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I'd like a vice but no idea what to get. Don't want to spend loads as it'll just be for occasional use, mostly bike stuff. If it makes any difference, I'll be bolting it to an 18mm MDF worktop.
Is something like the Record Irwin Entry a good bet or over kill?
I have one of those. It is perfectly good for most jobs, the jaws are a little coarse but cheap guards work in keeping softer metals from being marked.
Certainly worth keeping it simple, cheaper vices, especially swivel vices at the same price point are not worth it at all
That'll be ok, but don't be trying to welly big stuff off of it. Mount it on something more substantial than just 18mm MDF; that really won't stand up to anything. Mine is mounted to a worktop with 18mm MDF, but with a thick piece of oak or something to reinforce it. Long coach bolts and big nuts to hold it in place. Make sure everything's tight and doesn't wobble about.
The ideal choice would be a second hand old Record or similar. They come in different numbers, depending on size and type, which can get confusing. I'm sure someone one here can explain. Far better quality metal and castings. Those old things will outlast all of us. Prices have gone up a lot in recent years though; I paid £30 each for an engineers vice and a woodworking vice. I think you'll be paying over £100 for one now. Well worth the investment though; you can hand it down to your kids and so-on.
I picked up a cheap MacAlister one from B&Q in a broken box.
It's screwed into a worktop made of 2x18mm OSB boards glued and screwed and then faced with 6mm ply. And the workbench moves more than the vice when hammering away.
Only negative has been the handle had some sort of screw on ends which have rattle loose and gone missing so it's just retained with a big ball of tape.
The equivalent Record is a 4” No.3. Some on eBay for roughly £50. They are £115 new
E.g.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165444891348?var=0&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338268676&toolid=10044&customid=EAIaIQobChMIsIPuupfW-gIVDdTtCh3t1wGWEAQYAyABEgK1yPD_BwE
As above, better castings and jaws
it’s shit, cheap bubbly aero metal, like anything you can buy nowadays unless it costs £££!Is something like the Record Irwin Entry a good bet or over kill?
Should be able to pick up a decent old UK made one for similar money if you hunt around. There’s a great thread on here somewhere where people were showing their finds off!
"The ideal choice would be a second hand old Record or similar"
I should explain; 'Irwin Record' is not the same thing as the original old Record vices. The old ones were made in Britain, the new ones are made in the Far East using inferior quality metal and machining. I've seen new vices; Irwin Record, Clarkes etc, snapped. The metal inside is like Aero chocolate, full of tiny bubble holes. It's nowhere near as strong as the old ones, which I think were cast and forged. I've never seen the body of one of those broken.
Is it for light or heavy use? For "normal" use what you have linked will be fine. If you are going to abuse it, it will break.
Even a cheap vise like that is so much better than not having one, makes cutting, filing, 3rd hand jobs so much easier. Just dont expect it to press out a car ball joint, stand up to being wailed on with a club hammer etc.
I buy old vices when I have needed them, been about £100 recently unless you get a bargain, but the modern equivalents are about £800-£1000 to buy a new one. If you buy an old one check it carefully, there are lots of good ones, and lots of worn out and broken ones for sale as well.
I’ve never seen the body of one of those broken
I have, although it was a No.2 so 3” rather than 4.
It was in a college workshop and being seriously abused by a very heavy handed caretaker for an entirely unsuitable job. To say I was annoyed would be an understatement, especially as he hadn’t asked if he could use the workshop beforehand.
Surely this thread should be closed and added to the greatest vice thread: https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/mcmoontertrackworld-vices/
I have, although it was a No.2 so 3” rather than 4.
It was in a college workshop and being seriously abused by a very heavy handed caretaker for an entirely unsuitable job. To say I was annoyed would be an understatement, especially as he hadn’t asked if he could use the workshop beforehand.
WTF was he doing with it???
It involved trying to twist something apart by using a six foot length of scaffold pipe as a lever
Idiot. Mind, I've done similar with mine, I'm sure, and I've seen worse done on others, with no issues.
Auction houses are usually a rich source of old engineering materials. Try searching on EasyLiveauction.co.uk
https://www.easyliveauction.com/catalogue/?searchTerm=vice&searchOption=3
Find one nearest you, although some auction houses post stuff out for a fee.
I'd also take a look in gumtree, as many are pick up only due to weight. I got my Record No3 for 20 quid i think it was,from gumtree. Been in use for more than 2 decades now. Very reliable.
Got mine from Gumtree
Thanks for the responses. Will have a look on gun Gumtree and FB market place and if that fails go for three one I linked to.
Will also look at reinforcing the top. Will only be using it for holding stuff when filing, cutting, hammering etc. And anything else it might come in handy for!
Mind and pick yourself up a set of soft jaws.
Cheap Sealey type from Ebay... for everything i've ever needed it's perfectly fine.
I've got a record #3, it's been very good and was fairly cheap off ebay. Stronger than my bench I reckon. It's only little but there's only been a couple of times I'ev ever thought I could use more
Had a machine mart cheapie which did me for a few years then
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Also had a real no-name cheapie which lasted about 3 minutes until
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If i had my time again i'd have got a good offset vice - particularly useful for a lot of bike stuff.
Nothing to add that has not already ben said - old school Record is what you want - ebay/FB Marketplace/Gumtree/etc.
i think we have 4 or 5 around our workshop - most of which are older than me (50)
I bought a made in England Record No. 3 the other day. Previously just had a cheapie that rotates on its base. I haven't broken it but I don't recommend a rotating one. I rarely use the function and it's not very secure.
Wish I'd seen that £50 one up there before though - I paid much more! Albeit mine looks pretty much unused.
Get some soft jaws. I have used my cheap magnetic aluminium ones with cut outs for round things for just about all bike work and will I think get some rubber ones too.
Looking back, roughly half of all the carpentry projects I've ever taken on have been to make yet another workbench, whose primary purpose is to hold a vise.
I have a smaller record and a newer one, made somewhere in India. The older one is nicer to use but the newer one is bigger and swivels. I tend to use the bigger, newer one more. I've put the smaller one aside until I find the appropriate use for it
Swivel function hasn't been used much, but has been really handy when I have
This is a Record I bought back in 2016, I had to drive down to Bridgwater to pick it up, which I was happy to do - the cost of the diesel to drive an hour each way was far less that what it would have cost via courier! It was in quite a state with many layers of crappy old paint, but after a going over with a wire whizz-wheel, and a coat of blue Hammerite, it turned out pretty well for the £50 it cost me. 😎
Record Roundel Blue paint here:
https://www.paragonpaints.co.uk/BS381C-110-Roundel-Blue-Record-Vice-Blue.html
Record, Woden, Parkinsons etc. are all good vices but if you come across a Swindens for sensible money grab it 😍
As others say, just have a look on facebook marketplace for people selling record vices nearby, most only require a clean, oil and spruce up and they're back to nearly new condition, i did just check and they do seem to have gone up a little in price in the last year or two, same as everything, but 50 quid or below will get you something decent.
I’ve got a Record No6 sat waiting for a spruce up. I’ve already got the spring / pin service kit, just lacking some enthusiasm to get off my arse and do it.
If I can get it to look like CountZero’s before paint I’ll be happy.