Thread: Opinions on Dawn Vice, Clamps needed

Can't comment on the particular one you're looking at but my bench has a 'Standard' that must be at least 30 years old. My Grandfather made the bench and I remember it from when I was in short pants.

Anyway, it's been used and abused for years and it had become a bit sloppy - you had to turn the screw about 6 complete revolutions to get it moving in the opposite direction. I pulled it apart, put a couple of shims behind the screw and it now works like a new one.

I have never seen or used the pivot jaw vice so have no personal knowledge of its performance.
What I can say is that Dawn make a good, tough product and, price being right, I would never hesitate to buy Dawn. My Dad's engineering vice, at least 60 years old, is still going strong and, save for hack saw cuts, welding scars and sundry dings, is as good as new.
Hey Mr Dawn ...... That should be good for a ute load of clamps.

Hi

I can only comment on the 4" engineers vice I bought in 1972. The quality in 2nd to none. This vice has been used (and abused) since then, for welding painting "blacksmithing", cutting, wire brushing and has had the cr*p beaten out of it on the rear casting - and I mean with a BIG hammer. It still has the original paint on it (most of it anyway). The only thing I have had to do was give it a bit of grease and a clean about every 8 years )

So you could class me as one VERY SATISFIED dawn customer.

If the current quality is equal to or better than those days, you can't go wrong.

Regards

Peter

As I'm only looking for a wheelbaroow of clamps, the best I can do is endorse roberts remarks.

I don't have a Dawn woodwork vice but have used a couple of other things of theirs, (pipe bender attachments, and I think our old pipe vice is a Dawn).

Their gear always seems pretty heavy duty for the price to me. I think you could do a lot worse by giving it a run .

My $0.0002 worth

Ben,
Go back and have a second look at the pivot vice. You will find that it is not the quality of the old type of Dawn vices people are referring to here. The pivot vice is a combination of cast iron and steel fabrication. The slide is square tube (not cast) and there is a fair bit of play in the slide. The handle is light gauge pipe - and from memory the handle was not all that long and probably made shorter so that it does not bend or you cannot apply too much clamping pressure.
I must admit that I didn't give it thorough going over when I had a look at it but just these points put me off it.
A vice generally gets a real hammering as it is the only solid mounting in a workshop that you can clamp thing to. Even if you don't intend to use it this way now it is quite likely to happen down the track.
Perhaps the price is a reflection of the quality?
Damn, I think my shipment of clamps just got cancelled.

Thanks for your time fellas. The reason I ask is that I've heard a few mixed reports of Dawn equipment made in the few years (made OS, weak castings etc) and was wondering what you guys had found.

When I asked my father (circa 1948), he recommends Dawn as a good quality, well made brand, like most of you guys did. However, since then Dawn has been taken over by Sanley, then in '95 bought themselves back. A few things may have changed.
It turns out that some of Dawn's products are still made here, but the relativly new pivot vice isn't (not that that means 'it must be bad').

I'm undecided at this point. The pivot vise doesn't look to bad, just not that well finished (pity), and yes, Rodm, that short handle looks a bit sus', and it's true, you can't apply very much presure with it.

It's a bit disapointing really, as I was thinking it could have been a new era in the world of vices.

What I need is for someone to 'bench test' a whole bunch of popular vices for me (Dawn, Record, Pony, etc).

Ben.

I have a Dawn pivot vice 250mm version which I purchased about 6 months ago. It really is quite well made and very solid. I was surprised at the lightness of the handle but it’s quite a big diameter and therefore looks shorter then normal, it’s actually longer than the one on my old large Record bench vise though. The casting that the handle fits into is quite long which does limit it’s travel a bit.

I am not a light duty woodworker (115kg+) and do tend to lean on the vise handle when tightening, it’s survived that with no apparent problems so far.

The pivot function is useful and can be lifted to provide a full peg against your bench dog, it also removes incase you need a flat vise. It also opens to around 300mm which is useful it does slop a bit when open that wide but I don’t see that as a problem.
The quick action mechanisum is good too.

I’d buy another……….

Cheers

Dave

Am desperately in need of a new W/working vice have been contemplating building another as I did with the last one, until I saw these Dawn pivot vices in Brissy yesterday liked the feel and Dawn gear is mostly good but they have had some dogs in the past. So what I'm after is any info anyone has picked up about them since Ben opened this up (where the heck is Ben lately anyway?)especially prices, as the only thing putting me off was they were rather exy for my liking,$200+ for the smaller one, but then again I'm part Scot, so others may see that as reasonable for a relatively unknown quantity?
So anyone got anything on this???

Originally Posted by E. maculata

where the heck is Ben lately anyway?

A gallaxy far far away.

It appears that I am still subscribed to this thread.

I have taken a step backwards from the BB as I became quite apparent that this was the closest I was able to get to woodworking, and that it was likley to stay that way for some time yet.

So I have slunk (slinked?) away into the shadows for the time being..... but don't worry, I still come by from time to time just to see what everyone is up to. I just don't have anything intersting to post when I'm here.

I do intend to come back with a whole raft of new questions..... when I have a whole raft of new questions to ask.


As for the vice, I got one of Carbatec Baswaters last British made record 52ED's (very nice construction!) for a great price, it's sitting ontop of the still boxed veritas twin screw tail vise.

Hi

I still have my Dawn vice and still reckon it's good. One criticism is that if you open it right to the maximum possible opening it derails and is a bugger to get threaded again.

Otherwise i'd still buy another

Cheers



Dave

Originally Posted by Ben from Vic.

A gallaxy far far away.

It appears that I am still subscribed to this thread.

I have taken a step backwards from the BB as I became quite apparent that this was the closest I was able to get to woodworking, and that it was likley to stay that way for some time yet.

So I have slunk (slinked?) away into the shadows for the time being..... but don't worry, I still come by from time to time just to see what everyone is up to. I just don't have anything intersting to post when I'm here.

I do intend to come back with a whole raft of new questions..... when I have a whole raft of new questions to ask.


As for the vice, I got one of Carbatec Baswaters last British made record 52ED's (very nice construction!) for a great price, it's sitting ontop of the still boxed veritas twin screw tail vise.

Good to see you're still around Ben.

I must say I've wondered what happened to you also.

That's the funny thing about the BB, (and BB's in general I suppose ?). A person can be a regular contributer and then one day they just fade away.

Anyone seen Gemi-babe recently?

Originally Posted by E. maculata

......I saw these Dawn pivot vices in Brissy yesterday

Bruce - whereabouts in Brisbane did you see the vice? I've been thinking about getting one of these since I first saw one mentioned in a web ad. But am reluctant to shell out considerable bikkies (yeah, I've got a lot of Scottish blood in me, too!) without getting my hands on one for a few minutes, at least, and haven't been able to locate a source here. I was hoping Timbecon would bring some to the TWWW show, but they didn't, just the Record knock-offs.
Ta,

Just to back up what has been said before, my current engineers vice is a DAWN, which was handed down from my Dad, who had it handed down from my Grandad. It may have a few battle scars but still works as if it were a day old!!

Originally Posted by IanW

Bruce - whereabouts in Brisbane did you see the vice?

Sorry Ian was away when you posted and got lost in the ether, I saw 2 of them
at "tradetools" at Beaudesert rd, Rocklea, was actually surprised by the amount of decent woodwork gear there for reasonable$$$ on some of it too.
Us clan titewad need to stick together otherwise the Normans will end up with all our gold
.