Buying a vice…
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Hi,
I’ve been working on the other site projects for a while (commondwoodroking.com) using a small engineers vise and clampling to the bench. It worked, more or less but is far than ideal.
Now, I want to buy a vise. I was trying to get the reccomended eclipse 9 but it seems to be unavailable for some time now on amazon Spain, and cannot find it elsewhere. Amazon.com (USA) has it ($77.25 Shipping & Import Fees )
So, being in Europe (Spain), I was checking fine-tools and looking at this 52 1/2: https://www.fine-tools.com/tischlerschraubstock.html
I understand from previous forum entries that it must be a York.
As I read about Mr. Sellers problems with his York quick release vices in the past I was wondering if these non quick release vices would be more reliable.
Have anyone tried them? Any thoughts?Thanks in advance
I haven’t tried those specifically, but I do have a cheaper type of quick release vice that uses the turn backward a little mechanism and I do regularly end up fighting with it in exactly the case described. If you want to just turn a piece around or switch to another identical one the amount of unscrewing that it will do before disengaging and sliding further is usually not enough to get the peice out or get the next one in, but if it slides you now have to turn more on the next piece… so is it really saving time overall? Of course it could also be that mine just isn’t very good, heh.
Stands to reason that a non-quick-release vice is dead simple and ought to have very reliable behavior.
So I think it is definately a tradeoff.
Hi,
You could pick up a vintage record 52 1/2, 53 etc for a reasonable cost.
They were built to last, and keep on rocking. I have modes from 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, and they all work great.
Darren.
Could not agree more with Darren. I hunted for months to find a 40’s record 52 1/2 and ultimately went to pretty extravagant lengths to get one across the Atlantic from England. Would do it all over again in a hearbeat – the thing is my favorite tool in the shop. I’d hold out until you can spot one and then snatch it up quick. Also, look for Woden vises from the same era.
Thanks. Yeah, a vintage record is an option I had in mind but I’m a little hesitant (afraid) to buy a used vice if there is a reasonable option new…
I have had two york vices. Both within a span of two years quit closing on thinner stock. The guild rails bent with use. They needed more and more tightening to grip. And lost their taper to the jaws.
I also have two eclipse vises and the older one is considerable better quality than is the newer one. With the same jaw material, and being the same size vise the older one holds considerably better.
I would hunt down and older 40-50s vise
To replace the newer eclipse.Ok, thank you very much to all for your answers.
I looked up ebay and found some so I bit the bullet and bought this:
A 52 1/2 E. Not a nice face but the parts look right and got it for 60 GBP with the buy it now option (plus aroung 45 shipping and customs if everything goes well).
I’ll try and post when received/installed.Thanks again.
Jose
P.S. I knew I had to do this. Just needed a little push.
Thanks. It arrived last week and now it’s ready for cleaning.
I’ll need to also straighten the screw cover, that is twisted but everything else is ok, apart from some paint loss and the stains.
It works fine (I tried it upside-down on the bench).
Looks good.
Once I had mine stripped and cleaned I sprayed the face with some Matt clear coat to inhibit any rust return.
Been a few years now and it still looks good.
And… it’s ready to use..
Some trouble retensioning the quick release spring was solved thanks to this video (min 3:56):
https://youtu.be/JNFNFSvYAQs
Two pine jaws (one lined with textured leatherette) will suffice for now.
So, one more Record 52 1/2 back to work.
I’ve attached a picture of my small “jewellers” vise with lined wooden jaws that has served me ok to this moment. With the projects it helped build.Thanks again to all that answer
Nice! Well done!
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