Recommendation for a Good Hobby Vice

Is your hobby a vise? Mine sure is

A good hobby vice would be a cold beer always close to the vise. Micro-Mark has a good one called Panavise on sale for $50. I have a similar one and like the swivel capability.

I am very pleased with this model from Micro-Mark:

http://www.micromark.com/toolm...h-capacity,6744.html

I found an extremely high-quality machinist's vise at a flea market for a song. Lots of old tools show up, so your odds are pretty good.

I got the #201 Panavise with the #312 tray base, #239 speed handle and have added a few other accessories since then. I have been very happy with it for electronics type work and also many other train related tasks. Panavise is of good quality.

I also got a Sparkfun Third Hand with an extra hand which has been a very handy device for holding electronic parts for soldering among other things. This is a very well made third hand, nothing like the older style less expensive types.

This works.

I use Panavise vises.
I have several heads, the one that is out and ready to use is the 376.
I have used it to hold small circuit boards.
Panavise also makes circuit board holders.
I have a 315 circuit board holder.

My vise is mounted on a 308 base. Believe me, it stays put.
There are several other portable base options.


A while back, a lot of tools and shop equipment that was used in the electronics industry was being dumped on EBay. I picked up an assortment of Panavise gear among other things.

I have 2 of the hobby size Black and Decker workmates that I like a lot! Not made any more but found them for 10.00 a piece on the Bay! Also have one of the big bench type workmates that I use most of the time! Great design and very versatile!

I have a Panavise which I got in 1980. It's still one of my most useful tools. It was a type with straight vertical jaws that had rubber liners for holding circuit boards. It has a spring wire loom on the back that is invaluable for tinning and holding wires when doing all the wiring assemblies that we railroaders have to do.

I wouldn't recommend any other brand. I hope they're still made in the USA.

O-gauge trains are a good hobby vice.