Author Topic: Need a good vise (Read 15206 times)

Woodstock · « **on:** August 21, 2009, 09:39:02 PM »

Newbi

Enjoyed poking around on the site so much I went ahead, spent the money and got signed up.
I am three days older than dirt and just getting back into black powder. Been out of it since about 1995. I have built numerous powder horns with Scrimshaw and such and only one .50 cal Kentucky from a kit back in 1990. My main passion was Traditional Archery. I have attended Rendezvous all over the country in my younger days. It has got to the point I can no longer feel confidant enough to sling an arrow a White Tail knowing it will be a clean kill. (Old bones) so I am going back to the Smoke Pole.

I am learning Silver Inlay, Checkering and Muzzleloader gun building. I know it is a tall order for an old man.

I would like some advice on a good value gun vise. I am just starting to learn Silver Wire Inlay on a 50 cal Kentucky I built in 1990 from a kit. Came out OK just never liked the way it looked. So I stripped her down and was planning to do some checkering on it but after a little research I see that checkering and Black Powder was not very popular but inlay was.
I am having the dickens of a time holding the stock in the right position to get everything just right before I start chiseling away. I have a regular bench vice but it is stationary. I need a vise that can turn twist tilt and rock and roll and won’t break the bank. The Inlay is coming along quite well for my first job and I don’t want to screw it up at this point. Got some very small patterns to finish up. Any advice on a good vise would be appreciated. I looked around on the net but did not find anything I would buy without either getting some input or trying it first.

Thanks

rich pierce · « **Reply #1 on:** August 21, 2009, 10:06:00 PM »

You're going to break the bank if you want one that will twist, rock and roll. Suppose you saw the posts below on "Interesting vise".

OK, I gave you bad news, now it's your turn to tell me the hard truth. At 56 years old, how many more years do my arms and shoulders have in them for drawing 60-pound primitive bows?

eagle24 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 21, 2009, 10:26:07 PM »

I'm interested in the answers you get here. Mike Lea had some good looking vices for sale at the CLA Show.

Quote from: richpierce on August 21, 2009, 10:06:00 PM

OK, I gave you bad news, now it's your turn to tell me the hard truth. At 56 years old, how many more years do my arms and shoulders have in them for drawing 60-pound primitive bows?

Rich, I can't say how many years you have left, but I can tell you that I've had no problem with killing whitetails with 45 lb longbows for several years now. Now I know where you got your knapping skills.

Woodstock · « **Reply #3 on:** August 21, 2009, 10:57:24 PM »

Thanks,

I put down the 60 lbs years ago. Been shooting a 45# longbow for about 5 years. Took down a porker at 218# on the hoof last year and a few does with it. Don't be afraid to drop down on the weight. Forty five pounds will take down just about anything at the right distance with a well placed shot. Like the porker, 12 steps. And yes it was a hair raising experience. Can't wait to try it again. I waited to long to put down the heavy bows. I shot a 68# bow for about 15 years in bow shoots just about every weekend. I am now paying the price. Even with 45# my elbows and sholders snap crackle and pop for the first few shots. Gota warm up before heading to the woods these days.

Woodstock · « **Reply #4 on:** August 21, 2009, 11:08:47 PM »

Just ran across this one. Does anyone have one or ever used one. It only opens to 2". that should be plenty you think?
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/GNS199-1.html

Robby · « **Reply #5 on:** August 21, 2009, 11:24:21 PM »

Rich, I put down my home made,85Lb., osage, english style, longbow when I hit 60. Not because I could no longer shoot it accurately, but because I like to shoot a lot, and have lost a little staying power, so I made a 60Lb'er. I do pop and crack a bit though. I think you have a long way to go yet.
Robby

G. Elsenbeck · « **Reply #6 on:** August 21, 2009, 11:42:24 PM »

Woodstock, welcome aboard. Now, trying to stay on course again, take a look at this vise. Is this something you had in mind? The one you just picked earlier looks too light for effective use.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=511694

Gary

Woodstock · « **Reply #7 on:** August 22, 2009, 12:05:41 AM »

Gary,
Thanks. That puppy has got some potential. I will study up on it. May be just what I need.

