International Scale Modeller

Bought from Aldi for the princely sum of $15. This is a light weight vice, but by adding a dense foam to jaws I should be able to hold small odd shaped parts without damaging them. It will lock down on most surfaces and can then be removed for storage.

That's a cool bit of kit there Digger

Any vise is a good vise in my view

Nice looking vice. Aldi's stuff is usually pretty good. How does it lock down? Vacuum/suction or mechanical clamp??

RangerNeil wrote: Sun Jan 26, 2020 6:27 pm Nice looking vice. Aldi's stuff is usually pretty good. How does it lock down? Vacuum/suction or mechanical clamp??

Vacuum/suction...stuck to the rough surface of my kitchen bench good.

Twokidsnosleep wrote: Sun Jan 26, 2020 3:51 pm Any vise is a good vise in my view

After my dodgy drilling of the rotor hub on my chopper I figured there had to be a better way.

Lidl occasionally have a similar vice in stock.
Otherwise there is the American PanaVise brand or another one made by Proxxon in Germany.
I have the Proxxon one and it is a very handy bit of kit to have around.
These swivelling vices are more versatile than the normal one position vice.

I bought this unit at least 20 years ago. The two ridged metal faces that would hold items firmed were mounted on with screws. I removed the faces and replaced them with some thick rubber gasket material that I " found " at the oil plant where I worked. Works great for plastic material, like kit parts.





Chris

Twokidsnosleep wrote: Sun Jan 26, 2020 3:51 pm Any vise is a good vise in my view

Advice?

Twokidsnosleep wrote: Sun Jan 26, 2020 3:51 pm Any vise is a good vise in my view

Unless it's this cheap P.O.S.!

It's fairly crude and the suction base won't stay stuck to anything for more than a few minutes, at best.







Chris

I have had a little Exacto Vacuvise for many years similar to as shown in the last post.
The suction on mine is ok but the surface has to be really smooth like melamine or glass. Anything even slightly porous will compromise the suction.

Home made (copy of Dspiae's). Handy when I need it, but don't actually use it that much.

MrBowcat wrote: Fri Jan 30, 2026 12:42 pm Home made (copy of Dspiae's). Handy when I need it, but don't actually use it that much.

Yes I don't use mine much, but very handy when needed.

Well done making yours,it looks well made.

Cheers Digger, it's amazing what you can rip off with a lathe and a mill.

I want a fractal vise. I have no real need for one, but still. They look cool

bfrd wrote: Fri Feb 06, 2026 4:31 pm I want a fractal vise. I have no real need for one, but still. They look cool

I'm so much in agreement.
I love the way the jaws move when clamping up. So cool to see all the jaws adjust.....I'm a tool geek

It's on my list of things to build, but I need a rotary table for the mill first.