brandon402 86 Posted April 24, 2012 Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 (edited) So, I was thinking about picking up a rifle vise in preparation for my ak conversion (and also to have for future mods and maintenance). Are there particular brands to stay away from? Is there a particular vise that you all would recommend? Where would one go to purchase one? I have seen them on amazon.com but I wasnt quite sure the ones they have on there would work with my saiga (I read through a few of the reviews on some of them and apparently certain rifles wont fit on certain vises). Additionally, like I said, I would like to get something that would work well for multiple applications, not just rifles, but hand guns as well. Thanks for any insight yall can provide! Edited April 24, 2012 by brandon402 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bohound 281 Posted April 24, 2012 Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 Brandon: Save your money. Do you think the proverbial 8 year olds in caves building Kalashnikovs have a vise? For most of my work, I either just DID it, or had the hubby hold the rifle still. Get your wife involved- make herself useful!!! A regular old shop vise with a few towels or something soft won't mar the "finish" (paint) on your fine Russian piece of engineering. We don't need to put on airs... Fancy gun vises, sleds, all that stuff- that's AR forum language you're talking. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
yakdung 2,926 Posted April 24, 2012 Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 (edited) This may help if you have a standard vise in your shop. Not very expensive and Lowe's and Amazon have them on their websites: http://www.amazon.co...rd_i=B001C1DBVG Good luck, Edited April 24, 2012 by yakdung 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Garys4598 1,065 Posted April 24, 2012 Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 This may help if you have a standard vise in your shop. Not very expensive and Lowe's and Amazon have them on their websites: http://www.amazon.co...rd_i=B001C1DBVG Good luck, I have a pair of these that I use on my bolted down work bench vise. They work great! On ocassion when they're a little too 'mushy' or soft for the task at hand, I use thick leather scraps within the vise's jaws that I'll masking tape in place if needed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brandon402 86 Posted April 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 LoL, thanks yall, and an extra LOL for bohound... Guess I was getting a touch too fancy for our roughneck weapons. Just more evidence of how OCDish I get when trying to do anything, haha. And yes, I plan on getting the wifey involved in this stuff too eventually. Anyway, I dont have my own vise, so I was thinking I may go with this one: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_SPM2675905002P?prdNo=3&blockNo=3&blockType=G3 Its got removable jaw pads. Do yall think this vise would work? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Garys4598 1,065 Posted April 24, 2012 Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 . . . I dont have my own vise, so I was thinking I may go with this one: http://www.sears.com...=3&blockType=G3 Its got removable jaw pads. Do yall think this vise would work? Hmmm. . . the price is terrific of course, but it is made from cast aluminum. I guess it would depend on whether you intend to use this vise for other projects down the road, other than your AK conversion. The product has no customer reviews listed, so it's rather difficult to assess the product. Me personally, I wouldn't go with cast aluminum. . . yet clearly you're going to pay 2X+ more for a steel vise. Like I said, I think it depends on whether you believe you'll use it only for this one project. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brandon402 86 Posted April 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 I didnt think about that.... However, I also dont see myself needing a steel one either. I suppose with a steel one Id be "future-proofing" any projects down the road. But, lol, I really cant think of anything that I'd need a steel one for either. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
yakdung 2,926 Posted April 24, 2012 Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 LoL, thanks yall, and an extra LOL for bohound... Guess I was getting a touch too fancy for our roughneck weapons. Just more evidence of how OCDish I get when trying to do anything, haha. And yes, I plan on getting the wifey involved in this stuff too eventually. Anyway, I dont have my own vise, so I was thinking I may go with this one: http://www.sears.com...=3&blockType=G3 Its got removable jaw pads. Do yall think this vise would work? I have a 20+ year old Sears steel vise made in the USA and a #75 from American Scale Company - a brute. I would suggest looking around for an old American made vise. It will be worth it weight in gold. I would be afraid a commie vise would crack and drop my gun. King daddy if money is no object: http://www.wiltontoo...6&category=7215 Good luck, Yakdung 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DogMan 2,343 Posted April 24, 2012 Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 LoL, thanks yall, and an extra LOL for bohound... Guess I was getting a touch too fancy for our roughneck weapons. Just more evidence of how OCDish I get when trying to do anything, haha. And yes, I plan on getting the wifey involved in this stuff too eventually. Anyway, I dont have my own vise, so I was thinking I may go with this one: http://www.sears.com...