AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Gun Building => Topic started by: Nordnecker on January 30, 2014, 03:40:15 PM
-
I have many vices. 3 post vices, 3 machinist vices, a jewlers' vice and the shoulder vice and tail vice on my woodworking bench. I keep seeing the little pivoting vices that you guys use. Woodcraft supply has this vice, but Grizzly has a version of it called the "parrot" vice. The parrot vice will lay over to the side as well as pivot up and down.
Is this feature worth having? Is the quality of the woodcraft vice better than the grizzly? The pivoting jaw inserts look like they would be worthwhile.
Your thoughts/comments?
-
at least one pivoting jaw is essential for stock work.
I also do a lot of work with the gun laid on top of shot bags. Before the bag starts to get a hole, take an old leg from some blue jeans, hot melt glue (or sew) the ends shut.
Tom
-
I have one of each, the parrot vice and the woodcraft vise. I like them both. That being said, buy he woodcraft vice and never look back! It is a much stronger and more versitle vice. I almost never find a need to lay the parrot vice over on its side.
Curtis
-
Hi Nordnecker,
In my opinion, the Woodcraft and the Grizzly appear to be pretty much the same vise. I bought mine from Woodcraft when it was on sale. Right now, Grizzly has the better price. Both vises will lay on their side. You just loosen the vise, pull it up off it's mounting post, lay it over and put it back on the post.
A very handy addition is a 90 degree swivel/tilt mounting that allows the vise to rotate, pivot and tilt. I think Mike Lea sells these, maybe others. A buddy of mine welded this one up for me. In the jaws I use a couple of oak blocks faced with thick leather. They're curved on the backside to accommodate angled work.
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi140.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fr27%2FKyFlinter%2F102_7119.jpg&hash=799815d1a3aed89c8d959da640424afa10ff7998)
-Ron
-
Another vote for Woodcraft's WoodRiver Universal Vise (which I think I mistakenly attributed to Woodworkers in another topic). I've rarely used it on its side though I like the rig in KY Flinter's setup. I can see how that would come in handy -- I'll have to look into that.
Bill
-
I have several vices, but only one vise.
-
http://www.harborfreight.com/5-in-multi-purpose-vise-61163.html
I have one of these and it swivels 2 ways and is a solid setup. I like the way the parrot vise pivots front to back but they seem unstable to me
-
The tilt feature has been very helpful to me. I made a piece to add to the Parrot vise to allow the tilt. Garret Wade now has a vise that includes this tilt feature. A couple of my friends have bought this and are pleased with it.
Dave Dolliver
-
I have the parrot vise from Woodcraft and had the jaw modified to pivot per earlier discussion on here. So far I have been unhappy with that vise as I have been unable to make it stable enough for heavier work like working on initial butt of the stock cuts, rasping the end grain or to use with a plane. The clamping on the vise pivot mount is especially unstable despite adjusting the tension nut. I even drilled and tapped a 1/4" bolt into the pivot at 90 degree position to try to hold it better. I was about to go out the door to Woodcraft to look at the stockmaker's vise in hopes it might be better. Pivoting jaws help, but I seem to have a need for a jaw face that is much softer to grab around the areas like the cheek piece. Best thing I have found for that is some very dense cardboard which came in a large packing box and is shaped like a 2 inch angle iron. A thick softer plastic jaw face would be even better. I have some narrow plastic jaw facings but they are only an inch deep and are made for a machine vise.
Footnote: Vises are for holding things. Spell it with a C and it has a whole different meaning which you need to take up with your Savior. I don't have too many vices, but I need to deal with other sins on a daily basis.
-
Jerry, Your footnote also hits home with me and thanks for the reminder. Joey.
-
I know these Pana-Vices may LOOK wimpy, but I have used them for 30 yrs. and only replaced one in that time! The mounting ear broke off. I have a 6" vice mounted on an oak stump for heavy pounding, etc.
For you guys who use the bigger pivotting vices, you might find it handy to hold the other end of your work.
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi203.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa43%2FREXTHOMAS2%2FRCA%252019%2520RIFLE%25202011%2F096.jpg&hash=beeaced3ce8e638cab75343ad5d7e2d9430e19e0) (http://s203.photobucket.com/user/REXTHOMAS2/media/RCA%2019%20RIFLE%202011/096.jpg.html)
-
I find my knee quite useful for a lot of gun building tasks. It is rather hard on my overalls though. ;)
-
Thanks, everyone. So maybe I'll get a new vise and try to get rid of a few vices……right? And since we're on the subject, is it advice, or advise? Do you ask for advice and advise someone else?
-
I'm a little primitive (OK, maybe a lot!) as far as my gun vice goes. I just use a regular old vice. I made plywood liners for the jaws that rest on the screw. I glued 9OZ leather to the face of the plywood. I use it like that for all my shaping and it is solid as a rock.
Then, once I get the shape near to final dimensions, I lay a dish towel over the screw, and lay two more folded up towels between the jaws and over the corners of the vice (to prevent dings). With about an inch of towel to squeeze with, I can roll the gun any way I want, snug her back up and she is solid as can be. The towels also double as convenient places to wipe the blood off of my fingers when they don't listen.
