Can anybody recommend an AFFORDABLE vise?

[SuperArc]

I've been working with metal for a while without a bench vise. I don't know how I've gotten away with working without one in my hobby shop, but I have.

Anyway, reading reviews from Lowes, Home Depot and Harbor Freight, all of the vise reviews are terrible. Vises breaking in two, ACME bolt threads stripping with light use, etc...

I can't afford anything over $100.00 right now. Is there any vice within this price range you could recommend that might last a tad Ionger than the three brands named above? If I was a professional that depended on this piece of equipment, I'd finance an expensive brand. Sadly, Ive spent money on some expensive equipment and forgot about many of the "little" tools that are needed. The cash flow is now gone, so I just need a less expensive vise for occasional work at the house.

Thanks.

[Gamble]

See if you can find a wilton.

[DSW]

Good vise at a reasonable price? Go used. If you can find a good used machinery outlet they usually have some older decent vises at fair prices.

As far as the "cheap" ones from box stores, I've had several throughout the years. A few "small" Craftsman vices ( 4" or 6" IIRC) and a couple of the import swivel ones. Mostly older units, so quality might be better than those seen today. How you treat the vise will mean a lot. I don't toss a 2' length of pipe on the handle of a small vise and try to use it as a press or beat the snot out of it with a hammer. Even with the big vise on the heavy table, I take reasonable care in how I use it. I see way to many people abusing vises. Most were never designed to be used as an anvil.

The type of work you plan to do with the vise will play a big roll in how expensive a vise you need to have. 90% of the stuff I need to hold in a vise, all I have to do is hold it steady. I need to hold a piece of plate so I can drill a few holes in the bracket, thread a piece of pipe, hold something so I can drive out a small pin or cut stock with the hand saw / Portaband, hold a piece of steel or alum in place so I can weld on it and so on. Those uses I have a 1/2 dozen or so "small" vises for. The last 10 % I usually need to beat on something in the vise. I have a very stuck pin or bushing that needs to be heated and driven out or need to hot / cold form some metal. I have several post vises for this that I picked up cheap, as well as the big vise on the 1 1/2" table. All of those will stand some heavy hitting.

[WyoRoy]

Hit the junk shops, eBay or Craigslist for a vintage bench vise.

[Boostinjdm]

Find an old one and fix it up. Here's my thread on the subject. 3 good vises and I only paid for one of them. $20 at that. I recently picked up another small Rock Island vise for free. I suppose I'll have to add that to the thread when I make some progress on it.
http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?t=44447

[stuk4x4]

I have a Wilton, that I came across and I am sure it will out last me, If you are close to a Military base try looking at there DRMO site. They sell to the public and it is normally reasonable.
Good Luck
Walt

[67lemans]

I have found a few decent ones at some antique stores

[tbone550]

Some other names besides Wilton to look for in old used vises would be Reed, Athol / Starrett, Prentiss, Charles Parker, Rock Island, Columbian....

[jbmprods]

where do you live in Ca SuperArc? i see all the time good USA made vises for sale on CL in my area for under a hundred bucks.

[37ford4dr]

definitely look used at estate/garage sales....

[houseoffire]

What is your location? I have a nice Wilton that I may part with! Probably not $100 alone but maybe you have a trade item? Brand new 5 inch, list $920 on Wilton website.

[fredschrom]

Depending on your part of the country this can be HARD !!!! to find. I worked our local craigslist almost daily for 3-4 months my rules were:

1. must be US made
2. must weigh over 60 lbs
3. cannot be an additional project, must work be complete

Additionally I didn't an old ragged beat up vise

What I bought was a old Chas Parker from EBAY ( same company as Parker shotguns)

Don't just look for Wilton, Yost, Chas Parker are excellent vises and there are a couple of other brands that are long since extinct that were excellent vises.

I said US made vises....an exception to that is Record and Paramo made in England vises real good quality stuff, and I am sure there are some Czech, Poland and German made ones that were quality....but I can't help you with the brands.

