BENCH VISE JABBER..........

[chief38]

The wanton destruction of fine old tools should be a flogging offence.

chief38: Sadly, I can only gaze in admiration of the state of your workshop and the self-discipline required to keep it that way. As my geneticist gf might say, I am dominant for the clutterbug gene

Sometimes OCD stuff bites me in the butt, but for the most part it's a positive thing. My best friend of 67 years lives a few houses down the street and he is 180º different than I am. When I go into his garage workshop it drives me nuts! Whenever I go to his place to help him, he always says, "ahhh you do not need to bring any tools, I have everything". There has not been one single time that I didn't have to go back to my shop and get a tool, screw, nut, whatever! Not because he doesn't have it - he just can't find it! Yea, maybe after a half hour or so, but by then the job is usually done.

I have learned my lesson with this and even if someone who asks me for help says they have everything, I now bring my "go-bag of tools". Not only do I know I will have everything I need to get the job done, but my tools are high quality and I am familiar with them. OK - maybe a snobby thing to say, but I hate Harbor Freight tools.

 

[oldbrownhat]

Anyone heard of Dawn vises from Australia? My next-door neighbour had a neglected one sitting in his work shed and I offered to clean it up. Company has been around since 1917 and have a 25 year warranty on their vises and clamps.

Fortunately the damage was just cosmetic so all it needed was a good cleaning (inside and out) and paint. Also replaced the screws in the jaws as they were slightly mashed, although the jaws themselves were OK.

 

[Protocall_Design]

Great save on that one, brownhat!

 

[lkabug]

I don't have a Wilton or any big brand name vice.i just wish I could keep my work area and garage as neat as you pros.

 

[Bald1]

Mine is a 4 1/2” REED that my dad liberated from Trico when they started closing plants in Buffalo and moving manufacturing to Mexico in the 80s. He also got a heavy duty pedestal grinder/buffer and 3 12 gauge riot guns. Two 870 and an Ithaca 37. Trico security was armed and designated as auxiliary police. My dad was #2 in command. I still have the 870 Wingmaster set up as a slug gun.

 

[oldbrownhat]

Great save on that one, brownhat!

Thanks. I hate to see a good tool suffer

 

[oldbrownhat]

Mine is a 4 1/2” REED that my dad liberated from Trico when they started closing plants in Buffalo and moving manufacturing to Mexico in the 80s. He also got a heavy duty pedestal grinder/buffer and 3 12 gauge riot guns. Two 870 and an Ithaca 37. Trico security was armed and designated as auxiliary police. My dad was #2 in command. I still have the 870 Wingmaster set up as a slug gun.

He was clearly on the Vice Squad

 

[llowry61]

Anyone heard of Dawn vises from Australia? My next-door neighbour had a neglected one sitting in his work shed and I offered to clean it up. Company has been around since 1917 and have a 25 year warranty on their vises and clamps.

Fortunately the damage was just cosmetic so all it needed was a good cleaning (inside and out) and paint. Also replaced the screws in the jaws as they were slightly mashed, although the jaws themselves were OK.

Surprising what a little elbow grease and paint can do. Nice work on that one It was worth saving.

 

[pasound]

I thought about my "rescue" vise, sitting on the floor under my workbench and pulled it out. Work was retooling their shop, and the vise was headed for the dumpster after Surplus Properties didn't want it. It is a Wilton, too. Under the bottom plate it says Taiwan.

 

[Bald1]

He was clearly on the Vice Squad

Lol!!!!! That’s good. I didn’t see that one coming

 

[Bald1]

I thought about my "rescue" vise, sitting on the floor under my workbench and pulled it out. Work was retooling their shop, and the vise was headed for the dumpster after Surplus Properties didn't want it. It is a Wilton, too. Under the bottom plate it says Taiwan.

Yeah they sell Wilton on Amazon now. Not what they used to be. When my BIL and sister moved out of state last yr he gave me his Vice. I saw WILTON on it and really thought I had something. Research showed it was not what I thought. I sold it locally for $100.

