A parallell action hand vice

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

I’m lacking a good hand vice, but I don’t really care for the traditional ones that are hinged since they won’t clamp parallel. Then I came across this elegant design:

The scissor mechanism is as simple as it looks, and judging from the 3D printed model it works very well:

I don’t have anything solid to show off yet as I don’t do much work in the shop during the summer. But I’ll leave it here as inspiration to others.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Count me inspired !

I like that  lot.

… could you please photograph or transcribe the markings on that original ?

 

MichaelG.

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

There is precious little info on these online, I’ve only found a few photos and a couple of names. The one depicted is from here: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-parallel-action-hand-vice-162047774 and is supposedly marked “Henry Boker – 17.”

The other one is this: https://picclick.com/Vintage-GOODELL-PRATT-96-HAND-VISE-Parallel-Jaws-323328311988.html

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

An excellent start to my investigation … thanks

MichaelG.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Looks like our Henry was a devious chap:

https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/5216064f19403a17c4ba0d8d

MichaelG.

Edit: https://www.boker.de/en/history

[DC31kParticipant @dc31k]

On the original, are there any springs so things do not go slack when opening it? If not, how is that achieved? Could the nut be captive so it pushes as well as pulls?

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

The mechanism doesn’t go slack, the jaws will only move straight in and out.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

I’m intrigued [or should that be bewildered ?] by the details of construction … particularly obvious on the Goodell Pratt version

The handgrip is clearly pressed, but the jaws appear to be forged … so where is the joint ?

MichaelG.

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

Die forged perhaps?

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

From the wondrous 1922 catalog, available here: https://dn790000.ca.archive.org/0/items/GoodellPrattCatalogNo15/Goodell-prattCatalog15.pdf

MichaelG.

.

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

Good find, your Google-fu is strong indeed.

I made a new and more elaborate design:

 

 

 

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

Not surprising there arn’t many around. The $2.80 is over $50 in todays money.The average take home pay was under $40 at the time….

Robert.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

One could usefully make a toolmaker’s clamp on this principle…….

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

As it happens I’m getting access to a water jet and a CO2 laser, that opens up some interesting possibilities. It’s a new gig so I don’t have much time for personal projects yet, but any spare time I have I spend trying to learn the software, so I need something to practice on anyways.

[DC31kParticipant @dc31k]

For efficiency in manufacture, is it correct to say the two jaws are identical at the forging stage? The slight differences would then be made in the machining.

The separate jaws of the new design are a useful feature and also mean the ‘forging’ could be water-cut as a T-shape with a bulge in the stem.

You could put a vertical or horizontal vee in them for holding round stock and even drill and tap as a pair so they act as halfnuts for gripping a threaded item.

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

Yeah, I will most likely cut the two sides identical and machine the differences. I really like the half nut idea, the jaws could be held in place with two guide pins and a magnet.

[Andrew CrowParticipant @andrewcrow91475]

Rather than just a hand vice, I decided to make an attachment for my Jewlers vice to make it into an instrument vice. I made two vices, one from 20mm Square material with replaceable Jaws and one from 12mm Square. Both can also be used as a hand vice.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Screw on jaws give the option of soft aluminium ones, though I suppose a magnet could be bonded into the rear face.

If you do go for screws then think about threading the jaws and having counterbored hole sfrom the outside as it will be a lot easier to get at the screws. Do the drilling and counterboring first while you have flat surfaces to work with.

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

@Andrew: Very nice.

@Jason: Screwing them from the back is better than from the front as you don’t need to disassemble the vice to get access. But it would mess up the nice curve 🙂

 

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi MichaelG, thanks for your link to the Goodell Pratt – catalogue, which on page 138 shows a drill chuck No. 15, of which I have one with a 1/2″ shaft. I can’t remember if I bought it from one of the shows, or from a car boot, or if it was among some things from an action, but it has been very useful many times.

Regards Nick.

[VicParticipant @vic]

I’ve got a couple of pairs of Parallel Pliers, they do come in handy sometimes.

[Vic]

On Vic Said:

I’ve got a couple of pairs of Parallel Pliers, they do come in handy sometimes.

Indeed so Vic. I use my parallel grip Maun pliers far more than my conventional ones. Mine have a groove along the length of one jaw which is great if a wire or round part needs to be held stably.

Maun do a very wide range of jaw types for their parallel action pliers, I’m often tempted to get another pair or four but the one I have works well enougg for almost everything I do.

https://www.maunindustries.com/parallel-pliers/?_gl=1*2ge0ak*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiujnrZnVjQMVnppQBh3oVB0PEAAYASAAEgJAdfD_BwE&gbraid=0AAAAADlT6Rj6MYElAzB5KEfxONkbSFiHJ

Not cheap at £40 – £50 but a quality tool. British made too.

It occurs to me that the Maun principle, basically a pin in running a slot to cancel out jaw rotation about the pivot when the handles move, could easily be adapted to a parallel action hand vice.

Or just buy the factory version with a clamp screw if small is big enough :-

https://www.maunindustries.com/clamping-parallel-plier-with-plastic-jaw-inserts-160-mm/?_gl=1*14sp4nt*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiujnrZnVjQMVnppQBh3oVB0PEAAYASAAEgJAdfD_BwE&gbraid=0AAAAADlT6Rj6MYElAzB5KEfxONkbSFiHJ

Clive

[Author]

Posts