Can one buy pliers with parallel jaws that lock like mol

[John Smith 47Participant @johnsmith47]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 01/06/2021 21:29:02:

Posted by John Smith 47 on 01/06/2021 21:08:51:

…

Wait, what exactly is a "vice grip" – the dictionaries can't help us!

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Try spelling it Vise-Grip

Now look at Wikipedia: **LINK**

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locking_pliers

MichaelG.

 

I say my spelling is just as good.

 

I tried e.g. dictionary.cambridge.org

But let's not get too pedantic…  

 

Edited By John Smith 47 on 02/06/2021 19:53:46

[John Smith 47Participant @johnsmith47]

Posted by ANDY CAWLEY on 02/06/2021 09:56:46:

Posted by John Smith 47 on 05/05/2021 18:14:31:

Hello

It is possible to buy pliers that have genuinely parallel jaws which can be locked like a pair of Mole self-grip pliers?

After all the blethering what was the intended use that you hoped for this useful tool ❓

I wanted a general purpose tool.
There is something unsatisfactory about using a Mole Grip, (AKA Vise-Grip etc – I think we know what I mean) in that it always starts to damage whatever it is trying to grab.

1. Holding nuts & bolts – whilst I attach the other end with the correct spanner? yes.

2. Using as an adjustable spanner that fits properly and therefore does less damage to the nut (IF the tool is strong enough – TBH, I am still rather unclear on this point!)

3. Precision Vice
I thought I might ram it into a normal vice (being based in the UK, the language that was invented in England with the spelling that looks correct to an Englander) so as to create a precision vice to enable greater access – e.g. filing small objects at more acute angles.

4. Squeezing small components together without damaging them e.g. for gluing things?

That sort of thing. I've always thought that both Moles' and adjustable spanners are a both brilliant inventions but long wanted a combination of both. Like I say, I shall probably buy the Stanley 85-610, even though in my view it still looks much weaker than a Mole and rather vulnerable to damage and even though some reviews have been moaning about them, partly because some users here rate them and partly because if they were a such a weak core design surely many fewer manufacturers would have made them.

PS I would love to know how the slider on thiis "Craftsman syw 27319 8Inch Mach Adjustable Wrench" actually works.

Sadly they don't seem to work very well
**LINK**

I'm not sure why the lower lip comes out like that, maybe it's part of the attempt to ratchet (probably not a good idea in any case if one wants good strength…)

J

PS Wait! I just found out how how the engineering works!
**LINK**

A weak and poorly executed design.. but damned clever, I say.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by John Smith 47 on 02/06/2021 19:52:19:

 

[…]

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It’s a trade name … derived from a claim in the patent [both with American spelling]

Please don’t patronise me when I am trying to help you.

MichaelG.

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P.S. 

You might find it useful to look for definitions of American terms in an American dictionary:

https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Vise-Grip

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 02/06/2021 21:35:53

[Bob StevensonParticipant @bobstevenson13909]

@MichealG……..Did you know that Vise-Grip make a specific model with jaws for gripping bolt heads and nuts without damage. It also will do general clamping and has a wire cutter,…..in fact it will do pretty much everything that the OP requires but he seems determined to ignore it. It's made in three sizes and is the 'LW' model

https://www.irwin.co.uk/tools/pliers-and-wrenches/locking-wrenches

I use the smallest one and can safely say that no clock maker should be without one!

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

I didn’t, Bob … but I do now !

Thanks for the link

MichaelG.

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Edit: I do have, and rather like, the small version of these long-nose ones:

https://www.irwin.co.uk/tools/pliers-and-wrenches/long-nose-locking-pliers-original

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 02/06/2021 23:06:34

[John Smith 47Participant @johnsmith47]

@Michael Gilligan – You are taking me WAY too seriously. I was having a larf!
But if you insist: Yes, Americans spell vice differently… no, I don't know why… yes, vice means something else in the UK – you know crime and stuff… yes, it can mean that too in the USA… yes, "Vise-Grips" is a trade name… although I think we all know what we mean so I'm not sure it really matters… but it if does matter, did you know that "Vice Grip" and "Vicegrip" is a trademark in the UK **LINK**
who knew? And yes, being as I do come from the UK, I reserve the right to keep spelling the language of my country in what is correct within my countries borders… although I sometimes make exceptions where I think the USA spelling is more sensible such as "centre"… but yes, I do pronounce the second "i" in "Aluminium"… and when I say "ass" I mean donkey rather than not "buttocks" and if I said "bumming a fag" I would mean borrowing a cigarette… except that I don't smoke… but wait, if we're being fully accurate that's not 100% true since I had a cigarette 2 years ago… in fact I had about three that year… so it depends on what one mans by "don't smoke"…

…but I think we've lost our audience!

