Handy little extinct vise from our friends across the pond in the Uk

[MechanicMike]

Hi any of you guys from across the pond recongize one of these It's an Eclipse #18 Instrument Vise made in the UK.  I picked it up tonight for my workbench. I think I'm going like it! I've held off and held off on a vise so long but this one caught my eye. What do you guys think? Unfortunately as with all decent tooling, they quit making them.

Mike

[watchweasol]

A nice piece of old tooling , I would preserve it as a historical piece and use it carefully.

[Plato]

1 hour ago, watchweasol said:

A nice piece of old tooling , I would preserve it as a historical piece and use it carefully.

You'd be very unlucky if you damage it, they're practically bulletproof.

They seem to crop up in batches on ebay... never cheap but if Bergeon etc. we're to sell something similar now they'd probably ask £300+

[oldhippy]

Based on the old type G clamp the people that work with wood would use. I never cared for vices that just clamped onto a workbench. With all my vices for clock work I prefered the screw down type. 

[watchweasol]

 I agree with Old Hippy comment.  The screw down variety are more secure and not inclined to move if you exert a little pressure.

[Plato]

It's a pretty solid clamp for such a small vice though.

[nickelsilver]

All the old Eclipse stuff I've seen has been excellent. These always made me think that the guy who designed it was into micromechanics and fly tying. Use it!

 

I have tons of vices, from a 1/2" wide Horia to a Gressel that weighs as much as a big grocery shopping, they all get used somehow.

[Plato]

Has anyone bought/used the cheaper version of Bergeon's 2021 vice?

Cousins' claim the quality of the cheap one is as good as Bergeon's:

https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/screw-down-1-45mm-jaw-watchmakers

If so, I'd be tempted.

[MechanicMike]

5 hours ago, watchweasol said:

A nice piece of old tooling , I would preserve it as a historical piece and use it carefully.

True that's what caught my eye. It looks pretty sturdy. If you look close, it's got an old factory tag on it from Montgomery and Co Springfield, NJ I'm guessing was its last home. They were a large manufacturing company that no longer exist. I see their equipment pop up from time to time also.

[MechanicMike]

3 hours ago, Plato said:

You'd be very unlucky if you damage it, they're practically bulletproof.

They seem to crop up in batches on ebay... never cheap but if Bergeon etc. we're to sell something similar now they'd probably ask £300+

That's exactly what the guy said to me.  "You'd be hard pressed to break or damage this it's very well made. Aside from some light surface rust/dust which you can easily wire wheel or emory cloth off its 100% intact and well used."

I have been thinking the same and holding off on a vise because they are so expensive. I was almost saving for a Bergeon too lol..

[MechanicMike]

3 hours ago, oldhippy said:

Based on the old type G clamp the people that work with wood would use. I never cared for vices that just clamped onto a workbench. With all my vices for clock work I prefered the screw down type. 

Screw down type? With the plate?

[MechanicMike]

1 hour ago, watchweasol said:

 I agree with Old Hippy comment.  The screw down variety are more secure and not inclined to move if you exert a little pressure.

I believe you guys are talking about a vise that mounts or screws directly to the bench. Got it. I too, hesitate with C-clamp style vises simply because they tend to bend, give, less rigid etc. As a machinist I'm always suspicious of that and use instead a tool called KANT-TWIST clamps. You'll never use a C-clamp again. Anyway I went on a machinist/model maker forum and spoke to an owner of one of these he said once its clamped its SOLID. so we shall see....

[MechanicMike]

1 hour ago, Plato said:

It's a pretty solid clamp for such a small vice though.

Same as what I've been told. Talked to a couple guys that absolutely love theirs. One guy so much he bought a second one that popped up on the Bay a week later...

I read a thread on the NAWCC dated a few years ago regarding these. Good article. I'll see if I can post a link here. Is that allowed? Lol 

[Plato]

1 minute ago, MechanicMike said:

I read a thread on the NAWCC dated a few years ago regarding these. Good article. I'll see if I can post a link here. Is that allowed? Lol 

Links are allowed.

[MechanicMike]

1 hour ago, nickelsilver said:

All the old Eclipse stuff I've seen has been excellent. These always made me think that the guy who designed it was into micromechanics and fly tying. Use it!

