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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    35

    Default Show Off Your Vice(s)

    G’day just thought it might be cool to see some of the vices/vises everyone might have and if you have any interesting info on them to share.

    Here are some of mine if you don’t realise I like Dawn vices..



    This 100mm offset “Super Grade” Dawn vice I recently picked up from a cryogenics company (Cryofin) in Melbourne. It’s called “super grade” as it’s made from Ductile Iron.



    This is an older 3 1/2” offset Dawn vice that I got of an old farmer who bought it new in the 60’s.



    This is a 100mm Dawn machine vice from the Hazelwood Power Station I got just after it was shut down.



    Finally this is a 4 1/2” Dawn engineering vice.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    Newcastle, AU
    Posts
    238

    Default

    That's a nice selection of Dawns!

    My first ever vice was a Dawn 100mm. The fellows at Gasweld told me I was mad buying an Australian one and I should have paid $30 less for their house brand Chinese-made vice with a swivel function to boot. I found it fascinating that they couldn't see the point of buying Australian.



    Years later I found a newer swivel unit for a bargain and ended up selling my original one for more than what I paid for the swivel unit:



    A 150mm fabricated Dawn from a street away from where I grew up - the guy I bought it from had bought it new in approx. the 80s from memory. I found that it felt different to a cast unit in use, didn't like it as much - though how much of that was my imagination I don't know:



    A 150mm cast Dawn - came from a chap up the valley who was retiring from doing large projects, with a 3" Carter I found at a garage sale:



    A Dawn 5SP - this one came from a fellow who restored Kombis only a suburb away, he got it from his late father in law but had a larger one so never used it:



    A Dawn 6SP - this one came from up the valley as well, the guy I bought it from didn't know anything about it - I think he may have inherited it and never used it:



    This one came from around Cessnock - the guy I bought it from had been trying to figure out the QR mechanism for a while and couldn't get it working. I was very pleased to take it off his hands and restore it. I'd love to get my hands on a SQ one day to compare weights/sizes/etc. and see just how much of a difference there was:



    This little Ess-Vee came from Charlestown - worst casting I have ever seen in a vice and it was very poorly designed, you couldn't swing the handle around the whole way without it colliding with the dynamic jaw and you couldn't put a washer there as it would not then allow the spring on the screw to have the far washer installed - at least not without drilling another hole for the split pin further down.



    This one came from closer to Nelson Bay and was a bargain despite the nut being broken:



    Wish I had a better colour for it but it looks better now that it's worn in a bit. Gets almost daily use and I can't see myself replacing it except with a 125 or 150mm variant of the same.

    I picked up a Samsonia Perfect vice the other day from a local blacksmith who was clearing his shop, no pictures yet though... and a Dawn drill vice pair, I should clear off the swarf and take some pics of those. And there's the Record 100mm, and that little vice on the floor that's either a Record or a Dawn...

    I should dig up the pictures of the two Dawn 4Ls I had a few months back - did not find those to be nearly as substantial as the 100mm ones I originally purchased, or the other non-light-pattern Dawns of the time.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    35

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by J.C. View Post
    I should dig up the pictures of the two Dawn 4Ls I had a few months back - did not find those to be nearly as substantial as the 100mm ones I originally purchased, or the other non-light-pattern Dawns of the time.
    I’d like to see the difference in size I’ve noticed the difference between my 3 1/2” off set and 100mm. Even though it’s only 1/2” difference in jaw the vice is very different.


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    Newcastle, AU
    Posts
    238

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by doily_grunge View Post
    I’d like to see the difference in size I’ve noticed the difference between my 3 1/2” off set and 100mm. Even though it’s only 1/2” difference in jaw the vice is very different.
    I have never seen a 3 1/2" in the flesh but it does look rather a lot smaller in that pic than I would expect! Is it cast iron or steel? I had a catalogue containing that vice only the other week, I should see if I can find them. Could well be over a half century between those two vices...

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    35

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by J.C. View Post
    I have never seen a 3 1/2" in the flesh but it does look rather a lot smaller in that pic than I would expect! Is it cast iron or steel? I had a catalogue containing that vice only the other week, I should see if I can find them. Could well be over a half century between those two vices...
    It’s cast iron, two bolts not 4. I have a digital copy of the 1967 Dawn catalogue with the 3 1/2” pictured in it here. It has the patent number cast into the side too like the one pictured.


  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2019
    Location
    Sydney
    Age
    72
    Posts
    26

    Default

    I found this one left after a Council Clean-up - apparently too heavy to lift into the truck. The bloke who put it out mowed around it for a couple weeks until I came along, knocked on his door, and he helped to lift it into the car. He didn't know that it was a Post Vyce and likely more 100 years old - it's in better condition than my current Post Vyce. I'll brush it back and nitride it I think.

    20190220_121625.jpg

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    35

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Ted Hobson View Post
    I found this one left after a Council Clean-up - apparently too heavy to lift into the truck. The bloke who put it out mowed around it for a couple weeks until I came along, knocked on his door, and he helped to lift it into the car. He didn't know that it was a Post Vyce and likely more 100 years old - it's in better condition than my current Post Vyce. I'll brush it back and nitride it I think.

    20190220_121625.jpg
    Mate that’s awesome! Great find.

  8. #8
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    7,182

    Default

    BS Vice
    https://metalworkforums.com/f266/t20...-2#post1932709

    Restored Dawn
    https://metalworkforums.com/f65/t134...-4#post1309356

    An old Parkinson Vice I have amongst my stash
    Old engineering vice-vice12-jpg

    I have a few others, a 5" cross slide vice on my DP.

