Panavise308 Weighted Base Mount

I saw some older reviews that the bases came without holes drilled. I took a shot since I needed this and recent customers had no problem. The one I ordered had all the holes drilled, so perhaps the ones they are shipping out these days are all fine and it was just a hiccup in the manufacturing process.This is a nice heavy base that will keep the vice sturdy for light work and it has no sharp burs. Without the base, I noticed the vice could tip when adjusting it if I was too forceful. Since then, mine hasn't tipped at all. I wouldn't advise trying to saw lumber in it, but it's sturdy enough for it's purpose.The build quality is solid, but don't look for mm perfection. The underside where the rubber feet are attached are not equally sized—some had extra space, some were almost going over the edge. There was still enough room for the rubber feet to perform properly and the base isn't sliding at all for me.I think it is pricey considering it's a just a blackened hunk of metal, but it does the job for me. I'm using my vice to make cables and other electronics work and this provided the extra weight I needed to keep the vice from moving. YMMV.

Great for electronics assembly & PCBA repairs. Holds cables nicely when soldering connectors.

Works great with the vise!

I need to hold something rock steady without bolts or clamps, so this base mount looked good. Unfortunately, the mount that I received doesn't sit flat -- it's close but I was expecting better. Tried it on several different flat surfaces with the same result on each. Stuck on the provided rubber feet but that didn't help. If the base mount had been designed such that it sat on three rubber feet instead of four, there wouldn't be a problem, but maybe that would just create other problems. I ended up solving the problem by sticking some extra material to the bottom of one of the four rubber feet. Sugru would probably work well too, instead of the provided feet.The other minor problem I had with this item was in my own eyes/brain but I'll mention it here in case yours work the same way. When I looked at the photo of this item, it appeared as though the projections were legs pointed in a downward direction. I imagined there would be a third leg on the back. Based on that misperception of the item's height, I purchased the low profile base (part 305). When this base mount arrived, I was surprised to find that it's pretty flat. Check out the photos on the manufacturer's website for better angles.

A little expensive for a hunk of cast iron but a great addition to my panavise Jr.A lot of reviews complain of missing or untapped mounting holes. I'm guessing they must have received counterfeits because mine had perfectly aligned holes and threads. It even came with screws and rubber feet.

I purchased 4 of these for our soldering stations in our undergraduate electronics laboratory. We had purchased vacuum mounts for our panavise 301 PC board vices. However, the vacuum mounts were not adhering well to the benchtop, and would work itself loose after a few minutes. It was quite frustrating for our students. The weighted base are solid, and really stabilize the base for any board our students will put in there. One comment complained about the workmanship. I can't share that at all. They are well made and were really easy to install. It is great to buy something like this that is actually made in the USA! I won't buy a vacuum mount again. The weighted base is exactly what we needed for our lab.

It is just what I ordered!! It is the 3rd Panavise I have owned and functions perfectly as my third hand!!

Weighing in at five pounds, this base will certainly keep the vise from moving about. When combined with the standard base and vise (PanaVise 301), the total weight of eight pounds is about at the threshold of being convenient to pick up and reposition.The rubber feet are good, but also optional, so you can use whatever you want to protect against sideways forces.Installation was trivial, as the included screws match the base well.The flat edge on the front of the base also allows the standard vise head (PanaVise 303) to go completely horizontal while keeping the clamp handle on top. This is normally not possible since the long protrusion from the vise head will normally bump into whatever surface the vise is mounted to.There are also two side screw holes that can be used for expansions, such as custom made third hands for electronics work (coolant tubing + alligator clips).

I took up locksport (picking locks) as a hobby and learned the hard way that it is far easier to work on a lock while it is secured in a vise than holding it in one's hand, but I did not possess a suitable vise of my own. I chose to try Panavise, as it is the brand that is most popular in those circles, and got myself a standard base (300) with a standard head (303). While they have some imperfections, they proved their worth for holding locks. However, I want to be able to use my vise for other purposes as well, and it starts to tip easily with anything much larger or heavier than locks.I decided to get a base mount, and first tried the tray variant (312), as it's the most common option within the locksport community (also with other circles -- tinkering, electronics, etc.). It held parts well, but the main purpose I bought it for was added stability. The issue was that the tray mount I received was warped. It would not sit flat, and any time I used the vise with it attached, the whole setup would wobble around and make horrible loud clacks against the table surface. I tested it on a surface plate to verify that it was indeed the mount and not my table. My vise base actually sits perfectly flat and is more stable *without* the tray mount. I even gave Panavise the benefit of the doubt and tried ordering a second one, just in case I just had a single bad part, but the replacement was *also* warped. I refunded them both and decided to try the 308 (this product) instead.I am very glad that I did. When I read some bad reviews about this part (lack of drilled holes, missing feet, poor quality, etc.), I just about gave up on the Panavise brand altogether, but the 308 that I received was in good condition. It is a lot heavier than I probably need, making it a lot less portable and takes up a bit more table space than the tray mount, but it does its job. Sadly, it does not hold parts, but I can always find some sort of tray that isn't a mount that I can set nearby the vise. It matters much more to me that I my workpiece is steady and my whole setup is not wobbling all over the place making a racket.Don't expect it to be pretty -- it has a rough cast finish, with just some black paint over top for protection. It did come properly cast without warping, with the holes drilled, and with attachable rubber feet. For the purposes of securing your work, and it's sturdy enough to secure quite a bit of work, it feels worth its equally hefty price tag. I've justified the bigger sticker price because it originates from the US, and a 5 pound casting is probably not the cheapest to initially ship to Canada for resale.

I purchase a lot of Panavise gear. Their products are great. This base is no exception. Solid and weighty. Comes with rubber feet, screws and threaded holes. Pairs well with the low profile vise.

Functional, but seems like PanaVise "proudly make" their products in the backyard foundry. Finishing quality is laughable.