workbench clamp

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Digger1

workbench clamp

Post by Digger1 »

what use have I for one of these? I just want to be able to justify getting one so I know I'll be able to actually use it and so it's not ornamental.
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TER-OR
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Post by TER-OR »

It's a nice vise for metal work. If you're sawing metal, drilling, etc. The flat top part on the right is an anvil, on which you can straighten nails, flatten tubes etc.

I don't know if this is the most useful item for a modeler's shop - it might be a bit rough. I have a couple vices (more than a couple) in the woodshop.

You can attach wood to the vise jaws as a pad, so you can hold softer things like styrene.

I think you'd be better with a mitre box for most modeling needs.
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Post by m_ubelaker »

Have one just like it, only 30 years old. Use to hold my knife sharpener, flatten tube, shape sheet metal or just hold things tight. Use it all the time for modeling and other stuff.
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Post by fructose »

I've got a small one that my grandfather gave me when I was about 12 years old. I use it to hold all sorts of stuff. It has come in handy too many times for me to remember.
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Post by Mark Yungblut »

You might be better off with a machinists vise. I find that I use mine more often than my bench vise.

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Re: workbench clamp

Post by TREKKRIFFIC »

Babaganoosh wrote:what use have I for one of these? I just want to be able to justify getting one so I know I'll be able to actually use it and so it's not ornamental.


I have one that ran me about $30.00 at my local hobbyshop. It was sold as a hobby vise; it's metal but the jaws have rubber boots covering them so you don;pt scratch soft plastics. It also has a ball/socket arrangement which allows you to turn the vise to practically any angle. It also has a twistknob underneath so you can fasten the c-clamp style base to the edge of your workbench.
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Post by octagon »

Has anyone seen one that could clamp both a model stand (12 inches height) and onto the side of the bench, at the same time?
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Post by TREKKRIFFIC »

octagon wrote:Has anyone seen one that could clamp both a model stand (12 inches height) and onto the side of the bench, at the same time?
This is the one I bought. Doesn't go 12 inches high I'm afraid.

http://www.hobbico.com/tools/hcar0680.html
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Post by big-dog »

I buy clamps at Harbor Freight, the BEST I've seen for model making is a suction cup base vise. You can get a Panavise at Micro Mark for 40 or more bucks, mine was 14 bones. The only reason I can see shelling out for a tool maker's vise is for milling, done a lot of research since getting my mill. From what I've seen the the best type to get is a screwless vise, lift of the movable jaw is the problem with most vises, the screwless vise pulls the moving jaw down while it tightens, I opted for a clamping kit instead, and spent the extra on a rotary table.
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Post by octagon »

Thanks TREKKRIFFIC. That is one fine clamp. Now I know such thing exists, next step is to look around locally.

Hey big-dog, Had a quick look at HF. Not quite sure what you are trying to say.
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