I need a bench vice.

Gather App
Guns.com Vault
G

gregintenn

Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2008
Messages
6,925
Reaction score
8,954
City & State/Province
Lafayette, Tennessee
Should I just go to Northern Tool and pick out a Wilton, or do you have any better advice for me?

I'd love to have an old vice, but I haven't been able to find any locally for sale. It seems that when someone purchases a quality vice, they find little reason to get rid of it.
 
When I bought my vise I asked myself how much quality I needed for the kind of use it would get. Wiltons of course are essentially the gold standard, and their price reflects that and more. I didn't need something that good and couldn't afford it anyway, so I got a 5", $45 job at Sears and it has served my need well for over 15 years.

Best wishes,
Andy
 
I looked at a Craftsman brand vice a few days ago, and aside form the "made in China" sticker, it just looked and felt cheap to me. My current bench vice is broken, hence the needing of a new one. I'd rather spend a bit more in hopes of avoiding another broken vice.

My general tool policy is to buy a cheap one first, and if I use it enough that it needs replacing, I'll replace it with a quality tool.

That might not be the economical way to do it, but it seems to work for me.

It looks like I need a pretty good vice.
 
The Wilton's sold at Northern Tool as Asian made, decent vices, but they are not the higher quality made-in-USA Wilton's (and yes, there is a big quality difference). Personally, I'd stay away from the low price point Asian units.

When it comes to guns and tools, I'm a big believer in buying it once. Pay for the quality, and you won't have problems, and neither will your kids, and your grand kids when they have it after you're gone... Of course, if you're just tinkering with light-duty stuff, maybe a made in China, or Taiwan vise would be just fine.

I've got a nice Wilton, it was a lot of money, but it's a great vice. Yost makes some nice made in USA vices, as well... There are different grades of these quality vices, 'tradesman,' 'machinist,' etc, and price points to match. Look for sales on line.
 
You didn't say what kind of vice you wanted, but I'll presume machinist type. Over the years I've collected a number of vices (both the bad habit and steel type:eek:) by going to auctions. This is where I have found ones that were made in the 50s or earlier, much better quality and cheaper than the current imports.
 
I have a 3" Wilton that I traded for around 40 yrs ago. It may have deserted from the Navy, since I got it from a recently liberated swabby. I don't remember what the trade was, but I knew nothing about Wiltons at the time. I thought I got took, but now I know it was a great deal. It has been a DELIGHT to own and use all those decades. Heck, they are the prettiest vice in the world! :D Sleek and trim, but scary powerful, and they DON'T give!

I later picked up a 5" and a tiny 2" at flea markets or junk shops- don't remember, but they were cheap. :D;););)

They'll still be great vises for my Great-great grandchildren. ;)
 
Last edited:
Vises are like hammers.
They are tough and have a long service life.
They wear out.
Yard sale, garage sale.
 
Local auctions of various types of closed businesses like machine
shops, auto repair or surplus city and county equipment. All kinds of
tools and equipment. Sometimes older quality stuff sells for near
scrap prices. Some auction houses specialize in this stuff and will hold
large auctions periodically.
 
I have two old Columbian table vices made in Cleveland, Ohio. I bought them at Goodwill. I don't remember how much but they couldn't be more than $5/ea.

Look on craigslist or some other local website that allows free ads giveaways. Sometimes people will list free homemade workbenches with a table vice still attached.
 
I bought a 5" vise from Sears in 1978 or so. Still haven't worn it out, though it has been abused way too many times.

Check flea markets, swap shops, auctions etc.
 
Greg, look for removable jaws and a pipe vise on a new vise.

Jaws wear out and are easily replaced. If you don't have them, you have to replace the whole vise.

The pipe holder is just a pair of hemispheric jaws cast into the body and favorable jaw.

You might not think you'll need that, but if it's there, you'll use it a lot.
 
I bought a 5" from Sears when I first got married. That's been 50 years and it's still going strong and my marriage is also.
 
I had an old Sears and the good point was that it only had three mounting feet allowing working on a corner. It finally broke and I bought two 5" Wilton's. On both of these I cut off the fourth mounting foot. Always mount the vice forward enough so that a long piece can be clamped straight up and down being able to clear the front of the bench. Do the same thing for the end of your bench, round off the corner of your bench to the same radius as the vise base. With the forth leg removed it is possible to clamp and rotate long pieces thru the 90 angle.
e.
 
oberon said:
Vises are like hammers.
They are tough and have a long service life.
They wear out.
Yard sale, garage sale.
Click to expand...
I am not entirely sure they wear out. I have a Parker (yes the same Parker that built Parker shotguns), that is still in service in a heavy equipment construction yard, that was built between 1866 and 1882. I have 2 older Wilton vises (USA) that I used in my heavy equipment business for 30 plus years that still mechanically new though cosmetic damage has occurred in their life.
 
-db- said:
eBay search: vintage vise

1,501 results for vintage vise

http://smith-wessonforum.com/lounge/337301-old-tools-brought-back-life.html
Click to expand...
You should never, ever, need to buy a cheap Chinese made vise, even one with a reputable tool company's name on it like Wilton, unless you are working on your car in the Pep Boys parking lot and that's what they have on the shelves. Ever.

Get on ebay or craigslist, or start hitting local auctions or garage sales, and find a good, American made one. Doesn't matter if the maker is around or not. I have 100 year old Reed and Parker vises in daily use. I have over 20 vises including milling machine vises and x-y vises and machinist vises from 2 to 5 inch sizes. They will be working for someone long after I'm gone.