A couple of cautions not all wiltons and yost vises are US made today, look up the model, they both do imported vises that are not as strong and are imported be careful when your buying. Second caution is what is your use for a vise? I would break your leg off and beat you with the stump if you got near my milling machine vises with a grinder. If your going to get a grinder dog vise a decent quality import isn't all bad, vises get beat up on grinding benches, little accidents happen and after a while they trash the vises mostly the jaws. A decent quality import is good for that duty, Yost makes a decent one. No its not a precision $800-1000 US made vise but its servicable reasonably priced ( around $200 ) and your not going to cry every time your grinder nicks it.

[BD1]

Originally Posted by tbone550

Some other names besides Wilton to look for in old used vises would be Reed, Athol / Starrett, Prentiss, Charles Parker, Rock Island, Columbian....

hi, I would add Morgan to the list. Keep checking craigs list I just picked up a parker for 30.00 bucks, nice. They are just hard to find close to where you live! good luck, bob

[Fischer Fab]

Craigs list is your best bet, or find a wilton i have one and works pretty good i havent broken it yet.

[tbone550]

Originally Posted by BD1

hi, I would add Morgan to the list. Keep checking craigs list I just picked up a parker for 30.00 bucks, nice. They are just hard to find close to where you live! good luck, bob

Yep, the list is a "for example", not inclusive. Can't believe I forgot Yost!

[Warpspeed]

I was in a similar situation a couple of months back.
Urgently needed a decent bench vise but had no money.

Bought a rusty old thing on e-bay, looked like a real POS from the pictures.
But I knew what that vice was, and for $15.00 it was mine.
Made in USA by Reed Mfg Co.
Cleaned up, this is a beautiful vise, feels really solid, and will probably outlast me.

[fredschrom]

" Keep checking craigs list I just picked up a parker for 30.00 bucks "

I want three at that price.....WOW

Like I said I looked for months and I can only wish I could find that locally. I need another vise for on my truck I still want a 60-80 lb one and I have my my eye and wallet open.

I will probably do ebay again.

This was a good post some of the vise names I recognised but there were a couple that were new to me. Not tonight but I might sit and consolidate the lists, that would be a excellent list to reference in the future.

[Tool Maker]

O the garage forum there is a couple hundred vices on one sticky. I have slug of them but I could use more. Mac

[tanglediver]

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/tls/2771562667.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/tls/2741722012.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/tls/2786899378.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/tls/2786443574.html
Jewel in the rough! http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/tls/2781677875.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/tls/2785379339.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/tls/2779465571.html
Here!! http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/tls/2783536039.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/tls/2782764173.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/tls/2773888031.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/tls/2779225835.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/tls/2777966313.html

The Bay Area is obviously loaded with the good stuff!


http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/tls/2766474048.html
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/ant...783992065.html
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv...781874940.html
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv...736216623.html
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst...780790498.html
We have one of these at work, they ain't bad...http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/tls/2774663099.html
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/tls/2785824227.html
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/tls/2784081957.html
Hmmm, no pic, but interesting...http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/tls/2778617990.html
Clean http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/tls/2761573627.html
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/tls/2712249351.html
http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/tls/2777341503.html
Close... http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac...785557530.html
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv...769358633.html

I could window shop for tools all day.



Uh, price busters!!

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/tls/2777988184.html
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/tls/2716109016.html
http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/tls/2785013486.html
http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/tls/2749639769.html
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/tls/2765532444.html
http://ventura.craigslist.org/tls/2756972029.html
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/tls/2786284638.html
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/tls/2730907411.html
http://humboldt.craigslist.org/tls/2719238430.html

Ok, enough already. The point is, used tools are everywhere if you are willing to have a good look around.

Holy cow, the motherload!!
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/tls/2776451754.html

[tanglediver]

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/tls/2776248597.html

[Moparfever]

+1 on used. Agree with Wilton, Columbian, Chas. Parker. Also vintage Craftsman are okay, probably need to get back before the 70's though.

[BD1]

WOW TANGLEDIVER, You did all the work for him! !!!! AWESOME!!!

You had to invest some serious time in doing that. Great job. I sure hope he lives near them and he post a picture of his purchase. There are some beauties for sure.

[TozziWelding]

I got my Wilton C3 at the used tool store for $150, full retail on it is $2500. I thought it was affordable.

[fredschrom]

" I got my Wilton C3 at the used tool store for $150, full retail on it is $2500. I thought it was affordable. "

Decent deal on that.

[Tmbrwlf]

I can't believe no one suggested "Build Your Own" It ain't that hard...