Replies

1. 
   MarkRoderick | Jun 23, 2004 11:43pm | #1

   I bought mine through Amazon.

2. 
   Alan | Jun 23, 2004 11:58pm | #2

   Ethan,

   Try Lee Valley.  Rob Lee is a regular over on Wood Central and I seem to remember he said they had a supply of Record vises.

   But, as with all things involving my memory, you... ah... um.... what was I saying?  Is it time for my cookie?

   Alan

3. 
   RickL | Jun 24, 2004 12:09am | #3

   Check out the Wilton, Jorgensen by Adjustable Clamp Co, Shop Fox at Grizzly.

   My favorite is my Emmert and you can pick up a smaller clone version at Woodcraft, etc. 

4. 
   RANGERP75R | Jun 24, 2004 04:55pm | #4

   Ethan

      How many truck-loads you want? The 53 E is hard to come by, but the rest are readily available at:

   http://www.leevalley.com

   Regards...

   sarge..jt

   P.S. If you want to spend less, the Record knock-off from India at Highland Hardware is a pretty good vise.

   http://www.highlandhardware.com

   Proud member of the :  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   Ethan | Jun 24, 2004 05:59pm | #5

   Thanks for your replies everyone! Lee Valley was almost a winner...but they're out of the larger size.

   Sarge...if I remember correctly, you are in the Atlanta area, right? Any chance you could point me in the direction of a lumber seller who carries workbench quality 8/4 hard maple (preferably at a reasonable price)? Thanks!

1. 
   RANGERP75R | Jun 25, 2004 05:25pm | #6

   Ethan

      My hard-wood supplier has been Suwanee Lumber Co. on Buford Hwy (Hwy. 23) in Gwinnett Co. since I got started in 72'. Great people and great prices.

      Just checked my last price sheet which is about a year old and they only showed hard maple in 4/4 at $3.10 a bd. ft. They have soft maple from 4/4 paint grade and downfall all the way to 8/4 FAS @$3.05 bd. ft.. 16/4 rough for $4.00.

      Give them a call at 770-945-2102 and ask if they currently have hard maple over 4/4 or can get it. Not too many requests above 4/4 as it's usually for furniture. You might even consider soft maple as I have used it and I feel it's fine for a top. I have built 15 work-benchs over the years and I personally don't feel hard maple or beech is necessary. If you get a dent, fill it with wood filler, sand it lightly and you won't miss a beat of work. If you're a purist and expecting formal guest, use the hard maple. ha.. ha...

      Tom from Douglasville uses Atlanta Hardwood down on the south side. You might check them also. There's a new place up in Buford, but in my opinion they are high and the employees are clueless from my experience. It's a shame to call a hard-wood lumber yard and you know more than the person you are speaking too. The prices, friendliness and experience make Sawanee my choice.

   Regards...

   sarge..jtProud member of the :  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   Ethan | Jun 25, 2004 09:18pm | #8

   Thanks Sarge...I've driven by that place  several times as I have family a few miles further up Buford Hwy.

   BTW, do you think it makes a difference (hard v. soft maple) for the base of a bench? I noticed you specifically addressed only the top in your post.On that note....let me apologize now....I've read your bench posts over the last 6+ months with a great deal of interest and I hate to ask questions that I'm sure you've answered a hundred times! I'd really appreciate and benefit from your input as I build this thing.

   The pics of your work and your commentary have been a huge help in what, for me, is the biggest project I've undertaken to date. It's easy to get caught up in all the hype of "bigger, better, nicer" (which also means more expensive!!) when what I really want is for this to be a project that I have fun with, learn from, and USE to get better. You know, so I can eventually get good enough to justify the cost of those L-N chisels....;)

   Thanks again, Ethan

1. 
   RANGERP75R | Jun 26, 2004 05:08pm | #10

   Ethan

      Thank you for the kind words. I don't think it makes a difference at all. I just posted 3 pics of my latest bench I built last summer from scraps over in "Legs for a Work-Bench". The base is made of laminated Doug Fir that had been re-sawn from a Doug Fir beam I recovered from an old warehouse in downtown Atlanta. I think I got it just before Sherman marched through and burned everything else. ha.. ha..

     I build a new bench for me or someone on an average of every two years. I always wanted to be a timber-framer when I grew up and this is my way of retaliating for that dis-appointment. :>)

     If you fore-go the thrill of having a beautiful bench and remember that it was made to work, properly dryed southern yellow pine, poplar, Doug Fir or about anything else with medium density will work. The base ain't about the density of the wood used, it's about the design. Construct it well from about any relatively stable wood and you got a "Clydesdale" short a formal tuxedo.

     IMO, keep the word "work" in the bench and it will be around long after you will still getting the job done. Pretty benchs don't gaurantee sucess. A well built bench (regard-less of looks) and some tools with a craftsman that can execute is the key to a smooth journey.

   Regards...

   sarge..jt

   If Tom form Douglasville replys, pay attention. He's got a battle-ship work-bench he built from recovered bowling alley lanes. Hits a nice un. he...

   BTW, if you do you laminate your own top and come up short on Cabinet-Master clamps up to 30", let me know at that point. Might find the time to hook up the mule and wagon  and haul you a few loaners till you get more established.  

   Proud member of the :  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

   Edited 6/26/2004 10:20 am ET by SARGE

2. 
   TomMGTC | Jun 25, 2004 05:45pm | #7

   I don't use atlanta wood products much anymore. They don't sell much rough lumber and I prefer to surface everything myself. Peach State Lumber in Kennesaw has been very good though.Tom

   Douglasville, GA

1. 
   Ethan | Jun 25, 2004 09:20pm | #9

   Thanks, Tom

   Regards, Ethan

2. 
   RANGERP75R | Jun 26, 2004 05:13pm | #11

   Tom

      Thanks.. Forgot about those ole boys in Kennesaw and I hear that they are excellent also. Got to get up that way and check them out soon.

