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Review on πŸ”§ HFS Screwless Toolmaker Precision Grinding by Ricardo Ware

Revainrating 3 out of 5

Cast lock nut - breaks easily!

Overall, the fit and finish match the price. I doubt the vise is hardened, but it looks nice and is quite square for my basic machining techniques. The first time I used the vise, the locking mechanism broke - see photo. Rather than replacing with a cast scrap part, I decided to fabricate a new mild steel nut. Took a few hours but is much better in the long run. In my opinion the original nut design is bad for the following reasons: 1. It uses cast or very low grade steel (very weak)2. Designed with a set screw to hold the cross pin (Keep loosening the nut and as shown in the picture is the point of failure)3. Since the nut was turned on a lathe to improve production efficiency, weak points were created due to the shape. Even if MFG used tool steel to turn the nut, the design would be weaker than my cheap mild steel substitute. I recommend buying this vise ONLY if you can make a spare nut yourself. Otherwise you will be sad.

Cons
  • New competitors have arrived