What kinda vises are you guys using??

Hey fellas, didn't find anything in a search, so was wondering...
I'm shopping for a vise. I don't have the kinda dough to shell out for a nice Wilton or Yost...so looking for something that will be a good all around strong vise to put on my workbench in my garage. Been on CL trying to find an old USA made one, but no luck yet. I've heard nothing but bad reviews on all the Harbor freight stuff..so idk...let me know what you guys are using and what you've had good luck with!..looking for a 5" and above.


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I have a 30 year old Craftsman, not sure about new ones. Try yard sales, as well. Find an old guy moving etc.

 

I over eat sometimes drink and cuss............. Look at the swap meets for old vises. Older craftsman are good also. Maybe the pawn shop and estate sales.

 

I was on my third Larin (tractor supply) before I swallowed hard and bought my Wilton when I moved into my new shop. Lessons in cheap tools can be expensive! Wait it out and keep looking for an oldy.

 

im using a northern tool vice. going on year three and no problems yet (knock on wood)

 

I wore out 2 or 3 modern ones, including a Craftsman, and then bought a heavy duty one at an auction for $30. It's a lot older than I am and will probably last someone else a lifetime after I kick off.

 

Darn blue49.. Wish I can find an oldy in SoCal for 30 bucks! Looks like I'm better off waiting it out. Don't want to throw a POS on my workbench and later drill more holes for a different vise.


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Over the years, I've had HF vices, Northern tool vices, and a few other cheaper cast vices, all of which have broken from hard impact, or really hard work, although they work fine just to keep stuff from getting away from you. I finally sprung for a Wilton 6 inch industrial vice, and have to say it was worth every penny spent on it. I,ve had it for 10 years now, and abuse the livin' hell out of it! It still performs like the day I got it.

 

what in the world are you doing to break or wear out vices????? I've got like 15+ years on one i picked up at Big Lots for 15 or 20 bucks. every once in a while I wish it was a little bigger (insert your "that's what she said" joke here) but I've never had any problems. what am I missing here. I walked by some good vintage one's at an antique shope here a few weeks ago because i thougt the $50 or so bucks he was asking was too proud.

 

i use a 40+ yr old wilton that was my gramps, it gets more use that anything else in the shop, and im not easy on it.
mine is also mounted to a 3" round .250 wall tube that is poured into a 200# block of concrete. that way i can move it where i want, but it still stout enough to beat on it.

 

Hang in there you will find and old one .. I just found one on CL
Expand the search to swap meets - flea markets and actions

 

I have a 4" British made machinist's vice of 50's vintage. It is very nice and was basically un-used when I bought it. Took me a good year of Craigslist searching but it has been worth every penny I paid and every search. I've seen probably a dozen good candidates since then...

 

Some of the cheaper vices are made of cast and I have broke more than 3 of them. I do not know who thought cast would be a good idea for a vice. Bought an 8" Wilton about 12 years ago and other than having to put the nut back on that opens it when you loosen it, I have not had a problem. I am not sure why it came loose, but I put Loctite on it last time and no more problems with that. Likely the Wilton will last me a long time. Rod

 

I got a nice vice from my father in law, but it doesn't have a handle & mine is bent any good ideas for a good solid handle?

 

Aside from naked women my vices are 50+ years old, never had any problems. You don't say what part of SoCal you are from but the swapmeet at Cerritos college used to have lots of good used tools.

 

Thank you all for the responses!! I'm in North County San Diego-Carlsbad area. I'm headed to Brea for the weekend so I've expanded my search to orange county. Found a Wilton but its kinda small. 4" i think..they want 50 bux for it, but its all the way in marina del rey. Gotta a lead on a old HOLLAND brand vise but don't know if they are good or not. A lot of old ones don't have the teeth to grip stuff on the vise.

 

Got a nice Wilton for free in a property we bought years ago. ...needed some TLC and paint, but it's a good vice. I have two small vices (also free many years ago), but this one gets the most use. I would keep looking on CL regularly and see what comes up. I am looking for a good anvil, a heavier sheet metal brake, and a foot shear on CL, you just can not be in a hurry if you want to get good used equipment, and good stuff is usually not cheap.

 

Most of the newer vices are crap, made of cast steel. The best ones are old Wiltons and similar brands from years ago.

Over the years I have broken a few modern ones, they will snap in half when you torque them down tight or beat on something in them with a hammer. I finally found a big old steel one at an estate sale maybe 15 years ago for $50 and it has been great. My Son recently found a big old Snap On vice that is also really heavy duty.

The good ones these days at estate sales and swap meets seem to go for $100 to $200 from what we have been seeing. A good vice is one of the best investments you can make, especially if you mount it on a really sturdy stand and bolt that to the wall so it won't move when you are prying on it.

Don

 

I like these cause you can spin the part to any angle before locking down. The other side has pipe clamp jaws.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1N49EA2QQ3B6CPJ0VYVZ

 

Best thing on my bench. Yost with special metal working, non-marring jaws. $40 from Craigslist.

 

cut the bent one off with a hack saw or sawzall , go to the hard ware store and find the longest grade 6 or 8 bolt and nut of the same diameter and loc tite that puppy on or a piece of iron pipe and 2 nuts same deal

 

I use a Craftsman 5" I bought about 10 years ago new. Not bad, but the handle is easy to bend. I did use a 2' pipe for leverage though. I saw a new Wilton come thru the pawnshop & drooled over it. Too bad I'm poor. Go sell your plasma ($50 a pop) couple times a week & when you find an old one you'll have the money.

 

I bought the biggest one Lowes had with a Christmas gift card last year. It's OK.

I have a Wilton bullet as well.

We bought a new "Wilton" for the bike shop and it's a fucking piece of shit. Beware. We hammered some rivets on a vice grip to tighten it up and it put dent in the casting. JUNK.

Like this. Fake.

http://www.mile-x.com/wilton-675-utility-vise.aspx

 

WOW! What a score! Guess I gotta be patient.

 

I took my monster vice out of our plant when it was closed. Our groupleader had 46yrs there and said the vices were antiques when he arrived.
I spent 14yrs there and worked as machine mechanic.

I beat on 120yr old parts that were seized, while in that same vice, with 10lb sledge hammer, as hard as my 350lbs could swing.

The vice never broke a sweat...

I'll die with that vice. Im emotionally attached to it.

 

Yea I heard a lot of the newer "wilton" stuff is china. Sucks man! Even the new craftsman ones are junk!

 

Man!! Now that's what I'm talkin about!!

 

I found one at the scrap yard.i think I paid $10 for it 4 years ago.

 

Some of new wiltons are chinese but they still make some in the USA. The USA ones are big bucks tho

Best place to find a good one is craigs list, takes patience and speed once one is posted but tbey are there. I'm up to six and still lookin for more

later jim

 

My wife's grandfather passed away about 13 yrs ago and for 8 or so yrs no one went in the old tractor shop. I finally opened it up and found 3 vises broke 2 taking them off the bench the third was an old Wilton bullet. It's now in the new shop working great again. It could use some new jaw inserts though.