Comparison Kalibr TPSN-125 sponges 125 mm vs Stanley 1-83-065 sponges 100 mm

General purpose of a vice (see "Type"). This parameter determines their design and application features.

— Locksmiths. A traditional vise designed primarily to hold a workpiece over a workbench for subsequent manual processing. The name "locksmith" is rather arbitrary, such tools can also be used for carpentry, plastic processing, etc. However, the main purpose of most of these vices is to work with metal parts. Note that there are locksmith models supplemented with pipe mounts, however, they are placed in a separate category — see below about it.

— Carpentry. Carpenter's vise has a special case: the lead screw is placed under the tabletop, which allows not to clutter up the working space of the table. There is no massive body in the carpentry vice, as in locksmith models, because there is no need to apply great force to press soft workpieces. Such a vise is designed for fixing workpieces made of soft materials (wood, plastic, etc.).

— Machine tools. A vice designed for clamping workpieces on various machines — drilling, milling, etc. The simplest machine vices have a characteristic "flat" layout with a small height and large width, while the movable sponge in them rests directly on the base of the structure and moves along special guides. Another type of machine vice is advanced two- and three-axis models, for m...ore details on them, see "Design".

— For pipes. Vice for fixing pipes and other similar parts. They have the appearance of a characteristic U-shaped frame mounted on a base that plays the role of a fixed sponge; the movable sponge moves up and down between the legs of the letter “P”, and the frame itself is usually made open, which allows you to put on a vice even on long and closed pipes. Note that in extreme cases, ordinary bench vise can also be used for pipes (see the relevant paragraph); however, specialized models are more functional and reliable. Their disadvantage is that the maximum diameter of the clamped pipes is limited by the width of the frame.

— Locksmith / for pipes. A vice that can be used both as a metalwork and for fixing pipes. In fact, they are a kind of bench vise, differ from traditional models by the presence of special protrusions under the main jaws — these protrusions are responsible for fixing the pipes. In some situations, this design provides an advantage over specialized "pipe" vices (see above): in a combination vice, you do not need to open the frame to fix a closed or long pipe. Yes, and the diameter restrictions in them are not so strict — in some models, the maximum pipe diameter is comparable to the width of the clamp. However, this nuance is still worth clarifying separately.

Clamping width provided by vise or clamp (see "Type")

In this case, the width of the clamp means the maximum distance that the jaws or stops of the tool can be spread, in other words, the maximum size of an object that can be clamped with this device. Large clamping width, on the one hand, makes the tool more versatile and expands its capabilities; on the other hand, it affects the dimensions, weight and price, and also makes it difficult to work with small objects (a large tool is poorly suited for this). So, when choosing according to this parameter, you should not chase after the maximum margin, but take into account the size of the parts that you really plan to work with: for example, it hardly makes sense to buy a 500 mm clamp if you need a clamp for gluing plywood planks together.

The depth of clamping provided by a vise or clamp (see "Type").

This parameter specifies how deep the clamped part can go between the jaws or stops until its edge rests against the tool. When choosing according to the depth of the clamp, note that a large depth accordingly affects the dimensions, weight and price of the tool.

Tool jaw width. It is indicated mainly for vices (see "Type") — among the clamps there are not so many models equipped with jaws.

Larger jaws provide a more secure hold, especially with large workpiece sizes, but make it difficult to work with small parts, and also affect the dimensions and weight of the entire tool.

Clamping force provided by a vise or clamp (see "Type").

This parameter describes the force with which the fixture is able to compress the fixed parts. It is measured in kilonewtons; Recall that 10 newtons approximately correspond to a force of 1 kg, so, for example, 1.5 kN is about 150 kg.

On the one hand, the greater the clamping force, the more powerful and advanced the tool is, the wider the potential scope of its application. On the other hand, high efforts are not always required, on the contrary: when working with soft or delicate materials, it is necessary to limit the pressure force, and not all tools have such an opportunity. Therefore, when choosing, you should proceed from what materials you plan to work with and what tasks to solve. Note that for general use, in most cases, a force of 1.5 – 2 kN is sufficient; more detailed recommendations for specific tasks can be found in special sources.