Posts: 3,196
Threads: 116
Likes Received: 2,140 in 1,269 posts
Likes Given: 2,840
Joined: Apr 2019
Location Isle of Man
That's a really nice toolmakers vice, I miss having access to one like that, you can't beat quality, parallel and square for umpteen different jobs.
Life is like a box of Slot cars...
•
Posts: 6
Threads: 0
Likes Received: 10 in 4 posts
Likes Given: 1
Joined: Feb 2025
(Yesterday, 09:55 PM)Kevan Wrote: That's a really nice toolmakers vice, I miss having access to one like that, you can't beat quality, parallel and square for umpteen different jobs.
It gets used a lot & as you mention ; for a variety of tasks.
When I built that vise it was all by hand using mill, grinder & so on & there was considerable time spent figuring out how to get everything to work smoothly, correctly & reliably.
Building one was kind of an early right-of-passage into the toolmakers trade, that same job of fabrication that took several days to complete could now be done on modern machinery with CAD assist in likely less than a day .. & be even more precise to boot ! Maybe
When I left the trade to pursue a different vocation, the younger folks coming in were talented at programming the machine(s) & using the various software, but they had little knowledge when it came to actually cutting material & were utterly clueless as to how to fixture anything.
Lots of expensive CNC equipment crashed with regularity as the programming ability far exceeded the technical background to actually perform the work.
I don't know if the caboose ever quite caught up to the train that regard.
.
Posts: 1,709
Threads: 94
Likes Received: 2,735 in 1,139 posts
Likes Given: 2,137
Joined: Sep 2020
Location A small igloo in Canada
There's nothing like watching a newbie try and hand-drill through dry stainless as fast as the drill can go. After watching several drill bits go up in smoke. I offered to help. Slow and steady with a little oil got the job done in a flash. The drill bit was still good after the hole was made. He thought it was magic.
(This post was last modified:
Yesterday, 11:39 PM by
KensRedZed.)
•
Posts: 3,196
Threads: 116
Likes Received: 2,140 in 1,269 posts
Likes Given: 2,840
Joined: Apr 2019
Location Isle of Man
You can't beat old school tech and know-how no matter how much money and new tech you throw at it...old school figures out solutions to problems, new school hasn't the foggiest idea why new problems crop up whilst trying to figure out ways round old problems.
Life is like a box of Slot cars...
•
Posts: 502
Threads: 30
Likes Received: 752 in 331 posts
Likes Given: 180
Joined: Dec 2020
Location burnley UK
(Yesterday, 11:17 PM)pinit6 Wrote: Building one was kind of an early right-of-passage into the toolmakers trade
machined vice , forged and tempered screw driver & adjustable wrench , perfectly square hand made cube , sheet metal tool box were all modules during my toolmakers apprenticeship
a long time ago now , but will never forget having to cut a 1/4 inch slice off a 6 inch bar by hand with a hack saw as punishment for any misdemeanours, for a total of 3 when i was time served , ohh happy days lol
Kev
•
Posts: 3,196
Threads: 116
Likes Received: 2,140 in 1,269 posts
Likes Given: 2,840
Joined: Apr 2019
Location Isle of Man
Kids nowadays would report that as bullying
Life is like a box of Slot cars...
•
Posts: 6
Threads: 0
Likes Received: 10 in 4 posts
Likes Given: 1
Joined: Feb 2025
(10 hours ago)OXO cube Wrote: (Yesterday, 11:17 PM)pinit6 Wrote: Building one was kind of an early right-of-passage into the toolmakers trade
machined vice , forged and tempered screw driver & adjustable wrench , perfectly square hand made cube , sheet metal tool box were all modules during my toolmakers apprenticeship
a long time ago now , but will never forget having to cut a 1/4 inch slice off a 6 inch bar by hand with a hack saw as punishment for any misdemeanours, for a total of 3 when i was time served , ohh happy days lol
Kev
Yikes ! , guessing THAT took a while , at least your punishment was fairly quiet & you likely became a genius with a hacksaw.
I once scrapped the better part of a weeks work having gotten too impatient ( a high crime ) , I was subsequently stationed in front of a very large, old & scary Gordon lathe where my task for the next two weeks was to rough finish an endless supply of tool steel forgings, yeah forgings, they were all at least 1.5" out of round & covered in carbon slag. I'll never forget that sound .. & never got impatient again.
The hardest thing I ever had to train someone to do, & this is gonna sound weird, but it was to properly use .. a file.
•