Lee Valley Pen Drilling Vise.........

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refueler1

refueler1

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Joined
Feb 5, 2008
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Does anyone have this vise and would you recommend it? I am on the list to get one of Pauls vises but I cant wait till next year, I need a vise asap....
 
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I have it... I can't say I would recommend it. The placement of the handle on the side tends to cause the plates to bind. I 'cuss it from time to time and hope for something better.
 
Here is what I use as a drilling vise, just plug a drill chuck into the tailstock.


I've drilled hundred upon hundreds of blanks and I do not own a drill press. I have access to a huge Delta drill press, but I never touch it for penturning.


Put on the longnose jaws for drilling. Trust me, it's awesome. I can make Emperors out of 3/4" blanks. VERY nice when buying Tru-stone blanks that are like $4 more for the bigger size.


41GN5CZ1BXL._SL500_AA280_.jpg
 
The LV is very similar to the HF model, but is twice the price. I prefer a single-stroke closure (like the new Woodcraft vise) to the handscrew type, however.
 
Jack,

I have an used PSI vise. Don't use it since i get my PHV[:p].

Unless you really need a high precision vise, this one have seen times but can do the job while you wait for you "high end" vise.

Send me your address and it's yours.

Alfred
 
Originally posted by arioux

Jack,

I have an used PSI vise. Don't use it since i get my PHV[:p].

Unless you really need a high precision vise, this one have seen times but can do the job while you wait for you "high end" vise.

Send me your address and it's yours.

Alfred
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Alfred, thanks so much for your generous offer. I sent you a PM. Its good to know there are still nice people in the world.:)
 
This post has the most replies by us Canadians as I've ever seen, what's with that[:p]
I have a Lee Valley vise as well, works but...too bad 'Veritas' wouldn't produce one, bet they'd be good:)
Hey Grant, have you thought of mentioning it to Lee Valley's customer service, might be an idea seeing as you're right there in LV's head office?
 
I also have been using the Rockler vise. It works great and I like it a lot. I also just got a Jacobs chuck and plan on doing most of my drilling on the lathe in the future. I just haven't moved over to that yet. The Rockler vise is really good though. The mechanism is very smooth and it holds the blanks really well.
 
I have the Lee Valley vise. I cannot recommend it. As someone pointed out already, it binds every few turns. I found that I have to squeeze the open end with light pressure to eliminate some of the binding. I would have expected better for Lee Valley/Veritas.

Lou
NJ
 
As much as I like Lee Valley . . . I find it hard to believe that someone @ LV could not look at that vise prior to offering it for sale and not realize that it would have a binding problem . . . . The double handed ACME screw has to be on the same plane as the guides . . .or centered between them. Although this would somewhat restrict the versatility of the vise to drilling blanks . . . Oh well I better start building a vise, I just realized after reading this post that I am probably number 9,999 on Paul's list . . . Oh well good things are worth waiting for. . .
 
Hi All,
Well it is like this there is no vice that accuret unless you take the time to set it properly. I have Paul's vice and I think it is one of the best on the market to day, only if you take the time to set it up.
It will repeat to with in thousands of a inch,long as the blanks are square,and will fit in the vice. Like 1/2"X1/2" or 1"X1" without changing the setup. I know there are a lot of them out there so how some of you say????
 
I have a woodcraft 'deluxe' one and the HF one. The woodcraft one works very well, but cannot accomodate fat blanks. The HF one can accomodate the fatties, but doesn't clamp onto them very tightly. I just toss a small block below the blank to stop it from sliding. It solves the problem just fine.

I haven't had a problem with either one binding.

Previously, we used woodcrafts 'pen makers' vise. I hated it. It did a very poor job of keeping the blanks vertical to the table, resulting in holes that did not stay centered in the blank.
 
Originally posted by steve_mcloon

Would someone please give more info on 'Paul's vices'. Thanks.
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Well according to his wife, Paul has many vices but unfortunately he doesn't have enough to go around to fill all of his orders. All joking aside, Paul makes the finest vice and they are always in demand. Good luck getting on his waiting list.
 
Originally posted by wood-of-1kind

Originally posted by steve_mcloon

Would someone please give more info on 'Paul's vices'. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Well according to his wife, Paul has many vices but unfortunately he doesn't have enough to go around to fill all of his orders. All joking aside, Paul makes the finest vice and they are always in demand. Good luck getting on his waiting list.
Click to expand...

Getting on the waiting list is the easy part :D. Then, you wait, and wait, and wait, and.......well, you get the picture. All kidding aside, I am trying as usual to make and get things going, but some one keeps sneaking in and telling my boss that there are a few more things that need done yesterday! AAAAHHHHGGGG. Maybe I should switch this to my day job.
 
Just installed a HF vice yesterday. Took the time to make sure it sat perfectly flush on the table. Centered with a drill bit in the chuck. Tested it on a 1/2 x1/2 piece of Corian. DEAD center all the way thru. Works very smooth & darn well worth the few bucks.
 
Not to rub it in, but I'm real glad I got one of Paul's before he attained "Greatest Vice Maker on Earth" status! I wonder what the resale market is here. Maybe I should get on his list again, wait it out and then sell my used one (it's built like an AC Carrier) for triple what I paid for it. It would take the pressure off Mr. Huffman and I could start a used vice website.

I'll start work on a business plan immediately...

Dale
 
I just picked up the Rockler vice...and love it! It works well both as a centering vise and as a press. I'm going to send my old press (the long arm style with the metal base) to my dad who is fed up with his Penn State model.
 
I purchased the Lee Valley vise in April and had problems with it binding every time I closed it. I took it back 2 weeks ago and they gave me a replacement even though I did not have the receipt. The new one does not bind at all. Maybe they are doing something different in the way it is machined, although it looks exactly the same.
 
I used a 4 way sliding machinist's vice with the upright v blocks. It worked great until the table support arm on the drill press cracked. I then went to using the lathe, jocob's chuck, oneway stronghold, and #1 jaws. I would never go back to the drill press. Dead center every time, and centered all the way through.
Can't ask for mare than that. :D
 
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