Buying a pin vise HELP

[Rattlecan Dan]

I bought a neat little Tamiya electric handy drill from Hobbylinc. Check it out. You have to put it together yourself. Dosen't take long and not all that hard. Amazing all the time and effort it saves. Still have to buy your own drill bits.

[TarheelRick]

I have had this particular pin vise for many years and use it exclusively.  It has four different size collets and will hold the smallest bit I want to use and as large as 1/8". With this one the black knob stays steady in your palm while the shaft rotates by turning the knurled collar.  Works great especially when you have five thumbs on each hand.

 

These two I have had longer but do not use. The upper one has storage for bits in one end but has only one collet.  It is also difficult to spin.  The bottom one has collets in each end and is also very difficult to use.

Edited March 25, 2023 by TarheelRick

[R. Thorne]

The vise you use Rick looks ergonomically right as does my Dspiae hand drill, but the tediousness of finger turning often leads to too much pressure being applied with corresponding broken bits and (at least in my case) a weak wrist syndrome (i’m no spring chicken).  The Archimedean screw type allowed me to drill 8 holes in rapid succession with no ill effects.  For larger holes I use a low speed motorized drill.  Try one.  You might like it.

[Bugatti Fan]

Unfortunately many hobby aimed pin vices are very cheaply made.

I have some pin vices made by Eclipse, a UK company that I have been using constantly since bought way back in the 1970's. Good quality tools don't come cheap however. My advice for anyone looking to buy a pin vice is look up a proper engineers tool stockists for a quality item that will last.

[NOBLNG]

A better pic of the business end.🙂 The drill on the left is my favourite (which looks similar to the one sold by Micro Mark) because of the slender jaws that protrude from the collet. It makes it a lot easier to see what you’re doing in tight spaces. The center one is a cheap Chinese one from Amazon. It worked Ok, but I wound up stealing the spring off it to repair the first one. The AK pin vise on the right is very nice too. The three jaw chuck is true and will hold from a #80 up to a 5/32” drill bit.

Edited March 25, 2023 by NOBLNG

[R. Thorne]

Thanks for that clear picture of the differences.  May have to get the micromark version.

[Mark]

Consider getting several, and have dedicated pin vises for drill gauges that you use often.  For instance, if you like to attach small parts with pins, have one just for the drill you use for pinning parts.  Another for drilling holes for ignition wires, and so on.  You can use cheaper/low quality pin vises for those, as long as they are concentric.  If you have only one size bit in there and don't change it, the cheap ones will work.

[Steve H]

I highly recommend spending the extra money on a quality pin vise. I stepped up to Tamiya and Godhand pinvises about a year ago and what a difference! Way better feel. As for drill bits I like the Godhand bits that have the same size shank, that way you don’t need to constantly change collets to fit the bigger and smaller bits. For me that was a game changer. I also much prefer metric size bits as apposed to standard or numbered. In 1/25 scale, 1mm is equal to 1”. So choosing a .5mm bit is equal to 1/2” in full scale, easy peasy… I know there are many of you that could tell me how big a #72 bit is, but I could never be bothered to learn what size all the #’s are.  That’s just my 2 cents. 

[NOBLNG]

1 hour ago, Steve H said:

 I know there are many of you that could tell me how big a #72 bit is, but I could never be bothered to learn what size all the #’s are.  That’s just my 2 cents. 

0.025”😁 Most of the Evergreen or Plastruct I use is Imperial sizes. That’s why I mark all the decimal equivalents on the cases. I never have to do the calculations again.🤪

[Pete J.]

..... and then there are machinist pin vises.  When Starrett makes it, it is the best you can buy.  Not very many of us need them this good!
https://www.starrett.com/metrology/product-detail/s162z

Edited March 26, 2023 by Pete J.

[Steve H]

26 minutes ago, NOBLNG said:

0.025”😁 Most of the Evergreen or Plastruct I use is Imperial sizes. That’s why I mark all the decimal equivalents on the cases. I never have to do the calculations again.🤪

Greg, you are definitely one of thee most organized builders. I always enjoy, and learn from your posts. I will screen shot this page “just in case” I need it in the future. 😉 I was born in the USA, grew up here in Canada, and went to school during the metric transition. I still prefer using metric for my hobby stuff, just simplifies it for me. Thanks for the info! 

[porschercr]

1 hour ago, Pete J. said:

..... and then there are machinist pin vises.  When Starrett makes it, it is the best you can buy.  Not very many of us need them this good!
https://www.starrett.com/metrology/product-detail/s162z

Pricey, but as you said Pete, best you can by.

[Bugatti Fan]

The Starrett company like Brown and Sharpe in the USA make very good quality engineering tools that will last a lifetime. I still have a Brown and Sharpe combination set that I bought as an apprentice back in the sixties Still as good as new after constant use. Only added a supplementary metric rule to it back in the 70's when the UK went metric. I think that Starrett may have had a factory in the UK as well as in the states.

In the UK we have Moore and Wright and Rabone Chesterman being established precision tool manufacturers off similar status. Another tool I bought as an apprentice was a Vernier Caliper made by a Swedish company Eskilstuna that I have constantly used since and still do. Not sure if that Swedish tool company still exists but that tool was a brilliant investment for me.

Edited March 26, 2023 by Bugatti Fan

[Pete J.]

6 hours ago, Bugatti Fan said:

The Starrett company like Brown and Sharpe in the USA make very good quality engineering tools that will last a lifetime. I still have a Brown and Sharpe combination set that I bought as an apprentice back in the sixties Still as good as new after constant use. Only added a supplementary metric rule to it back in the 70's when the UK went metric. I think that Starrett may have had a factory in the UK as well as in the states.

In the UK we have Moore and Wright and Rabone Chesterman being established precision tool manufacturers off similar status. Another tool I bought as an apprentice was a Vernier Caliper made by a Swedish company Eskilstuna that I have constantly used since and still do. Not sure if that Swedish tool company still exists but that tool was a brilliant investment for me.

I have a drawer full of Starrett tools and have a bit more of a frugal way to get them.  Starrett has a refurbishment program that you can send any Starrett tool back to the factory and they will rebuild it for you to factory precision specs.  You can't buy refurbished tools from them.  That is just the way they roll, but they will rebuild yours at a reasonable cost. 

  How do I do this?  Well I comb eBay for what I want and find one with reasonable quality and price and ship it off.  It takes about a month but you get a "new" tool back.  Last tool I did this with was a 6" height gauge.   I paid $50 for it online.  Starrett charged me $100 to rebuild it and I have a fully funtioning tool for far less than the $500+ cost of a new one and it will last me forever. 

[Bugatti Fan]

Sending precision measuring tools and gauges to be refurbished and  calibrated  from established precision tool.manufacturers is a very good way to obtain top quality items as Pete testifies.

Besides the established UK and USA establishments there is a Japanese company Mitsutoyo who also make high quality measuring tools for engineering.

[Pete J.]

18 hours ago, Bugatti Fan said:

Sending precision measuring tools and gauges to be refurbished and  calibrated  from established precision tool.manufacturers is a very good way to obtain top quality items as Pete testifies.

Besides the established UK and USA establishments there is a Japanese company Mitsutoyo who also make high quality measuring tools for engineering.

Forgot about them, but there stuff in definitely, top of the heap, good.