Looking for a good vise

[LJFiler]

I am looking for a good vise for my shop. The one I had was cheap and the jaw clamps broke. I will be using it for multiple uses but mainly for metal work and changing u-joints on pickups. I would prefer one that will open at least six inches. Any suggestions on brands and/or models will be greatly appreciated.



Larry

 

[Grunt]

Wilton is one brand I'd look at. Most of the shops I worked in/around used them. I own two myself.

 

[fest3er]

... Oh. I was wondering why someone was asking on TDR about acquiring a bad habit, as if owning a diesel pickup wasn't enough. No, that's the *other* spelling.

 

[Mikey-KE7LBB]

I agree on the Wilton. Almost everywhere I've ever worked had one in the shop and they will last forever!! Never seen a broken one yet!!

 

[GCroyle]

I was gonna start with Bourbon on the rocks, then I remembered the Charles Parker in my basement, but it doesn't fit in a glass with the Bourbon.



I got mine from my father in law, big & robust a real keeper and pass it on in the family kinda vise. I think this is the kind you find in a garage sale though. I saw on a search that they said the factory closed in the late 50's.

 

[MZahn]

A guy that I worked for 30 years ago gave me an old used Wilton. Still mounted to a bench in the 4th garage since a got it and working fine. One of the jaws is broke and gone for about 1", but no loss of use.

 

[MZahn]

I know what you may be thinking about me after seeing my vise, but my wife painted the workbench to surprise me. I would have removed the vise first. And yes, I am missing a hold down bolt.

 

[SMorneau]

I bought one of these wiltons about a year ago. I like the extra capacity when you flip the jaw around. A real nice good looking vise.



http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200096424_200096424

 

[Grizzly]

Wilton may be the best vise you can get, but you may not want to spend that much. I have a Sears Craftsman for like 30 something years. I don't know who made it for Craftman, but it sure has been impeccable.



I don't believe Craftman tools are as good as they used to be, but if you find an old one in a garage sale, grab it.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Wilton may be the best vise you can get, but you may not want to spend that much. I have a Sears Craftsman for like 30 something years. I don't know who made it for Craftman, but it sure has been impeccable.



I don't believe Craftman tools are as good as they used to be, but if you find an old one in a garage sale, grab it.

Yep, my Craftsman vise is about 40 years old. It's been used and abused and keeps on working. I agree that today's Craftsman vise isn't the same quality.



Bill

 

[Grizzly]

Yep, my Craftsman vise is about 40 years old. It's been used and abused and keeps on working. I agree that today's Craftsman vise isn't the same quality.



Bill

True, nor none of their power tools. I still have and use some very old Craftman (35 to 40 years old) power tools, which are made heavy, no plastic.



george

 

[Dieselnut59]

Nothing seems to be made as well as it used to be. You can still get a Wilton vise that is great quality, made in USA, but beware of their discount chinese made vises. You can get good ones at yard sales, or check Craigslist. We have a Wilton USA made vise at work and it has been a good one.

 

[SMorneau]

The vise I linked in my previous post is made in China. It seems to be very well made, it works smoothly, has a good finish and has held everything that I have put in it rock solid. However, I do not try an break things. If I were intending to pound the crap out of things with a large hammer while they were in or on the vise I would look for one with a good warranty and a high strength casting ($$$) and maybe get an anvil.

I don't think anyone is going to break this vise or be disappointed in it if they are buying it for work holding and medium duty use. I did bend the handle pressing a nasty U-joint out of a PSD; but that just added a little character. To be fair the manual says not to use a cheater bar

I like old stuff and continue to look for many deals including old vises. My shop is filled with chinese made tools and most were carefully selected for value and all most all of them have served me very well in my non-commercial home shop.

 

[Grizzly]

Whatever you do, don't get a China made Harbor Freight brand.

 

[DJW]

I believe the Wilton brand of vise I've used in Britain had a quick change for to open and close the jaw, it was located near the portion of the slip through for the handle, you squeezed the trigger or projection to the screw portion then the jaw was free to be quickly adjusted open or closed. Even very heavy models had the same feature, as at first it would appear to weaken the system but I never saw or knew one fail with this feature. I left Britain, (For Good, and it turned out Very GOOD) in 1954 but I believe they were Wilton.

All woodworking vices of all makes had the quick open-close feature, but I was surprised to see it on heavy large steel vices used in engineering shops when I saw them for the first time, where large 20 pound sledge hammers were used to coax reluctant steel into shape.

Also when working in engineering plants in the US I was surprised that the average shop size drill presses did not have the automatic feed system as I only saw them on the large radial drill presses. Even the common shop utility drill presses in Britain had the self feed system, in operation you brought the turning drill bit to the workpiece, start drilling and if satisfied push the operation handle into the direction of the drill then you were free to walk away, the drilling would continue until it reached the end of the run, which was also adjustable.

 

[DJW]

I forgot to mention, the homeowners manual drill press was also self feeding, however you were the motive force to turn the drill, at the top of the machine there was a flywheel about 9 inches in diameter as you turned the handle that flywheel would spin, I don't know how the self feed worked but as the drill progressed the cutting edge would be kept in contact with the metal being drilled, by turning the handle the drill bit turned and the machine feed the cutting automatically. They were wonderful industrial quality machines. Although in those days all tools in general were very high quality, now sadly it seems that many tools regardless of the price are throw-aways, Cheap & Nasty.

 

[rbattelle]

You can still get a Wilton vise that is great quality, made in USA, but beware of their discount chinese made vises.

That's what I was going to say. The Chinese Wiltons are about half the strength of a US-made Wilton (35 ksi castings vs. 60 ksi castings), but about 1/4 the cost.



Choose wisely. I have a Chinese Wilton that works fine, and I haven't been able to break it yet. Yet.



-Ryan

 

[Grizzly]

That's what I was going to say. The Chinese Wiltons are about half the strength of a US-made Wilton (35 ksi castings vs. 60 ksi castings), but about 1/4 the cost.



Choose wisely. I have a Chinese Wilton that works fine, and I haven't been able to break it yet. Yet.



-Ryan

Ryan, I didn't know that some Wilton vises are made in China. Too many of our USA big name brands are being out sourced to China for the obvious reasons that it is cheaper to make. However, the quality always suffers.



One example I found out is that the well known and respected Dalta Unisaw is now being made in China. I have one of the USA made, which I purchased new about 15 years ago.



george

 

[rbattelle]

Ryan, I didn't know that some Wilton vises are made in China.

At least they're still making them here in the US, too. But the US-made versions are extremely expensive.



Still, if good old American quality is what you want, it's available.



-Ryan

 

[Loren]

Larry,



It seems I lucked into a good vise when I bought mine years ago. I got a Wilton because that’s what the hardware store had when I was shopping for one.



I see they have gone up some since then. If you want one that will open 6" or more, you can pick it up for just over $1000. 00 here:



McMaster-Carr



There are many other vises on that same web page from McMaster-Carr, including a 6", light-duty vise for about $100. You won’t get too many great prices from them, but I’ve never gotten junk either. If you order on-line you won’t be told the shipping charges before you place your order, but they will be reasonable or even cheap.



If you’re able to break a vise, you probably don’t want the $100 one, but if you want a Wilton, McMaster-Carr is one source.



Good luck,

– Loren