bessey vise fix

[mikecwik]

i bought this vise from lowes years ago when a nice one we had broke. it was my dumb fault.

id always thought the concept was a good one but absolutely hated it since you couldnt clamp softly since how tight the rotation is is based on how tight the jaw is clamped.

i paid under $60 and see the price is now up to $80. wilton sells one that looks identical for just under double the price but the extra quality that is in the wilton is very noticeable. we have one of the wiltons at work and the quality is so much better ill often stop and fiddle with it if i walk by it. ive probably done it like 20 times already. my powers of observation are not what the used to be for the 21 time i noticed it had a lock that kept the barrel from rotating.

i didnt need to put two on but i did. i didnt have a scale flexible enough, well i might have had one or two but didnt want to take the chance of bending them. so i marked a piece of tape to help mark the holes.

its not exactly a tough repair but its a godsend. can i say that? so many times i wanted to toss that vise into the creek metaphorically speaking.

a lesson learned....buy any nice used vise you come across. such an important tool that they are worth stacking on top of each other.

i do not recommend this vise.

[EdK]

I've got my eye open for a decent old vise on craigslist. Good ones new cost a fortune that I can't justify so I'm patiently waiting for that good deal to come my way.

Ed

[sasquatch]

Interesting fix Mike, thanks for posting this.

[DaveH]

Mike,
Nice mod, certainly makes it more versatile.

DaveH

[Wawoodman]

Very cool. I don't use mine, for the same damn' reason. Looks like a job for tomorrow. Thanks!

[mikecwik]

my location of the bolts is off from the wilton vise. i thought i put them in the same spot but you might want to check a wilton image. i dont think it matters much at all since if i finger tighten the nuts on my vise its just about all that is needed. so, 5 ft lbs and you would be good to go...not a lot of stress.

having the vise not flip flop all over the place when the jaws are not tight is so much nicer. im concluding more and more that the vise is junk as today i had to tighten up many parts tightly over and over again.

if you had to do this 8 hours a day you'd soon have a better tool. the problem i think is the cheap material and differently made screw.





i was trying to figure out how the threading actually has meaning to it all but just thinking about it in my head i couldnt come up with any answers.

look on ebay for a used one Ed. yes it is a little bit scarey to buy one there but ive had great luck there and my luck is poor at best. i really wouldnt think much of driving 400 miles to end up with a nice vise and ive done it several times.

[EdK]

(12-15-2012, 10:27 PM)mikecwik Wrote: look on ebay for a used one Ed. yes it is a little bit scarey to buy one there but ive had great luck there and my luck is poor at best. i really wouldnt think much of driving 400 miles to end up with a nice vise and ive done it several times.

I don't mind driving a reasonable distance either as long as the tool is what I need. I have a vise that is working adequately for most stuff so I'm in no big hurry to get another one.

Ed