Thread: Installing a Record vice

Alan,

You do not need to be unduly concerned about the fact that your vice jaws are not perfectly parallel to one another. You will need to fit softwood facings to the jaws anyway, and it is easy enough to plane one or both of the facings to a slightly wedge-shaped cross section to compensate for fact that the jaws are not quite parallel.

Rocker

The jaws are purposely made that way Alan. The reasoning behind it is that when the jaws are tightened, the screw in the bottom of the vice will take up the small amount of slack that is inherent in the screw design. So when an item is clamped, the jaws are pulled into square.

Alan

Are your jaws closer at the top, or the bottom?

Ben.

Thanks for the responses so far.

I should clarify. The inner jaw faces are parallel to each other. It is the angle of these faces that is not 90 degrees to the horizontal. Therefore the top of the front inner jaw face is closer to the bench by about 2-3mm than the bottom.

My father, an engineer, also gave me the same advice as Bob.

I think I'll fit the vice as per Bob's advice, fit the softwood facings and see how it goes. If I'm still not happy I can always pack the mountings to adjust the angle.

Thanks again for the advice.

Alan

Alan, where did you get your Record 53ED vise from?

I also got one for Xmas (out of my own pocket!) but had a very hard time tracking one down. The national distributor CE Lawford? said thay had only 6 left.

Fellow kiwis you'd better get one before they're all gone! eBayer's are valuing them at US$100-150.

Zitan

Hi Zitan

My wife bought my 53ED from Chevpac in Panmure. Ph 09-570-1134. If you're into woodworking you should checkout their shop at 131 Pilkington Rd, Panmure. Check out the online prices, although I didn't see a 53ED. www.chevpac.co.nz

I've also seen various Record vices at Bunnings in Ti Rakau Drive, and I think at Bunnings in Manukau. Also try Shroff and Sons in Auckland City.

Happy hunting
Alan

Hi Alan;

Shroff's quoted $460 for the vise! almost double what I eventually got mine for. I think that's near enough a direct conversion from what they retail for in the UK.

The Mitre 10s in my locale are now selling those Chinese/Taiwan quick release vises that you see advertised on Woodcraft and Garrett Wade catalogues. Dirt cheap ($70-120) but I'd still prefer the Record.

Hi Zitan

I wouldn't write Shroff's off as far as price is concerned. They quote the cheapest price around (by far) for a Makita SMCS LS1212.

Cheers
Alan

Since there is a taper on the rear jaw, How deep do you cut into the bench the top thickness or the bottom thickness?

There's a couple of decent Records on Trade Me. They are the "plain" #53.....but for <$100, why not?

But Christmas presents for the shed are priceless......

Don't forget, when you're fitting the vise, the inner face (with bolt holes) are easily detachable.

Not sure how to make ths happen but here is a fully detailed article which fully details answers to your questions and shows exactly how to install the Record 53ED vice