Vice

[Ranga]

Despite having multiple personal vices, I need a bench vice. Nothing too big, and preferably a swivel type. Also, would like inexpensive, but not cheap, if you understand the difference.

Any suggested models/suppliers

[weeds]

I brought an offset from SCA....it seems to do the job.

[mr_squiggle]

There's loads to choose from, but first how big do you want it & what are you going to do with it?
100mm (4" in the old money) engineers vices are the most popular, just don't hammer on the jaw area or you'll bust them. There are ones with an anvil available if you need it.
Dawn is probably the best, but Toledo & Irwin (Record) do a decent one for reasonable money.
Here's one that's not too far from you:
Irwin - Engineers Vice - 10507771 | Total Tools

[Ranga]

These 2 seem almost identical - Irwin 150mm Mechanics Vice | Bunnings Warehouse and SCA Bench Vice, Swivel Steel - 150mm - Supercheap Auto. It seems SCA don't do an offset version. BTW, how useful is the offset feature?

Maybe one of these is the most versatile - Irwin 125mm Multipurpose Bench Vice | Bunnings Warehouse

[JDNSW]

Offset is used where you need to work on the end of something too long for the space below the jaws on a normal one. For example, threading the end of a rod.

On the other hand, everything else being equal, a normal vice is stronger and more ridgid, but if you need an offset one, it is not easy to do without.

[Ranga]

So, would one of the vices that swivel both the jaws and the base be the best of both worlds?

[Killer]

I have never seen the point of a swivel vice. As John has pointed out offset vices are good for holding long objects, but the jaws always end up out of parallel, so holing things rigid becomes more difficult. If you mount the vice so the jaws are overhanging the bench you can usually clamp skinny long objects by the end of the jaws, where the jaws overhang the base.

Cheers, Mick.

[Killer]

Sorry Ranga, I just clicked on your link to the Irwin vice. That one looks quite versatile especially for holding pipe. I would be concerned about the strength of it though.

Cheers, Mick.

[stealth]

Get one of the rotating swivel vices like the Irwin one. Mine is mounted on a 4" steel Post away from a bench so you can put anything in it and work around it. Perfect if you want to handle long things and not be constrained by a bench. Ideal for welding on as you can tilt to any angle. You do need a bit of space which I have if it is mounted away from a bench. Mine is just a cheap Chinese thing I bought for $100. It is all I would buy now. More versatile than most expensive ones, use and abuse and if they break, get another cheapie.

[POD]

Bigger is better, also the cheap ones have a habit of breaking in half and this will of course happen in the middle of a job that you absolutely need the vice for. I kept an eye out on ebay until a top brand 6" vice came up at a good price, got a 6" Record for $100. I was considering one of the irwins but I saw some bad reviews of where several had broken in half with moderate use. You should be able to hold a workpiece in your vice and flog it with a big hammer without worrying that the vice will bust. One of the older Dawn or Record vices will last generations.