Customer Reviews

PanaVise 301 Standard PanaVise

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This vice is incredibly useful for any light to moderate duty tasks. It has served me very well in both soldering and using a rotary tool for cutting.

I combined it immediately with the PanaVise 308 weighted base to bring it up from 3 pounds to a total of 8. The installation was trivial, and has meant this vice simply does not budge or tilt over. It also raises the vice so that the head can be positioned handle-up while the jaws are horizontal.

One relatively simple modification I would like to make to the vice would be to add a thumbscrew that would keep the head's handle from sliding around, but the vice is perfectly usable without such a change.

Overall, a great tool to have on hand!

PanaVise products, especially this standard vise rig, is almost always found in most electronic repair shops. Also handy just to have in your garage shop. I've owned this set for over twenty years and have most of the add-on products. You can't beat the quality and bang for the buck.

Mounted this to a 3/4 inch board and clamp the board to my work bench when I need it. The adjustable head allows me to tilt the work in just about any direction I need.

The tool is a bit crude but acceptable for the price. The ballhead lock has to be too tightened too much to secure the ballhead. Machine tolerances are not tight. Items placed in the ballhead still spin in the ballhead hole after tightening. It may be helpful to add some paper or a toothpick in the ballhead hole to help keep the vise from spinning.

The tool can be improved by cleaning and lubing it. I used a spray can of water-free isopropyl alcohol to clean the moving parts (they came from the factory pretty dirty) and then lubed the the screws and guides with synthetic lithium/teflon grease, making sure to get lots of grease into the ballhead via the ballhead lockdown screw. I added synthetic oil to the vise spinner washers. After wiping off excess oil & grease, it works a lot smoother now. Keep oil and grease away from the part of the vise that inserts into the ballhead hole, you want that surface to be clean & dry.

For light or delicate work this is an outstanding tool: compact but sturdy, dexterous, versatile - decidedly not Asian junk. Add to this Amazon's reasonable pricing, free shipping, and excellent return policy and it would be hard to find a better deal.

My only complaint is that the vise does not come with mounting screws. This of course necessitates a trip to that junk drawer we all keep in the kitchen, to the hardware store, or the purchase of one of several optional mounts. A small price to pay, in my opinion, for such a good deal.

Richard Vidaurri
Guadalajara, Mexico

This is the second 301 PanaVise that I have owned. My other, is over 30 years old and is in excellent condition. This little work horse is very sufficient for any home shop environment. The amazing thing about this little critter over traditional vise, is all the positions you can adjust. You'll not be disappointed with this PanaVise purchase. Well constructed! There are several different models to suit your needs. Amazon has an awesome price for an awesome little vise.

Very cool. I am enjoying my Panavise greatly. My concern was whether or not it would be sturdy enough to deal with light-duty metal working and hold pieces that are being hammered - without jiggling. It's is performing valiantly, no jiggling. It's a great little addition to my shop.

This is my second PanaVise, and I use them all the time for soldering, assembly, holding lights where I need them, pressing fittings, ... The plastic & metal replaceable jaws come in very handy.

Much better than i expected, very sturdy. no need to bolt down for most jobs.

The only problem i have with this is the plastic grips. I expected it would be soft to some degree, but no, it is HARD. One star lost for this.

I have used this product many times since I purchased it. I don't know how I got along without it. Looking forward to purchasing accessories ie. steel jaws, teflon jaws, brass etc. Very well made and versatile.