 

I have tons of vices, from a 1/2" wide Horia to a Gressel that weighs as much as a big grocery shopping, they all get used somehow.

I have heard those comments about this vise about fly tying and micro mechanics. Also a clockmaker who uses it to make clock and pocketwatch hands. I'm pretty stoked to get my hands on it!

[MechanicMike]

1 hour ago, Plato said:

Has anyone bought/used the cheaper version of Bergeon's 2021 vice?

Cousins' claim the quality of the cheap one is as good as Bergeon's:

https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/screw-down-1-45mm-jaw-watchmakers

If so, I'd be tempted.

That's exactly what I was going for until the Eclipse came up. Esslinger.com has them for 99 bucks. Another week or two stalling and that would have been it. I like the fold down block Horotec offers for the plate tho. Fold it down out of the way when you're done. 

[Plato]

The Eclipse has a 1/2 inch jaw whereas the above is 1 3/4 inch so a bit more width to play with.

On Cousins it's only £35 + VAT, I'm a sucker for the big names but if it's any good it would be a good investment and I wouldn't have to worry about damaging it.

[canthus]

Off subject a bit, but here's one I made 100% myself 60+ years ago at metalworking class in school.  I was only about 12 or 13 at the time.  Would the children of to-day be taught this at the same age??   I still use it occasionally to this day, hence the slightly battered condition!!

 

[Plato]

That's impressive, when I was 12 or 13 I could just about make a paper aeroplane!

I'd probably struggle now.

 

[MechanicMike]

1 hour ago, Plato said:

The Eclipse has a 1/2 inch jaw whereas the above is 1 3/4 inch so a bit more width to play with.

On Cousins it's only £35 + VAT, I'm a sucker for the big names but if it's any good it would be a good investment and I wouldn't have to worry about damaging it.

You and me both. Like I said a few more weeks and I'd probably have a nice shiny new Bergeon vise that my wife would wonder, "THAT little thing was 300 bucks?" 

Once it gets here I'll report back with a few pics.

NAWCC thread link:

https://mb.nawcc.org/threads/eclipse-instrument-vice-180.168442/

 

 

[MechanicMike]

There's one on the Bay/UK up for auction right now. Last I saw it was up to 64.99 GBP, and looks almost mint! 

Edited July 4, 2021 by MechanicMike
Because I can't get my exchange rates nor names of different currency straight!

[MechanicMike]

31 minutes ago, canthus said:

Off subject a bit, but here's one I made 100% myself 60+ years ago at metalworking class in school.  I was only about 12 or 13 at the time.  Would the children of to-day be taught this at the same age??   I still use it occasionally to this day, hence the slightly battered condition!!

 

Not off topic at all. I love it. Machine Shop class is what got me started some 45 years ago at about the same age in which we made a belt sander, one wheel bench grinder, milling vise stop among other things. I think kids should have shop class still, today. I know of colleges who make it mandatory for engineering students to take welding, drafting and machine shop amongst their regular courses, and have found the students loved them. That's a nice vise!

[MechanicMike]

12 minutes ago, Plato said:

That's impressive, when I was 12 or 13 I could just about make a paper aeroplane!

I'd probably struggle now.

 

Hey if you get that vise from Cousins keep me posted and shoot us some pics. Not even kidding you, that was literally next up on my list. 

[Plato]

18 minutes ago, MechanicMike said:

You and me both. Like I said a few more weeks and I'd probably have a nice shiny new Bergeon vise that my wife would wonder, "THAT little thing was 300 bucks?" 

Once it gets here I'll report back with a few pics.

NAWCC thread link:

https://mb.nawcc.org/threads/eclipse-instrument-vice-180.168442/

 

 

 I've got something very similar to the vice below it too, it's not an Eclipse - pretty sure it's US made, I'll have to check when I get back to the 'workshop' (my old bedroom at my parents' house) in the week. 

I don't mind spending money (what little I have!) but nothing beats finding a bargain. 

[Plato]

14 minutes ago, MechanicMike said:

Hey if you get that vise from Cousins keep me posted and shoot us some pics. Not even kidding you, that was literally next up on my list. 

I think you've convinced me...