For my second support point, I use one of those rollers that catches things coming off of a table saw. It is adjustable in height so I can set it wherever is comfortable. I've wrapped it in - yep, another towel.
Obviously, the secret to this method is to be the one who does the laundry.
-
Do you ask for advice and advise someone else?
Yes, you've got it. "Advice" is the noun, "advise" is the verb. When you advise you are giving advice.
-
I have several vices, but only one vise.
Vices, vices, I have no vices...I'm as pure as the fallen snow...but I drifted :'(
How many of y'all remember that one?
John
-
I have several vices, but only one vise.
Vices, vices, I have no vices...I'm as pure as the fallen snow...but I drifted :'(
How many of y'all remember that one?
John
Yup...and she would say, " come on up and see me sometime"......ol Mae!
Before the internet, I researched and found her phone number......called her apt in California, but her maid said she was out on her daily walk.....I was much younger then, so I didn't call back......sure wish I had of.....just to have talked with Mae West would of been something to cherish!
-
I have the parrot vise from Grizzly. I think it's fine for the price. The only shortcoming I found was the bushing holding the screw. It tended to back out when opening the jaws. I coated it with lock tite and haven't had a problem since. I also added some scrap mahogany pads about 3/8" to the jaws for a wood to wood fit on my stocks. Leather would be better I guess, I like these.
Curt
-
I had a friend who worked at a gravel company repairing their diesel trucks. He got me some scraps of their heavy rubber conveyer belt material. I cut squares of the proper size to pad the jaws. Cut slots in the bottom to ride over the screws. Could use more but he changed jobs.
Dave Dolliver
-
Dave,
Stopped at Tractor Supply other day, they have rubber sheets
about 1/2 or more thick. I believe about $25 for 3x4 ft.
Gus
-
I have on of these and use it for everything, not just guns. I have a couple different types of jaw pads I use for more easily damaged items. I only gave $100.00 shipped several years ago, but they might be a bit more on sale now. They have the Wilton name on them even though they are made in China. I think Wilton holds them to better standards than the cheap HF type vices. It looks better finished and fitted.http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=405-0705&cm_mmc=Didit-_-SEM-_-GglProd-_-GglProd&003=18299132&010=405-0705&{copy:002}&{copy:004}&{copy:005}&10=405-0705&gclid=CMewo7WVs7wCFcERMwodvRkAFg
-
I just purchased a no. 19 Prentiss vise last week. The nice thing about this Prentiss vise is that the back Jaw swivels. The swivel is heavy duty. I spent yesterday disassembling the vise, had some fairly bound up pieces but they all separated without any damage to the vise. A little heat, a little kroil and was fine. Only had to drill out one 1/4-20 jaw screw. I have been wanting a Prentiss visse for a couple of years and finally the right deal came along. You have to be patient when the vise you want was made in the 1920's. ;D
If you are interested, I will post a picture of the vise in a couple of days once I have it restored.
David
-
Yes! Please!
-
My set-up. Not perfect, but works pretty good. The ball is a shot-put. The vise is Brownells version of the Versa Vise. I cut off the front jaw and made one that rides on a shoulder bolt to pivot. The whole arrangement can be raised or lowered depending on the type of work.
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi124.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fp24%2Fjkibler1%2Funtitled.jpg&hash=e923b4c28ea48e4d96c5d837e0ca132e000f1f12)
-
As promised, here are a couple pictures of my new Prentiss #19 vise manufactured in 1926. The jaw width is 3 1/2". The restoration was completed this morning after milling out a new set of aluminum jaws. Now all I need to do is find a place to mount it! :)
David
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi51.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ff372%2FGunbu1lder%2FDSCF4008_zps1468da98.jpg&hash=81c5ca8da3e0b31b00107c2514c446398364da59)
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi51.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ff372%2FGunbu1lder%2FDSCF4009_zpscdb427a4.jpg&hash=f651950d5fa4acc38e13e051aba7a5d6e508dd22)
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi51.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ff372%2FGunbu1lder%2FDSCF4010_zps50489062.jpg&hash=d630dc9970bfcc51975dd4c54b833bc3ed3864d6)
-
The vise I use all the time is a 4" type,heavy duty that I bought in 1973
from MSC for $25. It has a sliding REAR jaw on a big dovetail and a gib
with set screw adjustments.None of the slack and wiggle that seems to be built into
our vises.
Bob Roller
-
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi72.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fi199%2FDPhariss%2FGunsmithing%2FPistol%2520Checkering%2FP1050480.jpg&hash=881048a1253ab6ee229d54bfba4d5536f04a88c4)
301 Wilton Pow-R-Arm. This one is over 30 years old and has worn out a couple of 4" vises. I did break the little handle that locks it but replaced it with a grad 8 bolt.
Having a vise on a pivot like this is invaluable. Also eliminates the need for a pivoting vice jaw I guess. I have never had one.
I have another one I need to get a vise mounted on. Put them on the corner of the bench so I can work around it easier. Use the green or Blue now I guess, plastic lined jaws from Brownell's the ones in use here are also 30 years or more old. Pretty beat but still work and are soft enough for wood. I bought a new set 3-4 years ago for another vise the plywood and leather ones wore out.
Best vise I own is a 6" made in England vise I got from the Coast to Coast when I was about 18.
Dan