Thread: What do you think of this vise?

Ok, good to know.

Is this vise an offset?
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/randw...jaw/1049806223

he has a link to a fabricated vise, so he isn't comparing to the right thing. If it's an offset, then it's probably worth about the same dough as a fabricated (looking at Sydney Tools new prices), but if it's not an offset then he's dreaming as well.

This is the search at ST:
http://www.sydneytools.com.au/categories/550-vices

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

Nope, definitely cast iron - Masters are just inconsistent with their info:
https://www.masters.com.au/product/1...ers-vice-100mm

which says that the 4" version is

• Quick action thread
• Replaceable hardened steel jaws
• High quality forging using HT230 cast iron

The idea of forged cast iron is novel too.

Jordan

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

Crikey - this guy is either dreaming, or the days of a $50 Dawn are gawn:
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/kiama...ice/1048002837

That's a cast steel vice which is stronger than a cast iron vice.
This one might be a bit on the pricey side but for around $70 more than the Masters one it's ten times the vice even if an inch less in jaw width.
I'm not saying to rush out and buy this one but you don't see cast steel vices as often as their cast iron cousins.

Just a note on your tap and die set, it looks like they are die nuts and not elastic or split dies, these are really designed for repairing damaged threads rather than cutting new ones as you can't adjust the diameter. This is not to say you can't cut new threads with them but they may tend to tear the threads a bit with some materials because you have to cut to full depth in one pass. Use lots of a good cutting lube like Rocol or Trefolex and you should get better results.

Cheers,
Greg.

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

Ok, good to know.

Is this vise an offset?
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/randw...jaw/1049806223

he has a link to a fabricated vise, so he isn't comparing to the right thing. If it's an offset, then it's probably worth about the same dough as a fabricated (looking at Sydney Tools new prices), but if it's not an offset then he's dreaming as well.

This is the search at ST:
http://www.sydneytools.com.au/categories/550-vices

Yes that's an offset, very handy for holding vertical things or odd shapes. Just an aside... I see a left handed offset in that link.. someone was looking for one of those not long ago?

http://www.sydneytools.com.au/produc...ce-left-handed

Back to Gumtree, that 125mm cast dawn offset looks to be in good nick, the jaws look good, I'd think that's pretty fair value at that price.

Ray

Originally Posted by RayG

Back to Gumtree, that 125mm cast dawn offset looks to be in good nick, the jaws look good, I'd think that's pretty fair value at that price.

Ray

Yes, for an offset it's a fair price. Dunno why he linked to a fabricated vise - the offset is more $ new. Then again, maybe he knows as much about them as I do.....

Fence,

That Gumtree Dawn is an offset and I'd buy it if I was in the market for a big-ish vice.

Unlike most, I bought my Record new about 15 years ago for the bargain price of 460 bucks. Back then they had a list price, an outrageous one at that, of about $1300. The little piggyback Record I also bought new 32 years ago. That one cost a bit less. I need to find a replacement because my daughter has now taken ownership of it. Whilst the 8 inch Record is a pleasure to use, it probably has no great advantage over the Dawn, if anything the Dawn's ability to hold long, wide items vertically rivals the Record's extra wide jaws. I haven't tried anything that might risk shearing a jaw off the Record. For seriously abusive work I'd mount my Grandfather's self fabricated steel 5 inch vice on the bench. 80 years old and near on indestructible.

BT

ps still overpriced http://www.sitebox.ltd.uk/irwin-reco...ers-vice-oT114

I had a 6" Dawn welded/fabricated steel offset engineers vise as well as the 5" cast iron Dawn.

The steel vise used to bug the hell out of me - it had this habit of sticking when you undid it, really annoying, and I couldn't get it to stop it.

I think it's because the tension plane is off set to the screw plane and causes twisting.

Anyway, gave it to the Bro-inlaw and he's happy with it.

I've never had a swivel vise - can't see the need for it.

My father was a mechanic, and in the trade nothing beat a plain old Dawn as far as they were concerned.

Cast vises can break if you pull then up with the work on the corner instead of in the centre of the jaws. Broke one that way in 50 years.

Rob

Here's a couple of vises...

The Dawn 100 offset cast vise ( only installed a few months ago, after I broke a 40 year old record trying to unscrew tank shells )
IMG_0809.jpg

The leg vise is a recent upgrade as well, I used to have a swivel vise on that bench, but I'm loving the leg vise for general work.
IMG_0808.jpg

Ray

Or you could buy this one for $25 and get it sent up:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/work-benc...-/281370251434

cheers, greg
*well it was $25 buy-it-now when i posted, but some drongo has put a bid now *

I have a huge dawn vise, I don't know how old it is but I've had it for over 20 yrs and it wasn't even close to new when I got it. I've been meaning to make a base to sit it on my work bench when I need a metal working vise. One day

Brett for the amount of work you would do, I'd buy the Masters one. If you find that you are doing lots of heavy work and are in danger of breaking it then lash out on a decent quality one. I had no idea vises were that expensive for a decent one Don't think I've ever bought one.
In a recent shed clean I found the pipe vise I made as an apprentice. Lots and lots and lots of filing went into that one.

Originally Posted by NCArcher

Brett for the amount of work you would do, I'd buy the Masters one.

Yeah....I might even cut it back to the 100mm for $51.

Any one that has one will love their steel vice. GearWrench make value for money stuff. You might bend the vice ( with a BFH) but will never break it.Sure it is built a bit lighter than a similar cast iron vice but is stronger.

I was unable to see this vice in Masters Mackay- there's not a single bench vice in the store- leastways not in the tool section and i had a good look for them.
From the pricing, I guess, you might not get an HT handle and perhaps the screw might not be a proper vice thread. Other wise without being able to see one I would say its pretty good pricing

That small anvil on the fixed jaw is a wonderful feature. My steel Russian vice is a 25 year old and does not have one.

I have the smaller gearwrench tap /die sets but remember the dies are die nuts not split button .They are OK if you don't do a lot of work.

Grahame

Ha! I have used a BFH on the BF Record on occasion but I've made sure the the thing I'm trying to pull apart or bend is in the centre of the jaws, nowhere near those outriggers.

BT

Dawn make both CI and malleable iron ("steel") vices to the same pattern.
I gather CI, though more fragile, is good when you want a more rigid vice. It'd rather break than bend!
Dawn made them nice and stout.
The offset CI ones, particularly in big sizes, are prone to damage due to them being lop-sided and likely to fall over (off the bench!) until they are safely bolted down. The moving jaw can snap off. I clamp a short length of timber vertically in the jaws so it stands up more safely when moving it - like an extra leg.

Jordan