To make a vise last:
Don't weld on one you want to keep.
Don't put a cheater bar over the handle; get a bigger vise or put it in the vise more intelligently.
Don't EVER hammer on the vise, except for light sheet metal. An anvil on the vise is for light duty work. Get a real anvil if you need to hammer that bad.

This is how vises get Bubba'ed, and if you do these things to them you are a Bubba too.

Get the impression I like vises?
Bill S
 
Like V1 ROTATE, I use and collect antique vises. His rules for proper care are the gold standard for long life. Must add one rule he forgot but am sure he knows. Rule #5 When done using vise, close jaws and leave loose. Constant pressure on a vise when not in use will cause the jaws to develop a "set" and wont properly close in the future.
 
About 20 yrs. ago, Grizzly Tool was selling a vise made in Taiwan that opened 5" and had standard jaws and pipe jaws that rotated 360 deg. It was pretty darn well made. I think the price was about $50. Today, the China version sold by Harbor Freight cost about $80 and isn't nearly as well made.

I purchased the Taiwan version and started rebuilding it into the Gunsmith Vise to end all. I removed all the jaw faces, squared up the remaining surfaces in my mill, replaced the standard jaws with precision ground 1/2"x2 1/2"x5" steel bar, replaced the pipe jaws with Brownell's gunsmith neoprene surfaced aluminum backed vice jaws. I spent a lot of time machining the jaw mounting points to make the two jaws sets to close on the same plane. Turned out that was a waste of time because I have never had to use that feature in 20 years. I replaced the handle with a piece of precision ground 1/2"dia. round rod that was a little longer than the original. In this process the vise had been totally disassembled. I smoothed up the screw bar in my lathe by draw filing while turning it slowly. All the mating surfaces were flat sanded smooth on a surface plate with wet/dry sandpaper. I then painted it flat black with exhaust pipe paint. I have had fellow gunsmiths try to purchase my vise from me several times. I had a Key Shop owner that I gunsmithed for demand that I make him one regardless of cost . I made him one and charged him $375 for it and didn't make all that fired much per hour. About every five years I mount the vise intact on my mill bed and dress up the three edges of the precision ground bar jaws with slight cuts. I keep the screw bar lubed with automotive grease. It still works perfectly and two or three times a year someone sees it and tries to purchase it.

I needed a second vise similar to this one in my present larger shop. I purchased a China made version from Harbor Freight. I took it apart and put it back together and then into the next garage sale we had without ever clamping anything in it. I guess I am going to have to start watching eBay for an older Wilton or American made Craftsman. .................... Big Cholla
 
Last edited:
I bought a Wilton 745 about 30 years ago (USA made) and use it many times a week. It is an EXCELLENT vise although I do believe that the newer ones now are made overseas. I used to have a Yost vise and that was also very good. Some of the Yost models are still made here if memory serves.

I have not babied the Wilton and I would buy another in a heart beat if I needed another one.

PS: in the photo you will see a piece of RR track that I use as an anvil sometimes when I need a slightly rounded shape as opposed to the flat anvil section on the Wilton.

A few buying tips:

*Buy a vise with replaceable jaws - in fact get a replacement set when you buy the vise just in case they aren't available of you ever break the originals.

* Get a vise (like my Wilton below) that has pipe jaws it it as well. Very useful for round pipes and other things.

* Get a vise that swivels - makes a difference when you are working on very long items.

* Get a model with a build in anvil - like the one above. Use for light work.

* I personally like the Wilton's DOUBLE swivel locks. The vise will never turn unintentionally.

* NEVER NEVER EVER buy one from Harbor Freight - pure rubbish!
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0214.jpg
    IMG_0214.jpg
    91.2 KB
  • IMG_0206.jpg
    IMG_0206.jpg
    99.4 KB
Last edited:
Just did some checking and yes there are still a bunch of Yost American made vises but they are QUITE PRICY to say the least. For a 5" model they list for just under $1100.00. While I almost always buy American if available, most can't or won't be able to justify it in this case when you can get a 5" Wilton #745 for around $250. The tensile strength of the Yost is about double of the Wilton, but the 35,000 PSI of the Wilton is more than enough for most of us. Hey, if you can or are willing to go for the American made Yost it will last 10 lifetimes!

There are still Wilton Trademan 5 1/2" "bullet vises" MADE IN USA at around $600 list. Both USA brands can be found discounted on the net.

You also might consider buying a used American made Wilton, Yost, Athol, etc on Fleebay. Other than chipped paint which is easily restored, most of the older vises have survived quite nicely and can be gotten at great prices. As of this moment there are some very good buys listed on vintage USA made models.

Of all the imported vises, Wilton is more than likely the best of the bunch. I purchased mine 30 years ago (made in USA back then) so I am not sure just when they started to have them made where ever they are now days.
 
Last edited:
I have a 3" Wilton. Don't know the model. I didn't pay a cent for it. It was given to me because the owner didn't want any old, ugly tools and wanted to buy a new, pretty vice.

On both sides it is marked "WILTON" and CHICAGO USA" on two lines. On one side it is marked "930MC" or "930MO". On the other side is "No-5". It probably is at least 50 years old, but it works just fine, and free is the right price.
 
I would post pictures of my vices here but my wife would object.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

cporfe
New-to-me used M&P9 2.0 Compact with unusual barrel color
Replies
3
Views
216
Beju
B
CrowGhost
Extractor rod wobble
2
Replies
32
Views
867
Kenneth07ex
K
Turn4811
New Bench
Replies
29
Views
2K
mikerjf
M
B
Converting Square Butt Frame to Round Butt Frame-Help
2
Replies
56
Views
3K
Doug M.
Doug M.
J
Model 58 police connection
Replies
13
Views
378
M5741
M

Latest posts

Back
Top