Should I keep a Record No.5 or 110 Vice

[jweaver]

My company recently moved office and I had my eye on a vice in our plant room which I knew had hardly been use, to replace my small 1 Ton Record view that I had in my workshop.

I kept dropping hints and was told that it was mine but after months of excuses it never materialized and we finally vacated the building.. So I gave up hope decided to look for a 2nd hand vice and after reading up, I decided on a Record No.110 mainly because of the quick release.

Since they are fairly hard to come by I paid a little over the odds and bought a reconditioned one off eBay and was happy.

But you couldn't make this up.. The day after I had paid for it, I got a message to say the one of the facilities team were going back to the old office and were going to get the vice for me... And true enough, 24 hours later, I was presented with the vice.

It turned out to be a Record No.5. But even thought its 30 years old, its hardly been used and only ever for some light jobs.

So I now 2 almost identical vices and need to try and sell one to recoup what I paid and I am stuck on which one to keep.

The Record 110 is clearly the better vice.. Its a bit pitted through general use.. And its a bit sloppy (more than the 5 anyway)... And I really like the quick release..

Where as the Record 5 doesn't have the quick release, but it is a lot tighter.. And feels more "slick"..

If you were in my shoes, what would you keep.. An old 110, or a hardly used 5?

I have attached a couple of questions to give you an idea of what i am taking about.

I look forwards to your thoughts

Jon

 

[MattF]

A QR vice in decent nick would win every time, in my book, unless there was something truly special about the other vice.

 

[doubleboost]

The 110 is made from steel
You will not break it lol

 

[gordon stephenson]

I have never been a fan of quick release, Always considered standard arrangement to be a stronger option.

 

[T0rnado69]

nothing wrong with having more then one vice.

i would keep both if it was me..

 

[colnerov]

Hi, It's been a long while since I've been near a quick release vice, but do I remember correctly that it has a half nut that the QR lever moves out of engagement with the screw? If so it could be a weaker unit. Having said that I agree with TOrnado69 that two vices are better than one, It's not as if you will miss the money because it's already gone.

Colin

 

[MattF]

I have never been a fan of quick release, Always considered standard arrangement to be a stronger option.

Provided everything's working correctly, I'd honestly say the QR, (old style with buttress thread and half nut, and not these pokey alternatives some manufacturers keep coming out with), likely has similar strength to it, (in all honesty, it may even be more), than a standard square thread full nut. Plus there's the wear factor. Over the years, a standard setup will suffer far more wear than a QR setup. I've seen stripped or distorted square/acme leadscrews and nuts, but never even a badly worn buttress leadscrew or nut, as yet.

 

[MattF]

nothing wrong with having more then one vice.

i would keep both if it was me..

Honestly. Who would need more than one vice....

If the OP doesn't need to sell the other one, definitely the best advice.

 

[T0rnado69]

Honestly. Who would need more than one vice....

i know, well i must admit i have (of the top of my head)

about 6 or 7 vices.

but not double figures like some members

im struggling for workspace as it is.
no room for more vices

 

[MattF]

i know, well i must admit i have (of the top of my head)

about 6 or 7 vices.

but not double figures like some members

Aye, there are some sad gits out there....

What's in your vice collection, btw? 7 or so is becoming borderline saddo territory, but you know how some of us like photo's.

im struggling for workspace as it is.
no room for more vices

I know that feeling all too well. I'm literally tripping over that vice and stand I got the other day, at the moment.

 

[T0rnado69]

What's in your vice collection, btw? 7 or so is becoming borderline saddo territory,

you know i forgot about the three drill vices

once i gotta bit more space, il put them on the bench ( i haven't finished yet)

and take some pics and add to the vice thread.

i have a corsa engine sitting on a stand in the way,
timing chain issue and oil leak.. sounded like a diesel.
they spent £240 on getting it thou a MOT, then decided not to spend
anymore on it, two weeks later when it got RAC'd back to me.
because of the chain.
so they went and got a loan and bought a 12 plate fiesta.
and sold the corsa to me for scrap.

and a little while back i picked up a 8x6 shed off ebay for my sister for 99p.
i had to dismantle it and take away.
i know it needed new roof and some floor panels.
bottom beam and feather edge on all four parts needed.
but a cheap shed, i have marine ply to hand and wood to make new beams.
bought some feather edge.
put it all round my mates in his garden.
so i can work on it and get it sorted before transported it to Colchester.
now my mate was put on nights, to sort out the night shift workers that where slacking.
night shift manager quit,so now his on perm nights for time being.
i did get the floor sorted and bought the 4 panels back to my garage
so i can work on them... so not much space ATM.......

 

[MattF]

Sounds like you're well and truly space deficient at the moment.

 

[jweaver]

Cheers all.. For me, I don't have the space to keep both... I think I will stick with the 110.. The No5 is in much better condition, but I am a big fan of "vintage" tools... The only thing I need to do with the 110 is get the handle/bar straightened as its got an annoying bend in it.

Going to take it to my local go-kart track tomorrow where they have a hydraulic press to see if they will help me bend it back.

 

[MattF]

You've made the right choice, IMHO. QR is far better than winding in and out, and that 110 is a heavier duty vice. The No.5's are good mind, but the 110 is a better overall choice.

 

[jweaver]

One thing that bothers me with my 110 is that on the left side, there is what looks like a repair.. There is no evidence of a crack looking at the other side, but there is something not quite right..

But I just found a picture of another and that appears to have a very similar 'patch' in the same area.. Anyone know if this was how the original was supplied? Or whether this is a weak spot that is often repaired..

Attached are a couple of photos.. Mine is the darker blue of the 2.

Jon

 

[colnerov]

Hi, Is it not just a witness mark where it would be on the edge of the bench, more so if the bolts were a bit loose? Although that is where it would break as did one of ours years ago after too much abuse.

Colin

 

[jweaver]

Hi, Is it not just a witness mark where it would be on the edge of the bench, more so if the bolts were a bit loose? Although that is where it would break as did one of ours years ago after too much abuse.

Colin

I am not sure if you are missing what I am showing.. Click on the picture so that you can see it closer.. They both have a 'blob'.. Like filler... Have a look at the attached, I have circled what I am talking about.

 

[Screwdriver]

They would both have been cast using the same process (I assume sand cast), possibly even from the same pattern. Looks like that is where there might have been a gate for the casting process which gets chopped off and ground down for the finished article.

You're never going to break a vice at that point anyway.

S.

 

[jweaver]

They would both have been cast using the same process (I assume sand cast), possibly even from the same pattern.

You're never going to break a vice at that point anyway.

S.

I agree.. But the mark looks different on both.. On the lighter one, it actually overlaps the 'D' of England... Just like its been "filled"

Based on what Colin said above, he knows of one which broke in that very spot, so I am now intrigued. I am going to take a closer look at mine when I get home to compare the shape/size of the mark.

 

[Screwdriver]

What I should have said is that if you do manage to break a vice at that point, it's gonna be really obvious!