On Tue, 02 Jun 2009 09:34:11 -0700, in rec.crafts.jewelry "FC..."
wrote:


I would suggest you buy a milling vise or what is known as a
'machining' vise. They are much, much stronger and have far better
clamping pressure than any bench pin vise.


MM, I suspect you misinterpreted both the tool the OP is describing, and it's
use. Pin vises are about the size and shape of a pencil, or half of one, with a
small collet chuck at one or both ends. Used in the hand to gently hold or
manipulate wire, small tools, etc. In wire wrapping, relatively smallish guage
square wire is wrapped around stones for settings, mandrels to make ring shanks,
etc. No solder, but rather the wrapping itself holds the piece together. The
pin vise is used when the maker wishes a short section of the wire to have a
twist. It's generally twisted "in situ", meaning part already extends into the
partially completed work, and the wire extending out with which one is working,
is given a decorative twist, often just in the middle of a part that goes back
into further wrapping. The whole thing is that this is gentle, delicate work
with the wire in the hands, with the vise as a small hand tool assist. A bench
vise or machinists vise is indeed a wonderful tool where indicated, but
completely useless for this application.

Peter