it in to a base for a ‘vintage, industrial lamp’.


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## Peri (27 Mar 2022)

It's actually from a pillar drill - it's been in my workplace since I started there, and management decided we needed upgrading to the 21st century.

I've never seen a vice like that before, and knowing my luck I'd give it away only to find it was the worlds last working example of the most valuable vice in history !


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## TFrench (27 Mar 2022)

Peri said:


> It's actually from a pillar drill - it's been in my workplace since I started there, and management decided we needed upgrading to the 21st century.
> 
> I've never seen a vice like that before, and knowing my luck I'd give it away only to find it was the worlds last working example of the most valuable vice in history !


That would be the fractal vice! Similar concept, for holding irregular shapes but much more complex. Apparently there's only 3 or 4 known to survive, someone sold just a jaw set on eBay last year for thousands. Crazy money.


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## wallace (2 Apr 2022)

TFrench said:


> That would be the fractal vice! Similar concept, for holding irregular shapes but much more complex. Apparently there's only 3 or 4 known to survive, someone sold just a jaw set on eBay last year for thousands. Crazy money.


Did you see the one hand tool rescue did

(1) Rare Antique Fractal Vise [Restoration] - YouTube


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