Most used vise size for a normal garage?

[dutchgray]

I should mention I have Records No 00 through to No 4 and a 114p 8" I actually use the No3 but am going replace it with the 4 once its been cleaned and painted.

 

[Shootingblanks]

Personally I think a ~4-4.5" is a good size for general mechanical and machine work. Now there are differences in depth, max opening and even jaw pad size that all come into play.



I've seen your vise/stand before very nice. What size is the vise? Can you post some details on how well the adjustable height stand retains torsional loads?

It has been extremely cold and we shattered a record set in 1800s for lowest average temps for February. I gave another member specs in a pm but since have deleted it. When I took the vise apart i remember it was stamped in the 80s. When it warms up I will measure it and take some pics. The vise has held up torsional load/vibration very well. It is pretty heavy and I obtained the thick steel from a local steel yard. I generally have it unbolted and just rests on the bottom collar.

 

[Fretters]

Bottom line, I'm thinking I'd be happy with either but very much value the opinions & experiences of people who have a couple within the 4-6" range. I don't want to buy too small, but equally i don't want to do what I just did with a combination ladder and go waaaaay overkill to the extent that it is unusable for 95% of work and awesome for 5% of work

As other have said, a 4" - 5" will cover just about most general work. I relied on just my 3" No.1 for quite a while, and got by perfectly fine with that. That was borderline on occasion though, simply because the handle size doesn't allow you to get some grunt on clamping. Jaw width isn't always the only factor though. You can have a 3" vice which is quite a bit beefier than a 4" vice, for example, and then the extra 1" jaw width becomes fairly moot. It's more the overall size and sturdiness you want to concentrate on, but as a rule, most 4" vices are usually a decent combination of both jaw width and sturdiness, even the smaller ones.

 

[PCO6]

PCO6, given your experience with Records... do you think that a No.4 would be substantially superior to a No.3, or are they much of a muchness? There seem to be many more No.3s available here in the UK, I read somewhere that they were commonly used in schools and techs etc.

jipps - The specs between the No.3 and No.4 are quite different especially the weight and if my figures are right the jaw opening too. My No.3 is currently in pieces for restoration and I'd really like to confirm the jaw opening because I find it hard to believe you get an extra 3" out of a No.4!

These numbers might be a bit hard to follow but ...

Dimensions No. 3 No. 4
Jaw Width 4" 4.5"
Jaw Height 3/4" 1"
Jaw Thickness 3/8" 1/2"
Jaw to Jaw Open 4 3/4" 7 3/4"
Length - Closed 14" 15 1/2"
Height 6 3/4" 7 3/8"
Weight 33 lbs 42 lbs

I like my No.4 but that may simply be because I bought it new in the '70s and have used it consistently ever since. When I get the No.3 done it will be mounted on a 2"x2" post/insert for temporary use on my welding table. It's a nice size but definitely a lighter vice. I wouldn't pass one up if you can get one.

jipps
The 4 is a bit bigger and heavier than the 3, if you need the extra capacity then get one, if not the 3 is a very good vice, they are common for a reason. That said No 4's are easy to find cheap, I bought a Record for £29 on ebay a couple weeks ago, just needs a repaint.
Just don't buy a new Irwin Record Chinese made one.

dutchgray - I bought my No.4 new in the '70s and I believe I paid $60 or $70 for it. That was a lot of money back then! I saw a virtually new one at a flea market last Fall for $75 and kick myself for not buying it.

 

[jipps]

Thanks for that info. I do think I will try to hold out for the No.4, because it does look a little more substantial than the No.3.

For smaller applications, I now have the absolutely class, 2", all-steel, Record No.80 "Imp", which arrived yesterday

I gave it a bit of a tidy today, few more pics in the Vices of Garage Journal Thread here.

 

[Shootingblanks]

It has been extremely cold and we shattered a record set in 1800s for lowest average temps for February. I gave another member specs in a pm but since have deleted it. When I took the vise apart i remember it was stamped in the 80s. When it warms up I will measure it and take some pics. The vise has held up torsional load/vibration very well. It is pretty heavy and I obtained the thick steel from a local steel yard. I generally have it unbolted and just rests on the bottom collar.

Personally I think a ~4-4.5" is a good size for general mechanical and machine work. Now there are differences in depth, max opening and even jaw pad size that all come into play.



I've seen your vise/stand before very nice. What size is the vise? Can you post some details on how well the adjustable height stand retains torsional loads?

 

[zkling]

Thanks for the additional pics, I was more interested in the stand than the vise though. Generally vises are measured in jaw width, much easier to give a comparison than a overall or open measurement. Is there just one lock bolt that presses on the inner tube that locks the height/swivel of the stand?

 

[tedsters]

i did not know there was such a thing as a normal garage...lol i guess i need to think that one over a little before answering