=3&blockType=G3 Its got removable jaw pads. Do yall think this vise would work? I think this vise is actually smaller than it looks it the photo. I have one similar with the ball joint, etc. These are "hobby" vises that are made for lighter weight and smaller items than a rifle. It will be wobbly and unstable and you will be severely limited where you can grasp the gun due to the shallow depth of the jaws. I would at least go with a full size vice that is securely bolted to the bench, or better yet a real gun vice. Craigslist Rules! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brandon402 86 Posted April 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 I believe it said it opens to 8" wide, so I figured that would be enough. Maybe I'll just go poke around at Sears or Lowes and see what they have. I have to buy a few other tools for this conversion anyway. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DogMan 2,343 Posted April 24, 2012 Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 I believe it said it opens to 8" wide, so I figured that would be enough. Maybe I'll just go poke around at Sears or Lowes and see what they have. I have to buy a few other tools for this conversion anyway. I think that's a 2 7/8" opening. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brandon402 86 Posted April 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 oh..... well shit, yea that wont work now will it? LoL. Thanks for pointing that out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G O B 3,516 Posted April 24, 2012 Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 Buy a good used vice. The older and heavier the better. It makes bucking rivets a LOT easier! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brandon402 86 Posted April 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 Whelp, picked up a 6" bessey vise, tap handle, set of punches, some oil for the tap, and a nice 32 piece set of files. Also picked up a set of those nylon inserts for the vise too. Time to order my kit.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
yakdung 2,926 Posted April 25, 2012 Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 Whelp, picked up a 6" bessey vise, tap handle, set of punches, some oil for the tap, and a nice 32 piece set of files. Also picked up a set of those nylon inserts for the vise too. Time to order my kit.... Bessey makes a good product. I need to purchase several of their 90 degree welding clamps. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brandon402 86 Posted April 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 Yea, I gave it a turn or two and messed with the display one a bit at lowes before I bought it. Seemed pretty stout. Now I get to sit and wait till my parts get here... doh! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brandon402 86 Posted April 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2012 holy shit.... just finished my conversion. The conversion itself.... easy as pie. The god damn bullet guide..... that thing can kiss my ass. All done though, took a long ass time because of that stupid bullet guide though. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BCOWANWHEELS 0 Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 (edited) get a good vise and it will serve you your entire life time. a good used one off ebay would be perfect 5-6" wide jaws Edited May 8, 2012 by BCOWANWHEELS Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mogunner 240 Posted May 10, 2012 Report Share Posted May 10, 2012 Most of my stuff is from Harbor Freight, some of it I've had since I had my autobody shop 15 years ago, my vise is one of those ancient purchases. I have the yellow padded jaws in the previous posts but picked mine up at Lowes for about the same price. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Squishy 1,149 Posted June 1, 2012 Report Share Posted June 1, 2012 If I had a proper shop with a heavy table to permanently mount a "real" vise I'd get one that would hold up to beating on etc. but, I don't. I just needed something to hold things in a certain position without having a lot of pressure put on them, an extra set of hands so to speak. So I got this boy from WidgetSupply; For $12 it's worth the money. It seems to be well made and Sears sells what appears to be the same thing for like $25. I got this at http://www.widgetsup...supply.com/ If you work with a Dremel much this place has all sorts of supplies and accessories cheaper than anywhere else I've found. Yeah, it's not a honkin big 50lb vise but it works for me and it will hold a rifle in place for trigger replacements etc. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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