Global Scale Modeller

Hi tools freaks! Just need a bit of advice on pin vice heads. Would you say one with a "chuck" type head as in the picture is generally better than the more common 4 part head like you see with knives. It's more expensive and is just fitted to a normal pin vice type body. It says suitable for .2-3.4 mm

Cheers

I'm not certain the type is that important with the drill sizes you mention, I think what matters is what the chuck jaws are made of. The plastic types are likely to wear/deform over time when using larger drills making them all but useless when using the point something sizes, good quality metal that actually clamp together correctly I'd say is what you need to look for.

Kevthemodeller wrote:I'm not certain the type is that important with the drill sizes you mention, I think what matters is what the chuck jaws are made of. The plastic types are likely to wear/deform over time when using larger drills making them all but useless when using the point something sizes, good quality metal that actually clamp together correctly I'd say is what you need to look for.

I've had a few pin vices but never one with plastic jaws, although the quality of some of the metal/ali ones has been questionable and not well aligned in the knife type ones which divide in four.

Ive bought a few tools from this manufacturer, tweezers, knife, mini saw and have all been good.

Kevthemodeller wrote:I'm not certain the type is that important with the drill sizes you mention, I think what matters is what the chuck jaws are made of. The plastic types are likely to wear/deform over time when using larger drills making them all but useless when using the point something sizes, good quality metal that actually clamp together correctly I'd say is what you need to look for.

Exactly right. I can only add that good quality will always have the drill bit dead centre and key-less chucks always wear out more quickly than keyed variety , but in this case that probably doesn't apply the added convenience of only one chuck size is a huge advantage.

It is another tool...how could you not want it???

I have a battery Dremel for mini drills and it has that chuck so I use it most
My pin drills all have collets that you have to change for various size drills and it drives me crazy
I would definitely get a pin drill with that collet

Augustus wrote: I've had a few pin vices but never one with plastic jaws, although the quality of some of the metal/ali ones has been questionable and not well aligned in the knife type ones which divide in four.

I've have a few that are some kind of hard plastic perhaps nylon they were cheap and the they do work just they wear as I've stated.

Don't know if this is of any interest to you, but I'll be getting one of these when I have the money, it looks the business!

Plopper wrote:Don't know if this is of any interest to you, but I'll be getting one of these when I have the money, it looks the business!

looks great mate.

It does doesn't it, looks like they have taken the front end off a normal drill and bunged a handle on the end. The BIG problem I always have with the normal type pin vice is gripping them, so hopefully this will be good for that.

Plopper wrote:It does doesn't it, looks like they have taken the front end off a normal drill and bunged a handle on the end. The BIG problem I always have with the normal type pin vice is gripping them, so hopefully this will be good for that.

Only down side I can see for this pin vice and it's chuck is drill size limitations. It doesn't do real tiny 0.5mm is the smallest and 0.3mm is used a lot. So you still need a smaller one unless you buy drill bits with the all the same shank size and if you do that then it hardly matters what type of pin vice you do end up buying.

Twokidsnosleep wrote:It is another tool...how could you not want it???

I have a battery Dremel for mini drills and it has that chuck so I use it most
My pin drills all have collets that you have to change for various size drills and it drives me crazy
I would definitely get a pin drill with that collet

Yep, I've got one with 2 double ended collets. The single chuck is appealing. I've got a min-Dremel-like tool but don't usually opt for powered tools for drilling on models.

Kevthemodeller wrote:

Plopper wrote:Don't know if this is of any interest to you, but I'll be getting one of these when I have the money, it looks the business!

looks great mate.

Woo, that's a whopper, maybe too big for 1/35, and only goes down to .5mm.

Think I'll order the one I posted and give it a go. Another tool can't hurt can it?

digger303 I agree with you and have ordered two, that one and one like Augustus posted first, just to be safe and I already have one that will go down to practically nothing.

So all is good!

Yes Augustus it surely will be too big for lot of model kit aplications, but I also do a fair bit of scratch building and it'll be great for that!

At some point when money will allow I'm going to update my old mains powered Dremel to a cordless one and I already have the 3 jaw chuck for that, it's just a bit TOO powerful for a lot of model making!!!

One of the first things I bought for my el-cheapo Dremel was a 3 jaw chuck, again just makes life a little bit easier.

Well I got my new bits of kit in the post today.



That's with a jar of Tam Colour to give you an idea of the size. The chuck key is a bit smaller than the one I have for my cheapo electric drill.





That is a 0.3mm in there

They are both very good. The big 'un really needs for the thing that you are drilling to be held as you need two hands to operate, the two rings you can see around the centre shaft are free moving and you can grip them for purchase when you are drilling into something hard. The piece of wood I used to test is a small block of hard wood and it went through it with ease.

They both look very useful
gGod to have something for larger dirigible bits when you are doing dioramas attatching builds to bases that sort of thing. I use a Bosch which is a bit of overkill perhaps
I put one of the little ones on my Amazon Christmas wish list

Wow, that big 'un does look like a nice bit of kit that I'll keep in mind. But I'm defo going to get the smaller one on pay day. Not just Christmas coming up but Wifeys birthday on the 4th too.

Augustus wrote:Wow, that big 'un does look like a nice bit of kit that I'll keep in mind. But I'm defo going to get the smaller one on pay day. Not just Christmas coming up but Wifeys birthday on the 4th too.

Wish her happy birthday.....mines on the 5th

Plopper wrote:Well I got my new bits of kit in the post today.



That's with a jar of Tam Colour to give you an idea of the size. The chuck key is a bit smaller than the one I have for my cheapo electric drill.





That is a 0.3mm in there

They are both very good. The big 'un really needs for the thing that you are drilling to be held as you need two hands to operate, the two rings you can see around the centre shaft are free moving and you can grip them for purchase when you are drilling into something hard. The piece of wood I used to test is a small block of hard wood and it went through it with ease.

They look great mate, where/what make is the smaller one it's just what I'm looking for?

The smaller one was this exact one from the Rain Forrest!

Sometimes a powered drill is more controllable in that you can keep the bit straight. I tend to wobble about a bit with pin vises and bits can get broken.

digger303 wrote:Sometimes a powered drill is more controllable in that you can keep the bit straight. I tend to wobble about a bit with pin vises and bits can get broken.

I would agree digger but I've never found a powered option that will not rip things apart if you hit the loud butting too hard.

So swings and round-a-bouts really. Different tool for everything!

Arrived this morning, used this afternoon. I'm pleased, it's a nice tool.

Good to hear.