Thread: Our vices....

If you can still find one lying unloved in a warehouse or distributor's inventory, grab the English made Records. The local distributor here classifies them as "obsolete"!!

Big$ means going for a Jorgensen or a modern day version of an Emmert.

Oh dear, I've just bolted a Supercheap special to my bench.......maybe I'll just use it to hold the coffee

Can't help, but I do want to keep informed. I'm procrastinating over vices myself.
Looking at either a front vice from Veritas, or on a completely different tack one or maybe two Record/clone and line both up on front as Derrek does.

I'm procrastinating over vices myself.

I procrastinate over which vice to have. Cigarettes, alcohol or sex. Can't decide.

Originally Posted by Grunt

I procrastinate over which vice to have. Cigarettes, alcohol or sex. Can't decide.

Don't smoke.

Think about sex is as close as I get.

That leaves drink, my choice is easy. :eek:

Try the Jet version of the Record 52 1/2ED from MWE. I have one and it seems as strong as a Record.

Here is a link to the 9"

Have you had a look at 'Dawn'? ( www.dawntools.com.au ) Most people have heard of their clamps, but they have a pretty full line of vices, both cast & fabricated, engineers, off-set, even woodworkers. And they are an Oz company, so even if they get some of their stuff from O/S, part of the money stays here.

Some of the Chinese/Taiwanese/Other vices aren't too bad either, like 1920's Japan, if you want C@@p they will sell you c#$p, but if you want quality they can do a good job - mate has a big rotating pipe/engineers vice that has seen heavy work for 15 or so years, made in Faroffistan and still going strong.

JS - see my post from yesterday "You get what you pay for"
- a short adventure in fitting a cheapie Record knock-off to my 'portable' bench.
My conclusion from 3 hrs of use is that it will certainly do the job, but I still have reservations about longevity. I think I will be springing for a Dawn or Record when I do the (final) upgrade to my regular bench. When you amortise the cost over even 10 years, it isn't much to pay for one of your main tools....
Cheers,

If you want a Record, you'd better buy one soon! They are now in the discontinued group, a decision made by the new owner of Record/Marples/Bahco.. I'm having a senior moment as I forget the name .. you know, they make the one-handed clamps.. aaaahhhhh!

Anyway, I think that the Carba-tec knock-offs are great. And at a fraction of the price. I have a couple and they have been problem-free for several years now. When I do build a new bench, however, it will have more traditional wooden vices. But for inexpensive (Cheap!) metal vices similar (same as) the Record 52 1/2, go to Carba-tec.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Thanks for the ideas and experiences, guys. I think I'll take the ad"vice" (sorry...) on the Record clones (or a real one if they choose to clear them like GMC did those routers) in Carbatec in the short term, but I'm also keen to get a couple of tail vice screws when I (finally) build a better bench. (That'll be one that doesn't sway and groove like a soul singer every time I try to do anything on it...) On that front, anybody out there know of a distributor for Dawn in the ACT area? I emailed them direct but have heard nothing back

Cheers,
John

If it's in your price range have a look at the record quick release versions. I've one and have found it to be an extremely handy feature to be able to quickly open/close the vice. I do agree though that the carbatec clones appear to be good quality for the price.

I've been searching for a while for an engineers vice and after looking at all the cheapies on offer I've decided to wait till I come across a dawn at a reasonable price.

Cheers,
Eastie

Another 2d worth.

If it hasn't DAWNed on you yet - I have an engineer's vice on one end of the bench and a 10" quick release on the other. Would reckon they are each better than 50 years old and they have copped some real abuse on my bench which was fabricated using an old sleeper from the Willy Naval Dockyards on a 4x4 redgum frame.

I can still get spares for them too!! Blackwoods would have them or would order them. Dawn has it's office in Melbourne so it would be a simple matter of searching the White Pages.

A word of warning - it is my belief that Dawn went through a process of using a low cost offshore manufacturer there for a while - and some poor quality surfaced so I would be careful - you get what you pay for. Ring them - I'm sure they will give you the right info and a deal as well if you talk nicely.

Used to work for Stanley/Sidchrome many moons ago when they were in control but they cut Dawn loose and to my best knowledge are their own Co now.

Jamie