@Bob Stevenson – So you mean the Irwin Locking Wrench:

I don't know if you read my intended uses (see my post at "02/06/2021 20:37:54" but
A) In my experience most nuts and bolt simply aren't very well exposed and those jaws will require any not or bolt to be pretty well exposed before those curve jaws will be able to get around them.
B) Their lack of parallel sides will also mean that they won't work well as "a vice" at gripping random objects that do have parallel sides, not at say flattening slightly curved areas of plate, nor holding flat surfaces together to whilst glue sets.

So although I can see that it's a clever design it will be of no use to me.

To get clearly, I am looking for something smooth jaws that wont damage what it is gripping and has a parallel closing action. This should be no surprise since, in my defence, right from the very first post I requested "parallel jaws"! Whereas your "Irwin Locking Wrench" has neither flat jaws not a parallel closing action, hence my "determination" to ignore this tool. I hope that explains my position.  

 

Edited By John Smith 47 on 03/06/2021 01:46:00

Edited By John Smith 47 on 03/06/2021 01:53:56

[Bob StevensonParticipant @bobstevenson13909]

John Smith47……In answer to your original question…"can one buy….that lock like mol"….No! you can't buy such a tool currently, and even when you could have it would not have passed your stringent design standards due to other 'defects' of operation…..

….But you already knew this, I'm sure, and that answer would preclude this topic carrying on for yet another six (or more) pages.

Just out of interest could you now show us something you have made yoursef please?…any old thing will do which is lying around your bench…..the odd model loco, clock movement or electron microscope, just so we can see what you normally do please.

[Mick B1Participant @mickb1]

Posted by John Smith 47 on 02/06/2021 20:37:54:

A weak and poorly executed design.. but damned clever, I say.

It looks clear from the relative movement ranges of jaw and slider that the grip is only going to be about 3x thumb pressure, and the user will usually have to change grip between setting and op. I wouldn't buy anything like this.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

One of these is easier than the slide type

[John Smith 47Participant @johnsmith47]

@Bob Stevenson – I think the Stanley is almost exactly what I had in mind, although I would be happier if it looked more robust and if you could adjust its base pivot point in the same manner as you can on a Mole. When I get back from holiday I shall almost certainly buy one.

@Mick B1 – Particularly if you are compelled to press down with your thumb on the slider, it's and ergonomic nightmare. Either way it clearly doesn't have the strong clamping action of a Mole.

@JasonB – Crumbs! An interesting invention… although looks suspiciously like a toy… Do you find it useful in practice? Either way it doesn't look much use to me personally as it doesn't look like it would have a strong clamping action either.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

It's come in handy a couple of times when upside down on my back in the bottom of a cupboard and reaching up to taps, grips as tight as a manual adj spanner would.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

To serve some of the requested uses, nip in to your local Wilko.

They sell two sizes of spanner with a central moving jaw in a frame. Each size is double ended so they cover four size ranges.

They grip the hex on four sides and I have not had problems with slipping or rounding of nuts.

They are a bit less convenient than a normal spanner but are less bulky than most pliers.

You do need access to the free end of the screw/stud.

I have found it useful for getting extra purchase when using the long leg of an allen key and the short leg doesn't give enough leverage. Last used it a couple of weeks ago to do just that.

I put a picture up a few years ago:

Neil

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

At Lidl next week:

[Brian GParticipant @briang]

Those and the sprung waterpump pliers look handy, but I am a bit less sure about the ratcheting adjustable spanner.

I am left wondering however if this entire thread was just a guerilla marketing exercise by Lidl?

