What vise or jaws?

Thinking a 4" of decent quality with removable jaws with various different types of materials for different uses, doesn't actually look to be that big of a pain, do some leather, hard rubber, nylon, brass, lead, have all sorts for varying applications.
 
gillmeister692 said:
You are obviously a master craftsman, but not much of a "wordsmith".

A VISE is a tool for holding things. A VICE is a socially unacceptable behavior, e.g., chewin' tabakky.
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And make sure you check both spellings when you're searching your favorite online classifieds! The distribution will be about 60/40 "Vise" to "Vice".

Bearhunter has covered it well and all I can say is don't use too large or strong a vise unless you are a person who has a very good mechanical "feel" and always pays attention, otherwise you can easily crush things.

The Record No74 or No75 are excellent: cast steel, not iron, swivel bases usually and good quality of course. You can make up a couple of drop in jaw covers out of plywood that have a slot cut in to allow them to slide down over the vise screw and "arm". Leather line them if you want. Much easier to remove quickly than screwed in or bent over soft jaws.

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The black vise above looks like a very good one as well, similar to the Records.
 
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gillmeister692 said:
You are obviously a master craftsman, but not much of a "wordsmith".

A VISE is a tool for holding things. A VICE is a socially unacceptable behavior, e.g., chewin' tabakky.
Click to expand...


Well, you got me there. I have other vices as well. You're right though the verb is VISE. Thanks for that.
 
Kelly Timoffee said:
Thinking a 4" of decent quality with removable jaws with various different types of materials for different uses, doesn't actually look to be that big of a pain, do some leather, hard rubber, nylon, brass, lead, have all sorts for varying applications.
Click to expand...

I started out with a four inch vise and I still have it. I now use a six inch Record made in the UK with quick release lever for easy clamping. I really don't like a vise that swivels on its base or rotates. That is a personal preference though and some swear by them.

My reasoning for using a six inch vise it that I can clamp more surface area and get a better hold without increasing overall pressure by clamping a smaller area. There are some very good ideas here. Felt jaws, that's a new one for me. Would have to be careful to keep filings and chips out of it though as well as oil or dye.
 
I have half a dozen vices oh sorry that's vises. I use plywood lined with leather for gun work and a Record is a good vise to buy. Sombody gave me a set of magnetic jaws lined with rubber which are ok but the magnets are to weak. Would be good if the magnets were stronger, always falling out when you need them.
 
if you do a lot of filing, stamping, or cold chiseling, you want the biggest machinist vise you can find. A machinist vise is made of cast iron and does not have play in the moving jaw in any position. The cast iron dampening properties enable much nicer finishes when filing, and much better results when stamping.. A mechanics vise is made of cast steel, and a lot of them use square tubing for the movable vise jaw ram. The moving jaw will have lots of play when extended. A mechanics vise does not have good dampening characteristics, they actually ring when stamping or filing. Mechanics vises are made for beating on, but they are better than no vise.

I use Wilton torpedo vises, they are excellent for my purposes, but they are not cheap.
 
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