Thread: Opinions on Superjaws, please . . .

Originally Posted by Bob Childress

Whilst watching the U-Beaut demo video (thanks to Gumby and Stuart and many others for the videos available on the forums!) .......

Could you perhaps point me in the general direction. Checked the ubeaut site but I must be having a bad weekend.

Edit: - found them thanks.

I've noticed the 'dead zone', but read the warning so I haven't been kicked.
Never been pinched either, but now I'm worried - where's the pinch point??

I also bought the wire tray that clips to the side, and find that very useful.

It gets lots of use with the jaws swapped around to open wide, holding an old door, and acting as a bench.

It's a great press - very controllable.

And there's the cool/wow factor the first time someone sees you fold the critter up and tuck it under your arm

Had mine for years. Solid as!

Cheers,
Andrew

Gday Andrew, the pinch point is just in front of the jaws, the pinchy pinchy is between the back of the near jaw ( :confused: ) and the top of the locking "handle", it is easy to inadvertantly have your left hand over the front of the jaws as you lift up the handle... YEEEEOOOOOWWWWW

Triton have a warning sticker there, maybe it should be in braille


Cheers................Sean

A renovators side kick together with a multi-stand or two. I use a combo of both when fitting new door furniture to new doors

A little thing to remember on the Australian version (thee legged - with a folding brace between the front two legs)...

Push the pedal in and pull the lock out with your hand - and do exactly the same thing to release it....Foot on the pedal and PUSH the lock in (with either you hand or knee).

Just George...you'll have to react a little quicker next time! Although watching the 'shin wacker' dance could be quite entertaining !



Without a doubt - the best tool in the garage.
if you can...get the cast jaws too...they are great for small fab work as you can 'belt the c&@p' out of them.



Any problems with the older types units (ie. the shaft pulling out) seem to have been rectified with the last version (nylock nut on bottom end of shaft where it attaches to foot pedal).

Dohboy...

Gordon taught me a good trick for those with the older jaws - release the pedal lock (so it can be moved to its storage position) BEFORE unlocking the leg bracing. There is no way that you can then hyper-extend the pedal to the point where the shaft falls out. That was a problem I had - did it a few times actually! (both my superjaws are the version before the nylock nut).

There is a version after the one you are referring to Dohboy - the latest, which I believe is now made overseas, and doesn't have the cross-bracing.:confused:


Oh, and on the accessory front, also get the log jaws - they are superb for chainsawing up blanks, firewood etc. The superjaws are unbelievably stable with offcentre, heavy loads.

I refer to the 'last' version as the last of the Aussie made Super Jaws.

The newer Chinese version I will now refer to as 'Mediocre' Jaws.

BTW....Don't listen to me....I cant really make a judgment on somthing I haven't used (like the new one).

Dohboy

Only issue I've had is the plastic standard jaws won't take much in the way of a side or shifting load ie if you try to hold something with an irregular shape which shifts as load is applied, the little plastic dowels in the plastic jaws sheared off.

Have fitted a standard nut and bolt for the fixed head end but I'm a little perplexed over the reversible end as the fitting of a through bolt will interfere once the end is reversed.

Other than this problem, this tool is one of the hardest working tools in the shop. It does take up some room as I don't collapse it after use - save pinching fingers and the like.

If I didn't have one already, it would be the top of the wish list. You really don't realise how invaluable it is until you own one.

That's a bugger, Mark, I have given my plastic jaws a caning with no probs.

I have the log jaws but have cut up heaps of firewood without bothering to put them in, I find the plastic jaws hold pretty much anything.

I'd chase up the plastic jaws as a spare part, wouldn't cost much I'd reckon.


Cheers...............Sean

Just wanted to add my two bob's worth - overall, by far the most useful and versatile tool I own. Not only can it do all the things others have mentioned, but mine has been used to:

• support a solid door vertically by one edge for planing
• support a 6x4-foot sheet of 19mm MDF horizontally, by a batten across the centre underneath, as a temporary table/workbench
• clamp irregular-shaped objects, like burls, by reversing the slide and fitting a swivelling jaw on the tail-end
• serve as a bearing press

plus many other purposes, virtually limited only by imagination.

I confess I have been bitten by the dreaded pinch-point once - took a large chunk out of the web between thumb and finger - because there is a fatal attraction toward leaning on the anvil with one hand while you bang the release with the other. Lesson learned - bought some reflective striped safety tape and highlighted the danger zone.

Wish I had the room for another one!

Originally Posted by dohboy

I refer to the 'last' version as the last of the Aussie made Super Jaws.

The newer Chinese version I will now refer to as 'Mediocre' Jaws.

BTW....Don't listen to me....I cant really make a judgment on somthing I haven't used (like the new one).

Dohboy

I like Aussie made things. (And if they happen to be made in Melbourne, that's cool too). I like the fact that Australia can make a product that is world class. And I am prepared to pay extra for it.

Dammit! That's two more tools I just got to have, super Jaws and the Domino. Wish you guys would stop this teasing!

This is the version being offered here. Looks to me just like the one in the vid. Seem okay?:confused:

Bob,

Thats the one to get!

The newer (chinese) version is lacking the bracing between the two front legs, and from the centre of that brace out to the rear leg (bracing as pictured on you example).

Grab the accessories if you can (if they are carried over there)..

- Cast Iron Jaws
- Log and Pole Gripping Jaws
- Tool Tray
- Maybe even a spare set of Poly Jaws

If not, I'm sure you can find a mail order supplier from Aust. who can supply.

Dohboy