Anyone with a Parkinsons Perfect no.8A ?

[Old Grizzly]

Having problems with new jaws supplied for my 8A. The bolt holes in the jaw plates sent, are the usual 5/16"dia., but are drilled at 1/4" centre from the bottom of the jaw. The corresponding bolt holes on my vice body are drilled at 5/16 centres from the bottom. This means that if fitted, there would be 1/16 of fresh air between the jaws and the 'shelf' .... an obvious no no, and I don;t really want to cobble the job by shimming especially as it is to be a 40th birthday present for my youngest lad.

If you've got an 8A and have a spare moment, could you do me a favour and measure yours from bottom of the jaw to the hole centre and let me know please. The supplier insists that 1/4" is 'standard' and my vice must have been modified, the only other option would be to have bespoke jaws made ..... and they are likely to cost an arm and two legs. .... :<((
I know these vices are likely to be best part of a century old and there would have been variations in manufacture over the years, but I'm interested in seeing which were the most common jaw layout.

Thanks ..... be good, be safe and be lucky
Dave

 

[frank horton]

I've never had good luck with replacement vice jaw's even from Record.....
I just make my own now and bin em when they get too bad....

 

[Agroshield]

Do the jaws that came off it look factory? Are they the same dimensions overall as the replacements, just with different hole position?

Can you see any evidence that the step might have been lowered after manufacture?

An option could be to lower the bolt holes so the supplied jaws sit on the step.

You could make a bush that has an eccentric hole in it and enlarge the holes in the vice (slot drill/end mill, not twist drill). I think a tad over 7/16" diameter would do for the bush (7/16" is minimum assuming hole in vice is 5/16", but it will be larger, for clearance. 12mm might work, 1/2" certainly).

I do not see why you reject shimming. Done properly - make sure the step is flat and a tiny smear of JB Weld on the underside of the shim, couple of dowels (nails, panel pins) after it has set - it would be fine.

 

[Bouledogue]

Do a drawing and send it to Adrian at Wilkes Engineering. He will make you a set to your specifications.

This is the pencil-sketch I sent him for my #9, which is only slightly different from your 8A.

 

[brightspark]

just put a 1/16th strip in drill and pin it or use jb weld to hold it in with a tight fit . will last forever