Ball vise purchase

[Jex]

I was looking to copy this for my first vise http//www.homemadetools.net/homemade-engraver-s-bowl-vice
Being totally uneducated in the art of engraving. I'm not really sure on the use of the ball vise. At first I thought it was to rotate the part. But after reading this thread I'm thinking it is just for holding your work piece horizontal.

So if I were to build that I would be better off not having the vise rotate. And instead build a rotating table for it to sit on?
Further more If I'm just doing flat practice pieces all I'd need is a rotating base with a drill press vise. Or something like

?

 

[Chujybear]

I was looking to copy this for my first vise http//www.homemadetools.net/homemade-engraver-s-bowl-vice
Being totally uneducated in the art of engraving. I'm not really sure on the use of the ball vise. At first I thought it was to rotate the part. But after reading this thread I'm thinking it is just for holding your work piece horizontal.

So if I were to build that I would be better off not having the vise rotate. And instead build a rotating table for it to sit on?
Further more If I'm just doing flat practice pieces all I'd need is a rotating base with a drill press vise. Or something like

?

i love that vise.. all you need for flat work, but ya, with a turntable all you need is clamping, then you would have the ability to centre your rotation. which is more than just useful for under a scope, it will make smooth curves much more easy (tho they arent that hard on a conventional ball vise with an eccentric rotation)

 

[JJ Roberts]

I bought a vise from Ray LeTourneau 45lb. when they first came out he made 500 of them made cost $450 John Temple now makes them,great for gun engraving. J.J.

 

[mdengraver]

Not bidding high enough for a good engraving block is a vice! But not the kind you want! An engraver without a good vice may end up with a bad case of engravers block! Better yet a good engraver shouldn't be perfect! He/She should have lots of vices! Better to have a good vise than risk becoming a blockhead!

 

[Chujybear]

Not bidding high enough for a good engraving block is a vice! But not the kind you want! An engraver without a good vice may end up with a bad case of engravers block! Better yet a good engraver shouldn't be perfect! He/She should have lots of vices! Better to have a good vise than risk becoming a blockhead!

tho you may be ball headed by the time its all sorted

 

[mdengraver]

tho you may be ball headed by the time its all sorted

You could also lose your bearings!

 

[707chrisa]

Every time I look on Lindsay's site there sold out or just not making them he had some huge ones like 80 lbs I think. Big money big prizes , but too much for me right now . Too old for cheep tools .

I considered getting one of those "import models" currently flooding the market. I even placed an order for one, but cancelled the order after I saw what sort of feedback the seller was getting (it was getting worse by the day/item).

I had bid on a one or two vintage vises, but they left my price range pretty quickly, and there are yet a couple out there that seem priced fairly, but more than I can spend.

Then there was that pair out of Cali on the eBay today. I was sitting tight on both of them. I let the first one go when it went over 142. I wanted the second one more. Luckily the sniping action on the first one let me know what to expect on the second one.

So I watched and watched as bidders sat on their hands.

10 bids came in the final seconds. 2 were mine. I won.

Ain't my first online action pardner, (blows down the bbl of his bidding finger).

Sorry if I knocked anyone here off it. There may be a better vise posted tomorrow. Gotta bid like you mean it.

The prize:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Echarco-block-ball-vise-for-engraving-/201802333102?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&nma=true&si=%2B1Fhi%2B%2Bx8okVHLTF7B0CqCp7ylI%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

It may be junk, but I'd rather refurbish vintage junk than "finish/complete the work of" modern production junk. I just couldn't do much with my machinists vises or my wood-working vise.

Also, I'll be quite and rather happy to spend the going rate for a top-notch and well-engineered vise (industry standard) just as soon as I have the buying power to do so.

Or if my pal ever gets his machine tools running, I'll build what I want with three-phase powered chip makers.

Howdy, I'm Wade, this is about my second post. I'm getting geared up to learn engraving. Methinks this is what my whole previous existence has led me to. I'm surveying land presently and I'm into the pre-cartridge guns and accouterments. Have gravers and fixtures, a pile of 12L14 scraps, a ball vise, next up is OPTICS. And I'm about settled on Megaview if I can't scare up good use OPTIvisor. But I'm out of bucks for a while now. Good luck bidding! Cheers!