Brian G

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Brian G on 30/07/2021 08:49:33:

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I am left wondering however if this entire thread was just a guerilla marketing exercise by Lidl?

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Look out for the ‘John Smith 47’ product endorsement on their packaging.

MichaelG.

[jaCK HobsonParticipant @jackhobson50760]

One of my favorite threads, but I wish it wasn't. I love tools and can't resist all these new finds. But my workshop is too full and I need to get rid of things, not get more. I need a thread on 'the minimal workshop'. I think that would also be a never ending thread searching for an impossible consensus (in this thread's case, only a consensus of 1 is required, but still impossible).

[Peter Cook 6Participant @petercook6]

Jack, two quotes for your minimal workshop thread

"With the right tool most jobs are simple, with the wrong tool they become difficult or impossible"

"You will only use 10% of the stuff you have, trouble is you don't know which 10% until you need it".

[John Smith 47Participant @johnsmith47]

Posted by Peter Cook 6 on 30/07/2021 10:25:46:

"You will only use 10% of the stuff you have, trouble is you don't know which 10% until you need it".

This made me laugh out load! Yes, all too true…

If fact the other day I found myself abandoning my rather expensive 45° set square… and simply measuring with just a simple ruler (twice) to create a 45° angle because the latter was more accurate!

J

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

In response tom the question of how the adjustable spanners "work", the slider in the handle operates on a helix, so that the helix rotates and operates the worm that moves the jaw.

I Found both the slider type and the "adjustable ring" type when in USA in 2000. Both have proved useful at various times.

The slider type is particularly speedy in changing size compared to the conventional worm type.

The adjustable ring type is more restricted in range, but gives a good grip on worn or odd sizes hexagons.

Strongly tempted to visit LIDL next week!

Howard

[jaCK HobsonParticipant @jackhobson50760]

New lidl just opened near me on Purley Way… and a new Aldi opens next to it in August. Bad news for my minimal workshop.

Edited By jaCK Hobson on 30/07/2021 12:16:13

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

There is something oddly satisfying in the lightbulb moment when you realise that tool you've owned unused for more than 10 years is 'just the thing'..
..assuming you can find it..

Dental scalers, alligator forceps and aural or nasal snares can be repurposed for fiddly stuff.

pgk

[Martin WParticipant @martinw]

Used to scrounge used burrs and diamond drills from my dentist before his demise. They have come in very useful at times for a variety of projects. Yeah I know 'Off Topic' but pertinent to the posts immediately prior.

Martin

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

Especially when you want to get your teeth into a project.

;O)

Martin

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

I shall be taking a very close look at the quality of the LiDL version before plunking down hard cash. My experience is that pliers and similar tools from LiDL can be of vary variable quality.

The LiDL version of the locking long nose pliers that MichaelG likes were so sloppy as to be essentially unusable out of the box. Any attempt to apply pressure let the jaw tips slide sideways so far that they ended up alongside each other rather than gripping. Part of a set with a couple of other locking pliers which were not much better. After making a couple of special punches and judicious application of a Brummagen Screwdriver, large size, followed by skilled squeezing in a vice something approaching useable quality was achieved. Annoying but not a great worry as the one I really wanted was one of the other members of the set. A forked welding clamp Which partly fortuitously and partly by inherent design was acceptable.

As ever I only buy dirt cheap tooling to see if I might actually need what looks to be a potentially useful device. Regular need leads to a good quality replacement being got. The long nose lockers have gotten one outing so far in the four or so years since purchase. Proved that a tool of that style was not right for the job in question so looks like I don't need a good one.

Then there were the sliding joint water pump pliers. Pivot stability is always a bit iffy even in the best examples. Desperate emergency tool for me. The LiDL offerings were so bad that pivot position stability was essentially non-existent. So I bought 4 and will, as the need arises weld in fillers to fix the pivot points. Fixed ones bing far nicer to use. Actual handles and grip bits are fine so £2 odd a pop makes economic sense.

Clive

(who uses about 5% of his tools)

[peak4Participant @peak4]

Posted by pgk pgk on 30/07/2021 07:15:10:

At Lidl next week:

Which store is that please?
It's not showing up in my local ones.
Thanks

Bill

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