Show us your bench vice(s)

[MattF]

This one doesn't have cylindrical rails but it does have a buttress thread. It's one above the camlock nut type but one below the modern qr system.

What does it have, and what do you class as the modern system?

 

[Dieselman 63]

What does it have, and what do you class as the modern system?

This one has the square rails with buttress thread and half nut. The revised front design of Parkinson wood vices is much more similar to Record and Woden and includes a number - these series vices have cylindrical rails with buttress thread and half nut. I consider this the 'modern' system as it's the one you continue to find on qr wood vices. Illustrated is a Woden wood vice which I've since sold, this has the cylindrical rails and buttress thread but the qr holder for the half nut is cast iron unlike the pressed steel you find on Records.

Also shown is this very early Woden which has the camlock design. I personally dislike this style as I find a screw/slide option easier to manipulate, but I know that some woodworkers swear by these things. You can see however the hefty lump of iron you have to hang under the bench to accommodate this vice. The one above is at least 50% shorter, lighter and has the same opening length.

 

[Viceman]

My latest effort My next project is a Parkinson Model F No7 and on stripping it down seems a very close copy to the Records I am more familiar with, or did Record copy Parkinson?

 

[Seadog]

Record bought Parkinson. Parkinson invented the QR vice as far as I'm aware.

 

[Jetex]

I have a Record 110 steel vice.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I have a Record 110 steel vice.

Did you paint it, or buy it like that?

 

[Jetex]

I painted it with Hammerite, I had it a long time and before it was quite rusty and needed a good clean up

 

[Viceman]

I may have a vice obsession

 

[CwazyWabbit]

That's not a vice obsession .... yet

BTW Parkinson came first with the vices. The model F No 7 has had at least 4 different designs over the years.

 

[Seadog]

You're not alone

 

[Viceman]

I presume the original colour for Parkinsons is a Burgundy/Maroon as mine is overpainted at the moment a Fire engine red. A google suggests Maroon ish red although there seems to be all shades and colours.

 

[Arc Tourist]

I may have a vice obsessionView attachment 126987

I can relate.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

I presume the original colour for Parkinsons is a Burgundy/Maroon as mine is overpainted at the moment a Fire engine red. A google suggests Maroon ish red although there seems to be all shades and colours.

It varied in it's redness over the years, also the colour seems to darken with age. You may find a bit of the original colour hiding in yours when you take it apart.

This one is still in it's original colour if that helps you.

 

[Dieselman 63]

That's about right though it's darkened a bit. I found a nice lump of paint caked under a nut (good place to check) and found maroon on my little wood vice I bought the other day.

The Parkinson catalogue is really cool, there's so much there that I want, the ball base vices are of particular interest to me.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

That's about right though it's darkened a bit. I found a nice lump of paint caked under a nut (good place to check) and found maroon on my little wood vice I bought the other day.

The Parkinson catalogue is really cool, there's so much there that I want, the ball base vices are of particular interest to me.

I probably shouldn't mention that I have 5 of them in various states of disrepair ....

 

[Dieselman 63]

I probably shouldn't mention that I have 5 of them in various states of disrepair ....

I can sympathise, I'm the same with wood vices. I have a huge Record 53A which imo is the king of wood vices, with the old style webbing on the front but without the RD number, a very attractive front. I have the baby 52 in this style too 'for when I build a woodworking bench'...

This doesn't explain why I felt the need to buy the little Parkinson... but it was really cheap... think it's lived outside for some time I was doing so well too, I sold a Woden wood vice the very day before I bought the Parkinson! Some pics of the Woden for you, I've never seen another and only a written reference in the catalogue. A very poor design, very flimsy and a complete pain to reset the toothed piece when (not if) it falls out.

 

[CwazyWabbit]

That Woden mechanism is very similar to the mechanism in my Wilson Riley bench vice, Massey also produced vices with the same mechanism.

I think I have around 70 vices in total, but if I'm honest I stopped counting a while back.

 

[Dieselman 63]

That Woden mechanism is very similar to the mechanism in my Wilson Riley bench vice, Massey also produced vices with the same mechanism.

I think I have around 70 vices in total, but if I'm honest I stopped counting a while back.

Yeah it's heavy and fragile, they sometimes get called 'instantaneous grip' ones. I counted the other day, I've owned a mere 15 vices in two years, and currently I own four. Just buy and sell, climb the vice ladder until I get what I want. My Record 34P has served me well so far but I wouldn't hesitate to sell it for a Fortis with the front swivel jaws.

 

[MattF]

My next project is a Parkinson Model F No7 and on stripping it down seems a very close copy to the Records I am more familiar with, or did Record copy Parkinson?

Parkinson was pretty much the designer of what we commonly accept as standard vice design nowadays.

 

[MattF]

It varied in it's redness over the years, also the colour seems to darken with age. You may find a bit of the original colour hiding in yours when you take it apart.

There was an orange/brown type colour in the mix at sometime too, according to my 8A.

70 odd vices? Seriously, you shade us all.

Diesel', the Ball Bases are a beautiful piece. If you ever see one, get it. The ball & locking mechanism on those is superb.