that's ok, Dave, that vise is exactly the "eBay special" I mentioned earlier - I have been using it for a while now and (surprisingly) the jaws haven't worn out. For being cheap, it isn't cheaply made. Still, I'm thinking of going with the Odyssey next... eventually, as the wish- list just started onto the back of the piece of paper... Tight wraps, Pete
-- Dave Campbell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: I agree with Joyce on this... Of course, this is coming from my VAST tying experience (NOT)... Last summer I was looking for a newer vise, but money has been tight. If I could have gotten a mongoose on eBay I may have done so, but they were running the prices up as well. I know what I got was WAY below the level of what everyone is looking at, and a LAW is more than my old truck was worth as a trade-in! What I ended up doing was going to my local shop, taking a fly about the size I normally tie, and putting it in each vise that was a contender. I was wanting to see if it would slip or not, mostly. I was very surprised at the play that was in some of the vises approaching $100. I wasn't opposed to buying one of them, but the looseness in the various parts was a tad disconcerting. I ended up getting one like this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=23816&item=7121412770&rd=1 and got it for $40, with the base. I also bought for almost the same money a bobbin cradle, so still came out under the price of the wobbly $100 vises. I immediately went to Ace Hardware with the grommet at the back of the jaws and bought 2 replacements, and stuffed them into my tools bin in my fly box for when it craps out. I haven't had any trouble at all with slippage. I took it to Albuquerque with me for Thanksgiving with the base, and it wasn't until I was driving back that I realized I had no troubles at all with it being off balance or anything... didn't even notice it.. and my Father-in-law loved the 21 flies I left there :) Just some comments from the cheap seats! -Dave On Mon, 13 Dec 2004 17:39:07 -0700, Joyce's crafts and flies wrote: >�The big thing, I think, is that the vise has to suit the tier. I >�tried Han's LAW vise when he visited our tying guild and found that >�the space behind the jaws was way too much for me to comforably tie >�on it, but with his larger hands, it was just right for him. I like >�to rest my hand on the back of the vise (minimizes arthritic pain) >�when I tie, and there are some vises that just don't allow this >�when one has small hands. So, try out the vise for a bit before you >�buy it. Those who sell vises will let you do this. I also have a >�traveler, but find that it is just too wobbly for the way I crank >�down on��my thread when I tie. I want a very stable vise. I also >�want lots of control, so want a vise that will turn as fast or slow >�as I decide. Make a list of the things you need in a vise, then >�make a list of the things you'd like if they were available, then >�find the vises that match and go try them out. Joyce ________________________________________________________________ Juno Gift Certificates Give the gift of Internet access this holiday season. http://www.juno.com/give
