Wood vice

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Jamie Copeland

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Hi all

I'm looking to invest in a good quality wood vice from a good quality manufacturer for the workshop. Something capable of holding a piece of wood maybe five or six inches wide. Ideally it needs to be one which can be attached to the bench top rather than from underneath.

I'd appreciate any advice or even links to view suggested vices.

I wouldn't like to go above £100 for one as I'm just a mere hobby woodturner!
 
Jamie Copeland":6ft7l8xw said:
Hi all

I'm looking to invest in a good quality wood vice from a good quality manufacturer for the workshop. Something capable of holding a piece of wood maybe five or six inches wide. Ideally it needs to be one which can be attached to the bench top rather than from underneath.

I'd appreciate any advice or even links to view suggested vices.

I wouldn't like to go above £100 for one as I'm just a mere hobby woodturner!

If your phrase "can be attached to the bench top" means you want one which simply clamps on with a built in clamp,
I would fancy working on a 5-6 inch workpiece - the vice would hold the workpiece OK, but I'm not sure
the vise would stay put.

http://www.tooled-up.com/manproduct/irw ... 50mm/7962/

What sort of bench do you have, what sort of work do you plan to do?

BugBear
 
bugbear":2iv3uxfo said:
Jamie Copeland":2iv3uxfo said:
Hi all

I'm looking to invest in a good quality wood vice from a good quality manufacturer for the workshop. Something capable of holding a piece of wood maybe five or six inches wide. Ideally it needs to be one which can be attached to the bench top rather than from underneath.

I'd appreciate any advice or even links to view suggested vices.

I wouldn't like to go above £100 for one as I'm just a mere hobby woodturner!

If your phrase "can be attached to the bench top" means you want one which simply clamps on with a built in clamp,
I would fancy working on a 5-6 inch workpiece - the vice would hold the workpiece OK, but I'm not sure
the vise would stay put.

http://www.tooled-up.com/manproduct/irw ... 50mm/7962/

What sort of bench do you have, what sort of work do you plan to do?

BugBear

Hi

No, this isn't what I'm after. I want one that will bolt onto a wooden work bench from the top. Not one that bolts from below as I have a metal panel in the way which would prevent this and not one that clamps on the bench.
 
I think you might be out of luck as I've never seen one. Do you want to hold the wood flat to work on the face or on edge? Different options for each that you could use instead (dogs, veritas inset vice, holddowns)
 
Mike Bremner":lqffk7vd said:
I think you might be out of luck as I've never seen one. Do you want to hold the wood flat to work on the face or on edge? Different options for each that you could use instead (dogs, veritas inset vice, holddowns)

Hi Mike

There's plenty of like this around. I just wanted advice on quality, etc.
 
Jamie Copeland":2j5wiwoz said:
Mike Bremner":2j5wiwoz said:
I think you might be out of luck as I've never seen one. Do you want to hold the wood flat to work on the face or on edge? Different options for each that you could use instead (dogs, veritas inset vice, holddowns)

Hi Mike

There's plenty of like this around. I just wanted advice on quality, etc.

Could you move the discussion forward by posting a link/photo of an example of the sort of thing you're after, for clarity?

BugBear
 
bugbear":10qmrt2x said:
Jamie Copeland":10qmrt2x said:
Mike Bremner":10qmrt2x said:
I think you might be out of luck as I've never seen one. Do you want to hold the wood flat to work on the face or on edge? Different options for each that you could use instead (dogs, veritas inset vice, holddowns)

Hi Mike

There's plenty of like this around. I just wanted advice on quality, etc.

Could you move the discussion forward by posting a link/photo of an example of the sort of thing you're after, for clarity?

BugBear

This is the sort of thing I'm referring to:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/forge-steel-w ... GwodRfkJHQ
 
The screwfix one fits under the benchtop, check the user reviews. I can't think of a woodworking vice that surface mounts, but I know a few who use the excellent Record engineers vices, with wood jaws fitted.
 
That's what I was saying above, I don't think a vice like that exists that mounts to the surface. They either mount underneath or are more integral to the bench (leg vice, tail vice etc.).

Is there a reason you can't drill the metal panel and bolt through it?
 
You're looking for something along the lines of a Record #3.

Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk
 
Jamie Copeland":2kowuz4x said:
What about this kind of thing?

There must be a similar thing in the UK.

http://www.toolbarn.com/irwinquickgrip-226304.html

That's the idea. Designed really for metalworking but with wood jaws very good for what you need. Forget the new Irwins, check ebay for a Record no3 or 4 as Beartricks says. £30 - 50 as a guide and try and find locally as they are heavy! There are loads on there at the moment, just search Record vice and sort through.
 
condeesteso":cm3zacq6 said:
Jamie Copeland":cm3zacq6 said:
What about this kind of thing?

There must be a similar thing in the UK.

http://www.toolbarn.com/irwinquickgrip-226304.html

That's the idea. Designed really for metalworking but with wood jaws very good for what you need. Forget the new Irwins, check ebay for a Record no3 or 4 as Beartricks says. £30 - 50 as a guide and try and find locally as they are heavy! There are loads on there at the moment, just search Record vice and sort through.

Definitely buy s/h. Cheaper by a factor of 3-10.

Be careful if buying a q/r model - plain screw vices are nigh indestructible, but the half-nut and thread of a q/r are more vulnerable.

Either check in person at a car boot sale, or make sure the seller makes a specific statement about condition to which they can be held.

Oh, and makers other than Record made fine vices, which tend to be cheaper than the (well know and good) Record ones.

BugBear
 
Jamie,

I use a big, heavy Record No. 84 vice, the same as seen here: http://www.dealry.co.uk/src/record+vice+84

It cost next to nothing from a car boot sale and I use it on top of the workbench whenever I want to work on something a little closer to eye level without having to bend over a low bench.
The metal jaws on mine are 4.5 inches wide but I added a pair of wooden jaws made from maple and lined with thick leather. My wooden jaws are 1 inch thick and 10 inches long. I also made a wooden base for the vice so it's just a matter of plonking it on the bench top and securing it in place with a couple of holdfasts. It's a big, heavy solid old thing and once it's in place it's rock solid. It works a treat.
I think of it as a cheap alternative to a Moxon vice :)
 
JJ1":x2vcb1bx said:
Jamie,

I use a big, heavy Record No. 84 vice, the same as seen here: http://www.dealry.co.uk/src/record+vice+84

It cost next to nothing from a car boot sale...

You did well; mid size q/r vices (usable in sheds :D ) are the most sought after.

Perversely, very large vices go cheap, because most people don't need them, nor do they have
a bench that will taken them.

BugBear
 
You did well; mid size q/r vices (usable in sheds :D ) are the most sought after.

That's good to know I got a bargain. I paid £5 for the vice. I didn't/don't have a clue what they're worth but I knew it was worth snapping it up for a fiver.
 

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