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13718 Members
9 Forums
33809 Topics
470163 Posts
Max Online: 462 @ 08/05/16 09:13 PM
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#558658 - 11/18/19 08:14 PM
Re: Best Bench Vise
[Re: craigd]
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Sidelock

Registered: 01/02/02
Posts: 7294
Loc: mpls, mn.
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Both of the Record vises I can see appear to be swivel base vises, and both appear to be the Birmingham version, not the later Chinese version.
I looked at a Reed vise advertised on Craig’s List this past weekend, mostly because it was right down the street. One full turn of the handle before there was any movement on the jaw. Shot.... It's coincidental how you lined this up Ted. I have an England Record, one loosening turn releases the jaw to slide in or out, then a turn or a little more to cinch up the work, depending. One nice thing about a bigger than apparently needed vise is the mechanical advantage of the screw means someone doesn't have to really lean on it. It's amazing how beat some of these things can get. Craig, I didn’t have any luck buying a used vise. I tried for years. Finally bought a new one, A guy recently had a very newish England Record on Craig’s List, very fairly priced at $90. Nice vise, just couldn’t justify having another large (4”) vise and clearing a spot on the bench for it-I don’t need another mounted to ram tube and bolted to the floor. The sliding jaw is a nice feature, but, given the choice, I’d still go with the Wilton. Best, Ted
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#558673 - 11/18/19 11:45 PM
Re: Best Bench Vise
[Re: craigd]
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Sidelock
Registered: 09/20/16
Posts: 110
Loc: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
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I think buying a used vise is like buying a used gun... That's true in many ways, I think, including that it is very hard to find an affordable new gun or vise that compares to the quality and craftsmanship of the older ones. Also that one has to take more time in finding a used gun/vise that has been cared for and that does not have serious issues lurking beneath the surface. But when one does find a good old gun/vise, it can be a joy to use. It's probably a matter of perspective, but I would take my 1892 Henry Atkin boxlock over a modern, machine made, laser engraved shotgun any day. Same for my 1971 AyA 4/53. And I would take my Parker vise (c. 1940s) over a new one as well. The baseline expectation of craftsmanship does not compare. Consider, for example, the retainer on my two vises:  Not only does the Parker have it's name cast into the ring, but the slotted screw seems to be indexed to be vertical when fully seated. Could be accidental, but even the handle is vertical when the vise is fully closed. [Notice, there is a tension screw that allows the handle to be kept at a middle position if desired.] As for function, although my Parker was actually in pretty bad shape in some respects when I found it, there is essentially no 'play' in the screw and the action is smooth as glass. And the swivel base slides smoothly and locks up tight. My view is that the pride one takes in craftsmanship will be apparent and similar in both the aesthetic and functional aspects of a product. From a purely practical standpoint, Wilton is essentially the last maker of domestic vises (for US users), and, as of 2019, even the Tradesman is being built in Taiwan. If you want a new USA made Wilton, the starting price is just over $1000 for a C1. As Ted said, you can easily spend 3-4k on a new Wilton. Here's my tradesman before and after disassembly, clean up, lube and paint. The mechanical aspects of the vise were in great shape except I am going to have to straighten the swivel screw handles and replace a stripped screw in the retainer ring. I think it's going to be a good user  [For the record, I paid $125 (plus $120 shipping!) for my Parker (Facebook marketplace) and $140 for the Wilton (local auction). Both were good deals in my view, especially since I live in a vise-deplete region of the country. For those living in the Northeast or Midwest, good quality vises can be had for much less.]
Edited by Woodreaux (11/18/19 11:57 PM)
_________________________
Jim
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#558680 - 11/19/19 07:22 AM
Re: Best Bench Vise
[Re: Woodreaux]
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Sidelock

Registered: 01/02/02
Posts: 7294
Loc: mpls, mn.
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#558690 - 11/19/19 09:08 AM
Re: Best Bench Vise
[Re: Ted Schefelbein]
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Sidelock
Registered: 09/20/16
Posts: 110
Loc: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
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Jim, Both Morgan, and Reed produce vises in the US. You have to go out of you way to find either. Reed pushes their imports. Neither is cheap. I can't find a current Reed made in the USA. And what they're selling now as a 'quality' import does not inspire confidence. Compare the current 4.5" Reed 2C to one from yesteryear. (83# vs 18#, eg). Calling both of these vises by the same name is rather pathetic.  The Morgan looks great. As you said, it's not easy to find, but at $550 + $75 shipping, it looks like a good buy. It would be interesting to compare the old Morgan's with the new. Online, it looks like they kept things pretty similar in the new vises  In a world of profits over quality, I would almost buy a Morgan just to support their staying out of the race to the bottom.
Edited by Woodreaux (11/19/19 10:16 AM)
_________________________
Jim
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#558691 - 11/19/19 09:18 AM
Re: Best Bench Vise
[Re: buzz]
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Sidelock
Registered: 09/20/16
Posts: 110
Loc: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
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Great job cleaning up the old ones. I need to do the same with the Reed I bought.... am also going to make a set of custom 4” lead jaw covers for it... Thanks! I was surprised at how easy the clean up was for the most part. A wire wheel on an angle grinder does wonders. If you don't already know about it, the garage journal vise repair forum has many lifetimes of knowledge accumulated in one thread. I also made some lead jaws and posted in another thread on here. I didn't get a right angle but I think they do the trick and can be hammered to shape. It was an easy project. I'm going to reshape them but the width is perfect for a 4.5" vise  Link to my 'how I did it' post https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubb...7092#Post547092
Edited by Woodreaux (11/19/19 12:35 PM)
_________________________
Jim
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