Thanks again.

rich pierce · « **Reply #8 on:** August 22, 2009, 12:42:15 AM »

I just bought that cheap vise last week. The locking mechanism to keep it from rotating is poorly designed and inconvenient but I've got a plan. I have no idea how to change it up so it mounts sideways. It's a cheap knockoff but will work well enough to be my vise for the portable, knockdown workbench I made. I knew it had to have some serious limitations at that price, but I had limitations of my own. $

Pete G. · « **Reply #9 on:** August 22, 2009, 12:49:19 AM »

I use a regular 4" mechanic's vise with a swivel base. Something I have found to be a tremendous help is to have the drill press to the side of the vise about 2 to 3 feet away. The table can be adjusted up and down to suit and make a great support. I have sometimes used a C clamp as an additional hold down on the table of the press. Just make certain to ALWAYS remove any tool from the chuck because everything used in a drill is pointed, and will scratch anything that bumps it.

Birddog6 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 22, 2009, 12:53:07 AM »

If you watch WoodCeafts, they have the same Parrot Vice on sale there now & then for $ 39.95. You can modify it like he did or just pad the jaws & use it like I do. I have a set of padded flex jaws that I got witht he vice but I don't like them & never use them.

I have a padded one & a unpadded parrot vice so I can swap them out when making knives or if I just want to hole something in the steel jaws.

I use a 6" Wilton on the other side of the bench (From Lowes) with leather padding the jaws. I like 2 vices holding the rifle most of the time. Never felt good clamping one down with just one vice. I have the Wilton so I can flip the leather back & do breechplugs & etc, then right back to working a stock.

I have a offset adapter to add to the Parrot vice but the only time I use it is when I am sanding down knife blades or something like that. Have not needed it for rifle work. I think Jerry Crawford made this one.

Dennis Glazener · « **Reply #11 on:** August 22, 2009, 01:53:24 AM »

Quote

If you watch WoodCeafts, they have the same Parrot Vice on sale there now & then for $ 39.95. You can modify it like he did or just pad the jaws & use it like I do.
I have a padded one & a unpadded one so I can swap them out when making knives.
I use a 6" Wilton on the other side of the bench (From Lowes) with leather padding the jaws. I like 2 vices holding the rifle most of the time. Never felt good clamping one down with just one vice. I have the Wilton so I can flip the leather back & do breechplugs & etc, then right back to working a stock.

I bought mine at WoodCraft when they had it on sale. I like it but the first thing I did was to make a set of leather covered maple blocks to fit inside the jaws. I cut the backs of the maple blocks round so they will rotate to fit non-parallel parts, such as the wrist/butt of a rifle. I hold them on the vise with rubber bands so I can quickly take them on and off. Here is a link to some similar to mine:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Tilting-Jaws-for-H3302-Parrot-Vise-/H3303

Dennis

Ky-Flinter · « **Reply #12 on:** August 22, 2009, 02:31:33 AM »

Quote from: richpierce on August 21, 2009, 10:06:00 PM

You're going to break the bank if you want one that will twist, rock and roll.

Oh, contrare (or however ya say that).... I disagree. Get one of the vises mentioned, from Midway, Woodcraft, etc. I caught mine on sale from Woodcraft. Then get some round steel tubing, I forget the sizes, but they are standard and slide together. Weld up an "L".... See picture below. I have about $50 in this set up. I agree the tilt locking mechanism sucks.... note the locking screws installed in the back of the vise and in the vertical post. She moves every which way and I can lock her down. Leather faced oak blocks as Dennis described to hold odd angled parts.

Oh, yeah.... welcome to ALR Woodstock!

-Ron

G. Elsenbeck · « **Reply #13 on:** August 22, 2009, 02:37:17 AM »

Ron, that's a real neat set up!!! When you think about it let us know what diameters of the piping is and I'll run out and get me one of these newfangled Kaintuck vise.

