Shopsmith Forums

If you have been reading the forum for a while you will know I have a vice and it is buying new tools which I could just as well do without.

Today I will look at the old quick action vise that I have had for years and see how the new version stacks up, and well did I do it again?

The new version was in the in the recent catalog so that another another item got me to my over $75 limit for offered extras. That some how managed to overcome the price threshold that I struggle with. Part number is 556416 if you want to look it up, catalog page 13 if you wish.

I no longer recall when I stepped in to the quick action vise market, had to be a lot of years ago because it seems like I've owned one forever. I have used it so many times and have had no big issues with it. It is a light duty vice and I treat it that way, I have bigger heavy duty vise for the times I need the heft. I've got a couple of "jigs" for mounting the vise to the shopsmith as well as for use on the overhead router table.
The first thing we should do is look at a side by side photo and point out some of the changes that have happened.

This is a higher level review based on visual observations and a few comments as to what the differences might mean it is not meant to be catch all changes and certainly can not contain actual changes which are not visual in nature.
(A) A major change to the handle, the old knurled small dia. one was replaced with a softer grip with a larger circumference, this is both more conformable and should allow you to tighten the new version better then the old version.

(B) The quick release button is nicer on the new model, not sure if any functionality changes were made but the cosmetic effects make it look nicer.

(C) Note the rounder edges on the new version. This may have been an attempt to save a bit of material cost or to off set material costs of the other added refinements, they will be shown soon.
(D) OH look a hole on the new one! To be honest I'm not sure what is is for. Looks like it could hang on a hook for storage that way, or ?

(E) Drive pins are no longer through holes and are of a smaller diameter on the new version. Makes it look nicer but if it ever needs to come apart... well that would be another story.
These next pictures are one at a time views of the vises. This picture is of the old version.

(FF) The attachment point has changed between versions. I'm not sure that was done for manufacturing or because this version had pointed out a weakness that was corrected.

(F) A major change was made from in the gussets. This occurred on both sides of the vice. The old version had a pair gusset on each side of the jaws. They are much less robust then the ones on the new version. Heavier duty for sure but was this needed? I'm questioning that for now.

(G) Both of the jaws in the old vise had these rabbets which I have found to be useful in the past. The new jaws do not have that. I'm unsure if I like that change.
This is the new vise.

(H) This is the added gussets I had mentioned. Both sides have the 4 gussets, if it helps remains to be seen.

(II) Note the change to the center section on the new vise.

(I) Note the lack of the rabbet, it does give a more square edge....

More to come in the next post.

Ed

Next we will look at the two vices again so I can point out a few other things.
Old vise to the left, new to the right.

(J) Here is the other side of the vise, the gussets show up better in this picture then some of the others so it should be clear what they look like.

(K) Like the lines of the new version.

(L) It is a little hard to see here but the new version is base is slightly thicker then the old version. I'm guess that is to "beef it up" a bit. Again I have my doubts if this is going to make a big difference.
(M) I do believe this change will allow much tighter clamping. This might be the best update to the new version. Perhaps the other changes were needed to allow this change?
A few more changes to the bench mounting hardware to present.

(N) Like the new rounded look.

(O) New hardware to lock things in place. It will eliminate having to find a wrench, and I expect it should hold well enough. If not it is an easy change back to the old style hardware.

(P) I'm not sure but I be leave the original came with no pad. The piece I have attached it a piece of circuit board, some thing I had on hand... So the new nice mounting is a nice addition.

(Q) The new end on the threaded rod looks good to me. I'd have to say that to is an improvement.

(R) I think this might be a toss up, for now I don't think I care which one is there, use might change that.
(S and T) This is the old vise face. Note the depth of both the vertical and horizontal notches. I personally never thought they were deep enough to hold really well but they were useful. I'm a bit surprised what I found on the new version. See what you think.
(U and V) I think that theses are going to be much worse as they are really shallow. I hope in use I find this not to be true...... This is the single feature that could make this vise a vice and not a go to tool.

More to come in my next post.

Ed

As I have said I'm pretty happy with the old version. The new vise has some things I like about it but also a few things I'm questioning.

Even the new version is pretty light duty, perhaps a partial step above the old one but it is not ever going to be more then light duty. The good news is that this light duty version of a vise is all I expect of it.

I didn't point out the t-nuts, bolts and washers that come with the vise. This does add some value to the package.

This review might be updated once I have some hours of use on the vise. Right now it is pretty neutral.

I've seen a BORA Quick Release vice in a catalog that sure looks like this one. It is going for $29.99 at woodcraft.

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/154713 ... -Vise.aspx

It might be worth looking at if you don't care about the extra's that shopsmith includes.

Ed

Ed

THANKS, for an EXCELLENT review, and taking the time to give all of us a VERY detailed comparison of the two.

I for one really appreciate your effort.

Many thanks

Steve

I used to be "vice" cop but never a "vise" cop!!
Bill V

This was, as usual from Reible, a very well done and very helpful tool review.

I too have one of these vises but mine seems to be some sort of hybrid version. I purchased mine from Shopsmith a few years back when it was featured as an email special. It does everything that it is advertised to do BUT it gets very little use in my shop. In fact, today I had to locate it. It took about fifteen minutes to find where it had migrated to.

If I must list one feature that I do not care for, it is the quick release button. The idea is great but on mine it is hard to operate. It does not readily release even when the button is pushed.

Bet that triangular handle feels good.

Looks like a cross between Ed's old and new one.

wa2crk wrote:I used to be "vice" cop but never a "vise" cop!!
Bill V

FWIW, when under British influence(like Canada[west]) that mechanical device is a vice.

Here we go again
Earlier today I read Reible's post and all the pix came up. When I brought up this thread again (right now) Reible's pix came up OK but Dusty's did not come up at all. I thought I noticed that sometimes pix seemed to come and go and this seems to confirm that. Could there be a corrupted file somewhere in the forum software?
Bill V

I'm not seeing images at all. Now on a Lenovo laptop, windows 8.

This forum software is FLAKEY.