      Regards for the south-side of town from the north-east side.

   sarge..jtProud member of the :  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

2. 
   BarryO | Jun 27, 2004 12:19am | #12

      How many truck-loads you want? The 53 E is hard to come by, but the rest are readily available at:

   http://www.leevalley.com

   They're all marked "no longer avaiable" on the Lee Valley site now ...

   'glad I read on this board awhile back that U.S. distribution was stopping.  I went to a local shop and picked up the last 52 1/2 they had.  The Chinese ones I see in stores now are just not the same.  Now all I have to do is get around to building that bench ...

1. 
   RANGERP75R | Jun 27, 2004 12:51am | #13

   Barry

      Thanks for the tip. They had plenty last summer when I was looking around for them, even after Record went down. Rob Lee bought a bunch.

      Are the ones you see Chinese or from India. The one from India is a pretty good knock-off. It operates smoothly enough on the shelf, but I have no idea how it will hold up in actual use over the long run.

      I opted for a Veritas twin screw and made the front vise with heavy German hardware. The quick release on a Record was nice, but not a necessity for me. Paid about $45 for the German hardware and lamintated my own hard-wood faces. It gets the job done a lot cheaper than the price of a Record.

   Regards...

   sarge..jtProud member of the :  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   BarryO | Jun 27, 2004 01:21am | #14

   'only ones I've seen in local stores had "made in China" on the boxes.  To be honest, I've haven't looked very closely at vises available now, since I have the Record sitting at home.

1. 
   RANGERP75R | Jun 27, 2004 01:36am | #15

   Barry

      That Record is a great vise. I was referring to the one's Highland Hardware carry from India. The knock-off of the 53 is $99, or was last summer. The paint finish is not slick like the Record, but the Indians copied it pretty much to a tee. It does work a lot smoother than the Chinese stuff I've seen elsewhere.

      In lieu of the Chinese, I had just as soon hold it with a pair of Channel-Locks. ha.. ha...

   Have a good evening...

   sarge..jtProud member of the :  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

2. 
   Ethan | Jun 30, 2004 05:39pm | #16

   Mornin' Sarge,

   Thanks for all the great advice. You're absolutely right - keep the "work" in workbench - I'm going to make that my motto for this project!

   FYI, I talked to the folfks at Suwanee lumber and they were extremely helpful and knowledgable. Thanks for the lead. Also, your answer to the question of how big to make the legs of the base in the other post answered a question I was just about to ask.

   Thanks also for the offer of help with clamps for the top. You will have probably built a whole new bench by the time I get just the base done at the rate things have gone so far!

   By any chance, do you recall having an opinion regarding the bench design in the last Tools & Shops issue? I was planning on borrowing *heavily* from that design, but am open to suggestions. I'd modify it to incorporate 4x4 legs, but I wanted to keep the trestle feature in order to add under bench cabinets later (once my wallet recovers!). Anyway, just wondered if you remember having a particularly good or bad thought when you saw the plans in the magazine.

   Regards, Ethan

3. 
   RANGERP75R | Jul 03, 2004 05:58pm | #21

   Ethan

      Sorry, I've been away for a few days. My first impression of the bench is it looks a lot like mine!  ha.. ha... Just has skirts on the outer top edges and does not have my whale-back runner top center on the base. There are only so many variances you can do with a bench. They all kind of look similar cause they all are in ways.

      It's an excellent design. Modify it to your needs an don't hesitate to go with it. BTW, glad you liked the folks at Sawanee Lumber. It would require great effort to dis-like them.  ha.. ha...

   Regards...

   sarge..jtProud member of the :  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

4. 
   wop | Jul 01, 2004 12:13am | #17

      Last I heard officially was that record's new owner had totally stopped production in England and was transfering "tooling" TO CHINA.... so anyone who got or can still get one of the old stock got a deal on the real record vises. I'm sure anything coming out of china will never be up to the quality of those you mentioned from India.

                                                                            Philip

5. 
   roblee | Jul 01, 2004 08:29pm | #18

   Philip -

   You're absolutely correct - the new "Record (Irwin)" vises from China didn't turn out well, and have been delayed....

   Of the vises currently on the market - I'd look at the Groz(India) vises from GWade, or Woodcraft...

   In the fall - we'll have Czech vises very similar to the old Record vises...

   For those looking for a mechanic's style vise, we still have some of the Record 4" quick release models (bought two myself, and one 6" ) - prices are $45 + $18 delivery...US list used to be $149....  Search for 99W6790 on our website.

   Cheers -

   Rob Lee

6. 
   Ethan | Jul 01, 2004 09:56pm | #19

   In my search for the 53E, I came across LV's 4" QR mechanics vise and bought one. Arrived a few days ago. GREAT deal! Any chance you guys have an extra 6" that I could buy????

   Regards, Ethan

7. 
   wop | Jul 02, 2004 12:31am | #20

      Like I said, with Records China move any of the "old" production is now worth its weight in gold. I have two of the 53ed quick release and I wouldn't sell them for their weight in gold. Try e-bay. New are gone. What you got from LV was a deal. I informed all of my US relatives months ago as to that deal and  at least 2 of them picked up the 6".

                       Good luck, Philip

8. 
   RANGERP75R | Jul 03, 2004 06:02pm | #22

   wop

      Been away for a few days. I think Rob Lee answered our questions and addressed the Groz from India. I bought a set of Groz machinist squares at a cheap price after I put them side by side to a Starrett at Highland Hardware.

      Not bad for folks that believe cows are their ancestors! ha...

   Regards...

   sarge..jtProud member of the :  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)