Show us your bench vice(s)

[Gregb23]

Never seen Wadkin vices before, pattern makers style of vice? What size are the jaws?

 

[vardatintalle]

Never seen Wadkin vices before, pattern makers style of vice? What size are the jaws?

'Wadkin Universal Woodworkers and pattern makers vice' 18" across the top and 7" down the sides. Also has a 3" set of hardened steel jaws on the bottom.

I've never seen any in the flesh before - I paid £300 for the pair which I feel was good but don't have any past sales to compare to.

 

[Arc Tourist]

'Wadkin Universal Woodworkers and pattern makers vice' 18" across the top and 7" down the sides. Also has a 3" set of hardened steel jaws on the bottom.

I've never seen any in the flesh before - I paid £300 for the pair which I feel was good but don't have any past sales to compare to.

Great find, and buy !

 

[SteveB58]

These have come up for sale locally.
Are they worth anything? (Apart from anchors )View attachment 491396

Peter Wright type vices. I've one that I don't use at the moment, but it's stored just in case, loved using it and never found it wanting.

 

[SteveB58]

'Wadkin Universal Woodworkers and pattern makers vice' 18" across the top and 7" down the sides. Also has a 3" set of hardened steel jaws on the bottom.

I've never seen any in the flesh before - I paid £300 for the pair which I feel was good but don't have any past sales to compare to.

I'd say you got a bargain. Mind they can be a bugger to fit.

 

[Guzrik]

Unfortunately not mine, but too nice not to show. There is a clip but unsure how to get that here?

 

[vardatintalle]

Enamel time!

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

It is a vice, it can sit on a bench.

How fast did the flash rust form?

I had ti drill the original rivet and split pin, evn then it was pain to get the moving jaw out.

Dam changeable weather.

Cheep gold leaf is not worth it.

 

[—Tom—]

Enamel time!

Did you remove the Tommy bar to get it polished?

 

[vardatintalle]

Did you remove the Tommy bar to get it polished?

No I left it in place and took the time to polish around it. I was half tempted to cut it off and just buy a replacement with the nut on the end that can be removed but am glad I didn't. You can see on the image a piece of paper between the ball and bar to stop it marring where I've polished.

 

[Arc Tourist]

Enamel time!

Oh ! And welcome to the forum !

 

[premmington]

View attachment 492340Unfortunately not mine, but too nice not to show. There is a clip but unsure how to get that here?

Vice porn!

 

[pressbrake1]

Very collectable.
The Anvil man likes them.
If they're 6" they're especially sought after.

He sells for big money, when I’ve offered him stuff it seems like he wants for less than scrap

 

[Seadog]

He paid me well for my PW, but it was nearly perfect.
I'm sure that he trebled his money, though.

 

[vardatintalle]

Finished.

 

[ranger08]

Finished.

better than new, love the 20 series QR

 

[MattF]

Looks good. Nicely done.

 

[dannysheff]

Because there is something similar in a Woodhead (Bradford Cramp, est 1849) catalogue and it has some characteristics of their make, I assumed they made this v early bench vice, which sits outside and I use at least once a week.

then this patent appeared online --- 1843 - one patentee London (moved to USA) but the other Rochdale - not far from Bradford (as with other key vice patents (Keighley, Shipley, Accrington) 1870/80s)

 

[dannysheff]

RE the above - Peter Wright is often described as the inventor of the 'parallel vice' in 1862 and 1863 - this Stivens/Mason clearly has a parallel movement and is well before (and there are also US vices of parallel movement before 1862).
Here is another contender more like the later Peter Wright parallel bench vices Easterbrook Allcard of Sheffield started 1843, this is an 1867 advert:

 

[premmington]

Pardon our interruption...

Cheap 23QR on ebay