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I bought a cheap one off amazon, and it got about a nanometre into the metal model I wanted to pin the drill bit slipped up in to the body. A few curse words later, I was prepped and started again... gently gently... BOOM! Straight back up in to the body. I had the right bit in the right holder, but the slightest bit of pressure sent the fecking thing shooting up. Really annoying.

So, can anyone recommend a decent pin vice I can purchase in the UK?! I want to buy some bases for my Infinity stuff and want to make sure I get something up to the task. P3 do a pinning kit, but the reviews are all over the place with that!

Cheers.

(I did search the forum, but the only really relevant thread was years old and with a link to the US Amazon store that doesn't work anymore)

I know you said you checked the golder, but it does sound like you're not using the right one. In most pin vices there are 2 holders (one usually hidden in the handle), each double ended, for progressively larger diameter bits. One end of one of them will close fully when tightened in the chuck.

I've never heard of this happening under any other circumstance.

Oh yeah I took it apart and flipped it all around. The thinnest bit just wouldn't stay put in the smallest holder.

I could always try the next size up I suppose!

But it was really cheap. Like, £4....

It sounds like you're not giving yourself a starter hole. Do you use your hobby razor knife to put a small divot where you are about to drill? If not try it. This will give your bit somewhere to start.
Then start with a smaller bit and work you way up to the size you'll need for the pin.

Hope this helps.

P3 kit will do just fine, and the GW pin vice feels like the Rolls Royce of hand drills.

The chucks are mostly interchangeable; I use the P3 one in my GW vicee, because the large side is bigger, and some large bits won't fit in the GW supplied chuck.

Of your bit is slipping back, the front needs to be tightened. You can tighten it a lot. Also, you should be cutting using there drill's twisting blades, not because you're pressing down hard.

I got one of these sets from Amazon. Its OK...could be more ergonomic, but its sturdy and will last a long time. Comes with 4 chuckes, 31 bits, and some convenient carrying cases. The bits slip a tiny bit before grabbing into plastic, particularly if you are pinning harder plastics like the Sedition Wars minis....but I wasn't doing a pilot hole (DOH!) like the smart gentleman in this thread suggested. Fits nicely into a brush case along with other modeling tools.

http://www.amazon.com/Mini-Micro-Drill-Vise-Chuck/dp/B001RJE3X8/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1412099342&sr=8-4&keywords=pinvise

As mentioned, you should need only the gentlest of pressure to cut into GW plastic. Harder plastics require a bit firmer hand, but even then it is more dependent on angle than muscle. Make sure you are holding the drill over the model and drilling downwards as opposed to pushing upwards into the model. This puts gravity on your side, which is actually a stronger force than all of the muscle mass in your arm, but much more subtle...IE you'll slip less and not stab your model/fingers.

I think that this is the one I use

I use the GW one and absolutely love it, it's slightly larger then my previous one and I find it easier to hold due to that. To be perfectly honest it's not much more expensive than other suggestions if you don't already have the drill bits.

Thanks everyone.

I had neglected to put a pilot hole in my model, so that's the first place I'll revisit!

I like the idea of the larger GW kit to be honest, so I may just pick one up this weekend.

Cheers!

I use the Army painter one, hasn't let me down and comes with loads of different size drill bits.

Always used the Citadel one until I got a cordless dremel... awesome.