Thread: Vices and work benches

You are in the position of not being hard up for vice options.
This shows a Record vice being taken apart and put back together.
YouTube
Your one will need some rust treatment but it looks to be worth a try. I have seen worse than that scrub up ok. Pull it apart and soak in vinegar to derust. Plenty of vice restos on line. Those old records are worth the effort.
The orange one looks to be just in need of a clean. The leg vice will depend on the bench you build. Usually they are built into one of the bench legs and you could use the hardware from that one to do that if inclined.
Regards
John

Originally Posted by Tonyz

orange vice.jpg

the record is about 260 across the mouth, it closes but wont open any more, yes a strip down, clean etc, the other option is the orange one that I suspect is an old Timbcom.

I've had two of these on my bench since early 2006. They started out OK to begin with but recently I've noticed the vice on the front of the bench (which has had about 100x more use than the one on the side) is now very sloppy and racks badly, both side to side, and top to bottom. What appears to have happened is the cast iron supports for the rods have worn. Well, it was a cheap vice so to get 10 years out of it is probably what I would have expected when I bought it.

I'm due for a bench vice upgrade anyway and have put it on the Todo list.

In your case the blue record would be my preference.

I’ve had a big blue record on my bench since 83.
It gets very stiff to open after a while so I get strip emery and give the round bars a good clean then wax them .
Thats probably all yours needs to get it moving.
H.

Thanks all, going with the Record and a complete strip down and recondition, within my limited capabilities

FWIW:

The record is a much nicer thing as said. If you get some molasses from a horsey place mix it 1:10 with water and put the vice in it. Maybe over night but keep an eye on it. It'll strip it back to bare metal and should then just come apart. You will have to repaint it. This assumes you don't have a grit blaster.

Vice choice is personal of course. I'd put the record on the front of a bench and maybe the sherwood on the end along with suitable dogs. Assuming it feels good when you clean and lube it. An end vice doesn't usually get used as much but being able to clamp long work to the table top is very handy.

Leg vices seem to be flavour of the month lately. Personally I don't get it but whatever...

Duplicate posting

Originally Posted by Tonyz

starting to get my head around a basic work bench, based very loosely on Youtubes April Wilkinson.

Hi Tonyz

Is this the youtube that you are talking about?
April's Ultimate Shop Workbench | Make:

Note that you say "very loosely". It looks fine as an assembly bench but, depending on what you plan to do, I would question its rigidity as a workbench.

• will it rack when hand planing or sawing?
• is single sheet of plywood in top regid enough, or too bouncy?
• are those "drill holding slots" functional or a PIA?
• do lower drawers impede toe room?
• have other attachments been well thought out? and
• I like lots of dog holes.

record vice1.jpg

I agree with others that it is probably worth the effort to refurbish the Record vise. If you then mount it on the end of the bench and put in a thicker front jaw liner with dog holes then you can also use this vice to hold sheet material and longer works on the benchtop. Most end vises, especially twin-screw have this ability.

Not sure how you could use a leg vise on a bench that does not have solid legs => future project?

orange vice.jpg

why 2 because I have them

Could this one now be your face vise?



Cheers

Graeme

Graeme, I think you have been reading my mind...scary I know, but somewhere I did warn people this was heading for disaster.

I now have the aprils-ultimate-workbench/ semi finished with my interpretation, pics soon. I have stood on the 'bench top' 1 19mm ply and cannot make the thing move. Strange but its solid.I have added 4 braces between the top rails so this may help as well.
Instead of the lower drawers, I have left this open as I am now making several 'cabinets' that will have either slots for plastic containers to slide on (these will hold all screws, nails, nutsbolts etc etc. The other cabinets will have drawers or trays to store stuff. I have also extended the top 'apron(?)' top of bench 100mm further out that side.
Not interested in all her doo daas but I enjoy watching her.
presently trying to fit the Record vice. but a rest/calm down period was required.

I like the idea that I can make changes to this fairly easily.

Hope to have pics up soon.

Yes the Record is now all in pieces and start cleaning it up over weekend. It will fit onto the length side at this time. Later on I will move it to end and then fit the leg vice....well sometime. One ply frame leg can easily pull off and a solid lump of Jarrah retrofitted and this goes on. The orange crappy thing has retreated back into a dark hole scared for its life.

Look at Paul Sellers Workbench, particularly the episode where he mounts his vice.

YouTube

very interesting, not the most exciting guy to listen too but Ive already gone past this stage but presently in NZ for me dads funeral...not a bad innings 99.5 years and 5 days in hospital.