Thanks for sharing.
Gary

David Veith · « **Reply #14 on:** August 22, 2009, 02:41:48 AM »

Woodstock if you do a serch there are some good modafactiuons that can be done to that basic vise. you might have to hunt on the old board. Personly you can't have tomany vises

At my benches I have 4 with in 6' seeing I run two bench about 2.5 ' apart. Sher would be nice if you would put where you are from in your profile.
David Veith

Randy Hedden · « **Reply #15 on:** August 22, 2009, 02:45:04 AM »

These vises have been around for years sold under the name of "Versa-Vise". They were used a lot by tool and die makers. Steve Wright, a talented gunsmith himself, bought them from the owner/manufacturer for several years and sold hundreds of them to gunsmiths as a gunsmith's vise. There are gunsmiths nation wide using this very same vise for gunsmithing purposes. They are not the end all do all of gunsmith vises, but you can't go wrong with one of these vises. I have used one of these for 20 years or more.

Randy Hedden

fm tim · « **Reply #16 on:** August 22, 2009, 03:20:32 AM »

A second on the "versa vise" with the inserts to allow holding tapered items. Mine has held up over 6 rifles worth of work.

Ky-Flinter · « **Reply #17 on:** August 22, 2009, 04:59:23 AM »

Ok Gary, here ya go..... I took some more pictures and measurements.... Here's the vise, like it came out of the box from Woodcraft.

Here's the vise removed from it's "stem". The stem OD is 1-31/64" and it's 2-1/2" tall.

Here's a shot of the "L" adapter I fabricated. The larger tube is 2" OD x 1-31/64 ID x 6" long. The smaller tube is 1-31/64" OD x 5" long.

Here's the "L" installed. You need about 3" clear for the vise to slide on.

Here's the vise installed on the "L" adapter. It will spin 360 degrees and tilt about 270.

Here's how we solved the crappy tilt locking mechanism it comes with.

I would highly recommend getting your vise first and measureing it before buying your tubing. I took the stem with me to Metals Supermarket to size things up. Good luck.

-Ron

G. Elsenbeck · « **Reply #18 on:** August 22, 2009, 05:30:10 AM »

Ron, man that was quick and thanks for the info. I'll take your advice. Thanks again.
Gary

rudyc · « **Reply #19 on:** August 22, 2009, 06:25:09 AM »

I've been using a "Patternmakers Vise" for over 25 years, you can find them at auctions now and again since so many pattern shops have gone under.
It tilts and swivels and has a small metal vice on the underside.

You don't need a 60# bow to hunt with. Here's a moose I took in Newfoundland in 2001 with a 51# bamboo & maple bow I made.

rudyc

G. Elsenbeck · « **Reply #20 on:** August 22, 2009, 06:31:51 AM »

RudyC, nice moose, but with all due respect, what does this have to do with 'a good vise'? Or, American Longrifles and gun building?
Gary

rudyc · « **Reply #21 on:** August 22, 2009, 06:53:13 AM »

Gary,

Just following up to something Woodstock mentioned in the first paragraph of his post.

I did also include that I like to use a patternmaker's vise.

Sorry if I crossed the line.

rudyc

Curtis · « **Reply #22 on:** August 22, 2009, 07:58:49 AM »

Rudyc,

Considering the paths this thread has taken along it's journey, that moose fits right in.

Nice moose, by the way!

And KyFlinter, thanks for the vice mod pics, I may have to set one up the same.

Beaverman · « **Reply #23 on:** August 22, 2009, 02:52:21 PM »

This is the vise and the base Ive been using, the base is made by melsdad here on the forum, vise is from woodcraft, base is well made and dang near bullet proof, have had no problems with it staying secure and the gambrel moves easily with just a small relaxing of one screw.

Larry Pletcher · « **Reply #24 on:** August 22, 2009, 03:07:37 PM »

Conner Prairie uses a version of this base on some of their stock carving benches. I remember taking a few pic of them because I had not seen this type before. On theirs, loosening on of the three set screws allowed angle adjustment.

Is melsdad still making these bases?

Regards,
Pletch

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Author Topic: Need a good vise (Read 15206 times)

Woodstock

eagle24

Woodstock

Woodstock

Woodstock

Birddog6