 

[smoothshooter]

I am not getting what is so special about the Bullet Vise.
Keep in mind that at your estate sale it will bring less than $200 anyway.

 

[chief38]

I am not getting what is so special about the Bullet Vise.
Keep in mind that at your estate sale it will bring less than $200 anyway.

Ahhh yes, but at least I won't be here to see how little it brings! LOL!!

 

[oldbrownhat]

Yeah they sell Wilton on Amazon now. Not what they used to be. When my BIL and sister moved out of state last yr he gave me his Vice. I saw WILTON on it and really thought I had something. Research showed it was not what I thought. I sold it locally for $100.

A couple of their vises - Combo Pipe & Bench and Machinist - are still made in the USA, but only those out of the 11 they offer. All of Yost now come from Taiwan or China, according to their website. Whether the quality has suffered I don't know. I'd think that unless they're being used daily in a commercial shop, any decline may not be noticed. Sad to see, though.

 

[chief38]

A couple of their vises - Combo Pipe & Bench and Machinist - are still made in the USA, but only those out of the 11 they offer. All of Yost now come from Taiwan or China, according to their website. Whether the quality has suffered I don't know. I'd think that unless they're being used daily in a commercial shop, any decline may not be noticed. Sad to see, though.

Yost vices are descent but IMHO a step below the Wilton line. The old vintage models from Reed, Parker, Prentiss, and Athol are also excellent but very hard to find in superb condition. Also the freight on a super heavy duty vise is a factor as well - unless available locally.

Luckily I had the foresight to buy a great Starrett drill press vise about 30 years ago when they were still making them. I don't remember what I paid for it new but it has served me quite well over the 30 years I've owned it. I did add semi permanent 1/4" step inserts to the jaws held in ny two screws. They can easily be removed anytime I want.

 

[oldbrownhat]

...The old vintage models from Reed, Parker, Prentiss, and Athol are also excellent but very hard to find in superb condition.....

Looking at our local (and surrounding areas) Craigslist again, there's an Athol 623 1/2 vise in Lacey WA for $350, with the description, "A vise almost as tough as grandpa himself."

I looked up Reed. They don't appear to make any "commercial grade" vises at all now, but there's an old 6" 106R on the same Craigslist page in Kent WA for $1,000 (!)

 

[smoothshooter]

You made me go out in my garage and check on my vise. Yep, 4" Wilton with long square body. I wonder what it's worth now, have to look it up. I got mine in 1977, I Was NCOIC of the fuels maintenance shop. They moved us out of the cubby hole we had been in for about 2 years. We loaded up and when we got tho the new shop we found out we didn't need anything we brought. The new shop had all new stuff, filing cabinets, chairs, tables , tools and new vises. So a used Wilton found its way in to my trunk. Everything else found its way to salvage.
SWCA 892

I just retired (last week) from an Army National Guard Depot that overhauls helicopters. There has been a large vice bolted to one of the metal work tables that has the words “Made In England “ in large raised letters on one side. I heard it has been there since at least the early 1950’s and is rarely used now. I have lusted for it for over 40 years. It is still there, and is a Property Book Item. I would never steal anything from there but am a little surprised somebody else hasn’t.
When was the last time you saw any kind of tooling imported from England?’Kind of sad, really because the UK used to be a manufacturing giant. Perhaps Socialism and taxes have taken their toll.

 

[oldbrownhat]

...There has been a large vice bolted to one of the metal work tables that has the words “Made In England “ in large raised letters on one side. I heard it has been there since at least the early 1950’s and is rarely used now....

Probably made by Record (although that should be marked on it). Was it dark blue? They are the best-known, but i wouldn't be surprised that there were others of similar quality made there. Years ago they were sold to Rubbermaid (!!!) and then to Irwin and all the manufacturing went offshore.

 

[moosedog]

I bought this 6 incher back in 1975 at a tool supply sale. I has paid for itself time and time again. Tightened my first 1911 slide in this thing. Wish I would have kept the gun too.