    My Main workhorse is a 4" Joplin I bought with my first two weeks wages in 1967.

    A Douglas shaper vice and newish cheap (surprisingly good) milling vice.
     3" swivel milling vice review-twovices-jpg

    I also have a few wood work vices.
    BobsBencha.jpg
    The handle on the one on the LHS has been replaced.
    ViceHandle.jpg

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    Newcastle, AU
    Posts
    238

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Ted Hobson View Post
    I found this one left after a Council Clean-up - apparently too heavy to lift into the truck. The bloke who put it out mowed around it for a couple weeks until I came along, knocked on his door, and he helped to lift it into the car. He didn't know that it was a Post Vyce and likely more 100 years old - it's in better condition than my current Post Vyce. I'll brush it back and nitride it I think.

    20190220_121625.jpg
    Nice - I do love a good council pickup score.

    Quote Originally Posted by BobL View Post
    BS Vice
    https://metalworkforums.com/f266/t20...-2#post1932709

    Restored Dawn
    https://metalworkforums.com/f65/t134...-4#post1309356

    An old Parkinson Vice I have amongst my stash


    I have a few others, a 5" cross slide vice on my DP.

    My Main workhorse is a 4" Joplin I bought with my first two weeks wages in 1967.

    A Douglas shaper vice and newish cheap (surprisingly good) milling vice.


    I also have a few wood work vices.

    The handle on the one on the LHS has been replaced.
    That shaper vice and the milling vice look quite good! Which model Parkinson is that?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Norwood-ish, Adelaide
    Age
    59
    Posts
    6,540

    Default

    P1040727.JPG
    An Eclipse instrument maker's vice (no. 184 I think). Can be adjusted around 2 rotation and one linear axis for positioning. A mate borrowed it recently to make up a copy of a lock and thought it superb (He now wants one...). That's some 14mm square aluminium in the jaws.

    Michael

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Perth, Western Australia
    Age
    67
    Posts
    362

    Default

    Going through this thread and few others lately where some really nice brand name vices have been shown and some restored I was starting to feel a bit inadequate. I only have one name brand vice and the rest well who knows. Apart from one I have never restored any, I just use and abuse.
    They have served me well though.

    No5 Record bought this new in the mid 90`s.

    DSC06527 e.jpg

    The next is a no name brand and proof that the Chines can get it write. 6"jaws I bought it new about 20 years ago. Was on the back of my ute in the years when I was servicing earthmoving equipment. It has taken a pounding. I did brake the inner cast iron retainer ring for the swivel base. Machined a new one from steel plate and has been fine ever since.

    DSC06524 e.jpg


    This one I have no idea how I got it. No1 no name chain vice. Don`t use it much but is handy to have.


    DSC06532 e.jpgDSC06537 e.jpg

    I don`t know way I have never bought a descent drill vice. (I tell myself its because I tend to clamp things to the table). This is the second cheap one I have owned. You don`t want to see the first, it`s embarrassing.

    DSC06550 e.jpg

    This gets in because it has vice in the name. Clamp vice, I picked it up at H&F on special when I was welding a lot of angled brackets for someone.

    DSC06553 e.jpg


    The green one I think is the last surviving member of my first real tool kit I put together in the late seventies.( Before that I just borrowed dads)
    It has Made in England cast in but no brand name. 70mm jaws and stands about 80mm off the table. I cleaned it up and painted it 5-6 years ago when it moved from the shed to the house for my audio bits. The one clamped in it is from RS the electronics company. 40mm jaws, opens to about 150mm. It needs some new jaws for it.

    DSC06558 e.jpg

    I don`t know if this counts but I made this when I was sanding some wood bits. Pneumatic operation.

    DSC05730 e.jpg

    Anyway that's it.

    Tony

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    395

    Default Wood and metal vices.

    Being, a patternmaker and furniture maker I have a few wood work vices.
    Now retired a mucking around with some old cars I’ve a few metal as well.
    A mate recently gave me this Carter offset which replaced the Dawn.
    The small Record is on my old welding bench.
    The Mitre clamp sits under the anvil.
    A small old no name I was given sits outside on a stand for grinding.
    The Carter drill press vice on the Arboga was a school throw out the maintainance guys gave me.
    H
    Jimcracks for the rich and/or wealthy. (aka GKB '88)

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    Newcastle, AU
    Posts
    238

    Default

    Wow, I have never seen a Carter offset vice before. I wonder if it's the same casting as the contemporary Dawns or a development of their own.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    395

    Default Wood and metal 11.

    In my wood area I have a Record QA on the bench,there’s a small Asian sitting in it.
    A user made with wooden thread etc.
    A small Carter for the Waldo radial.
    Another small Oz with wooden jaws for drilling pen blanks for my daughter.
    H.
    Last edited by clear out; 31st Dec 2019 at 12:47 PM. Reason: Typo
    Jimcracks for the rich and/or wealthy. (aka GKB '88)

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    395

    Default Local Patternmakers vice.

    Not an emmet clone although hats off to Terry for his effort.
    I believe this was made in Sydney. Probably in the early 60s.
    Also a blacksmiths leg vice I need to straighten and mount plus a Waldown which I’d like to make into the adjustable angle version.
    H.
    Jimcracks for the rich and/or wealthy. (aka GKB '88)

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