Good Bench Vise Recommendations

[GManBart]

Look where he is - at the center of an historic manufacturing region. You (Colorado) and I (Northern California) are never going to find that wealth of historic stuff in our areas. Poultry feeders and wood 3-leg orchard ladders are 'historic' here, everything else old was brought here after it was taken out of service in its original location - and is priced like valuable antiques. Maybe ore carts and railroad spikes are the native antiques, where you are?

No doubt that makes a huge difference. I've noticed what I think is a trend that while the pickings are good here, they're better more in the Cleveland/Youngstown area. I think some of their machine shops and manufacturing plants closed more recently, so there's more stuff still coming available.

The whole things makes me a bit sad to see such great stuff that we used to be able to make and realize that's essentially gone for good.

 

[GManBart]

Quick follow up...here's the Wilton 350 after a restoration. This model sells new for $500 and it will go for a fraction of that when I sell it soon.

 

[LD1]

Nice work. Hopefully selling price isn't too small of a fraction of new for you.

I bet you could get darn near new price for it if you wanted

 

[California]

Simply gorgeous. :thumbsup:

 

[powerscol]

OK folks time to pull the trigger - I just broke my HF vice - striped the gear out.

Amazon has this one - Wilton 63200A Special Edition 1755 Tradesman for $370 - seams like a good deal. I need honest thoughts please.
Thanks

I chose it as it will somewhat hold a 4" pipe or 4x4.

Thanks again

 

[GManBart]

Nice work. Hopefully selling price isn't too small of a fraction of new for you.

I bet you could get darn near new price for it if you wanted

Thanks! This was only my second restoration attempt, so I'm pretty happy with it. I got a great deal on it, so I'm looking to be fair when I sell it...karma, right?

 

[lennyzx11]

Thanks! This was only my second restoration attempt, so I'm pretty happy with it. I got a great deal on it, so I'm looking to be fair when I sell it...karma, right?

Psst.... Over here.
If it needs a good home when you are done. I am looking.
Lenny

 

[GManBart]

OK folks time to pull the trigger - I just broke my HF vice - striped the gear out.

Amazon has this one - Wilton 63200A Special Edition 1755 Tradesman for $370 - seams like a good deal. I need honest thoughts please.
Thanks

I chose it as it will somewhat hold a 4" pipe or 4x4.

Thanks again

There's nothing wrong with the Wilton Tradesman series....heck, they survive for ages on the back of many work trucks, so they can't be too bad! The only knock on that special addition seems to be the paint isn't as durable as the standard model.

 

[ultrarunner]

OK folks time to pull the trigger - I just broke my HF vice - striped the gear out.

Amazon has this one - Wilton 63200A Special Edition 1755 Tradesman for $370 - seams like a good deal. I need honest thoughts please.
Thanks

I chose it as it will somewhat hold a 4" pipe or 4x4.

Thanks again

Bought one in 1990 for the service van and built a pull slide just so I could do pipe...

Don't know how I could work without it... and pipe jaws are just as important for what I do.

 

[powerscol]

There's nothing wrong with the Wilton Tradesman series....heck, they survive for ages on the back of many work trucks, so they can't be too bad! The only knock on that special addition seems to be the paint isn't as durable as the standard model.

Somehow its about $75 cheaper than their standard vice without the free offer. How bad is this paint? It will be indoors?

 

[GManBart]

Somehow its about $75 cheaper than their standard vice without the free offer. How bad is this paint? It will be indoors?

For indoor service the paint probably won't be an issue. I think people said that paint would come off with some common solvents, which won't happen with the standard version. If it ever got bad you could strip it, prime it, and paint it like I did the one I posted above....not too hard really.

 

[Turbys_1700]

I've checked some Craigslist prices around here. The older USA vices are priced accordingly. Not really any bargains out there in my neck of the woods.

 

[California]

Not really any bargains out there in my neck of the woods.

ditto.

$300 and up for Wilton-USA in good condition. Craigslist, San Francisco Bay Area: Wilton Vise

 

[ultrarunner]

That is the one I have in my service truck... done a lot of work with it and most with the pipe jaws... also the little anvil comes in handy...

Bought it 26 years ago.

WILTON - Bullet Vise 4" Jaws Swivel Base - Made In USA

 

[crazyal]

If you want a deal on a used vice you need to find one at a garage sale or similar. I rarely find much on CL that's really cheap. The few things that are usually are gone asap. I often find things where one person lists it too cheap, someone buys it, and then a week later it's back on CL for full market value. Around here turning plows come to mind. Last year I saw a Ford 2 bottom plow for $175 and a week later it was back on CL with a cheap blue paint job and a price of $475.

 

[CADplans]

Around here turning plows come to mind. Last year I saw a Ford 2 bottom plow for $175 and a week later it was back on CL with a cheap blue paint job and a price of $475.

This was on CL for $100,,, but, it was rusty red,,,

I had gold paint,,, and owned it less than 48 hours,,, out at $450,,,,:cool2:

 

[California]

You're the one!!!

 

[CADplans]

You're the one!!!

I would double the # of posts in this thread if I showed all the pics of my buy/sells,,,

I have at least 3 vises in the shed that a normal human could not pick up,,,,

Some day I will sell them,,,

Here is a pic of my drill press vise,,, it weighs easily 75 pounds,,,

 

[GManBart]

If you're looking on CL you need to know what you're looking for and take your time....lots of people with crazy prices on their vises, and more than a few with damage that is either ignored, or hidden. I just finished a restoration on this 105lb 5.5" jaw Athol and if I'm lucky I might get something like $175 for it. If it was a 5" Wilton bullet, it would be worth at least twice that, even though this Athol is more massive, and stronger in probably every way. The only downside to the Athol is the jaws aren't replaceable....but they're still there after 100 years.

 

[lennyzx11]

If you want a deal on a used vice you need to find one at a garage sale or similar. I rarely find much on CL that's really cheap. The few things that are usually are gone asap. I often find things where one person lists it too cheap, someone buys it, and then a week later it's back on CL for full market value. Around here turning plows come to mind. Last year I saw a Ford 2 bottom plow for $175 and a week later it was back on CL with a cheap blue paint job and a price of $475.

You gotta watch that though. I bought a cast one this summer that I was tickled about for 25 bucks. It was welded in one spot but that didn't bother me.
I mounted it on a receiver hitch plate to use where I needed it.
First time I went to really use it, it wouldn't get tight. Then I noticed the weld opening slowly as I cranked down on it.
So I'm still watching for a good one but per reading here and elsewhere, I'm going to get some 7018 rod, take it apart, grind out the old weld and V it and put to in the BBQ Grill to preheat as hot as I can get it and then reweld it.
After that if it breaks again, It'll probably become a boat anchor or trot line weight. Or go into a ballast box project eventually.